Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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NESMITH, Mike

(b 20 Dec. '42, Houston TX) US singer/songwriter, guitarist. First fame as a Monkee; as the group's only real musician, he was the first to rebel against their manipulation. He had worked in folkish ensembles and (allegedly) as a session guitarist at Stax Records in Memphis; outside projects while still a Monkee incl. writing Linda Ronstadt's first hit (with Stone Poneys) 'Different Drum' '67, and instrumental LP When The Wichita Train Whistle Sings '68. He organized the First National Band '70 with Orville 'Red' Rhodes (b 30 Dec. '30, Alston IL) on steel guitar and dobro, John London (b John Kuehne, 6 Feb. '42, Bryan TX) on bass, John Ware (b 2 May '44, Tulsa OK), drums; they made albums Magnetic South '70 (incl. no. 21 single 'Joanne'), Loose Salute '70, Nevada Fighter '71. Only the first two made Billboard's Top 200 LPs; single 'Silver Moon' was no. 42 late '70 and title track of third album made the Hot 100 (compilation Listen To The Band '97 on Camden is good value). The group folded; Nesmith and Rhodes recruited bassist Johnny Meeks (formerly one of Gene Vincent's Blue Caps), Michael Cohen on keyboards and drummer Jack Rinelli for Second National Band, which made only Tantamount To Treason '71; Nesmith and Rhodes forged on with ironically titled And The Hits Just Keep On Comin' '72. The RCA contract concluded with Pretty Much Your Standard Ranch Stash '73; offer of his own Countryside label by Elektra fell through when David Geffen replaced Jac Holzman at that label; Nesmith's gentle country-rock ended up on Pacific Arts, which released periodic albums from concept LP The Prison '75 through Infinite Rider On The Big Dogma '79 (a Top 200 LP) to Elephant Parts '81, a mixed-media package of music and dance. He had already moved into production (LPs by Rhodes, Ian Matthews, Bert Jansch, Garland Frady), increasingly into directing videos: Elephant Parts won the first ever Grammy for a video. Available on Rio label '96: two-CD set Michael Nesmith And The First National Band, The Prison, Tropical Campfires and The Garden (recorded '91--3, the last nom. for a Grammy).