Michael Nesmith

Michael Nesmith
Nesmith at a 1966 Monkees photoshoot
Background information
Birth name	Robert Michael Nesmith
Also known as	Michael Blessing Nez Wool Hat Papa Nez
Born	(1942-12-30)December 30, 1942 Houston, Texas, U.S.
Died	December 10, 2021(2021-12-10) (aged 78) Carmel Valley, California, U.S.
Genres	Rock pop folk psychedelia progressive country[1] country rock
Occupation(s)	Musician composer author songwriter actor writer director producer owner of Pacific Arts Corporation
Instrument(s)	Guitar vocals
Years active	1965–2021
Formerly of	The Monkees First National Band
Spouse(s)	Phyllis Ann Barbour ​ ​ (m. 1964; div. 1972)​ Kathryn Bild ​ ​ (m. 1976; div. 1988)​ Victoria Kennedy ​ ​ (m. 2000; div. 2011)​

Robert Michael Nesmith (December 30, 1942 – December 10, 2021) was an American musician, songwriter, and actor. He was best known as a member of the Monkees and co-star of their TV series of the same name (1966–1968). His songwriting credits with the Monkees include "Mary, Mary", "The Girl I Knew Somewhere", "Tapioca Tundra", "Circle Sky" and "Listen to the Band". Additionally, his song "Different Drum" became a hit for Linda Ronstadt and the Stone Poneys.

After leaving the Monkees in 1969, 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" (1970). As a solo artist, he scored an international hit with the song "Rio" (1977). He often played a custom-built Gretsch 12-string electric guitar with the Monkees and afterwards.

In 1974, Nesmith founded Pacific Arts, a multimedia production and distribution company, through which he helped pioneer the music video format, winning the first Grammy Award for Video of the Year for his hour-long comedy/variety program, Elephant Parts (1981).^[2] He created one of the first American television programs dedicated to music videos, PopClips, which aired on Nickelodeon in 1980, and was soon after approached to help develop the MTV network, though he declined. Nesmith was also an executive producer of the film Repo Man (1984).