HOME | DD

Description

Robert Michael Nesmith (December 30, 1942 – December 10, 2021), often known as Mike Nesmith, was an American musician, songwriter, and actor. He was best known as a member of the pop rock band the Monkees and co-star of the TV series The Monkees (1966–1968). His songwriting credits include "Different Drum ", which became a hit for Linda Ronstadt and the Stone Poneys .

After the break-up of the Monkees, Nesmith continued his successful songwriting and performing career, first with the seminal country rock group the First National Band , with whom he had a top-40 hit, "Joanne ", and then as a solo artist. He often played a custom-built Gretsch 12-string electric with the Monkees and afterwards.

Nesmith founded Pacific Arts , a multimedia production and distribution company, in 1974, through which he helped pioneer the music video format. He created one of the first American television programs dedicated to music videos, PopClips , which aired on Nickelodeon in 1980. He was asked to help produce and create MTV , but had prior commitments with his production company. In 1981, he won the first Grammy Award for Video of the Year for his hour-long television show, Elephant Parts .[1] He was also an executive producer of the film Repo Man (1984).

Description

Robert Michael Nesmith (December 30, 1942 – December 10, 2021), often known as Mike Nesmith, was an American musician, songwriter, and actor. He was best known as a member of the pop rock band the Monkees and co-star of the TV series The Monkees (1966–1968). His songwriting credits include "Different Drum ", which became a hit for Linda Ronstadt and the Stone Poneys .

After the break-up of the Monkees, Nesmith continued his successful songwriting and performing career, first with the seminal country rock group the First National Band , with whom he had a top-40 hit, "Joanne ", and then as a solo artist. He often played a custom-built Gretsch 12-string electric with the Monkees and afterwards.

Nesmith founded Pacific Arts , a multimedia production and distribution company, in 1974, through which he helped pioneer the music video format. He created one of the first American television programs dedicated to music videos, PopClips , which aired on Nickelodeon in 1980. He was asked to help produce and create MTV , but had prior commitments with his production company. In 1981, he won the first Grammy Award for Video of the Year for his hour-long television show, Elephant Parts .[1] He was also an executive producer of the film Repo Man (1984).