History Music / MichaelNesmith

Robert Michael Nesmith (December 30, 1942 - December 10, 2021) was an American SingerSongwriter, producer, writer, and actor. Perhaps best remembered as a wool hat-wearing Texan [[Franchise/TheMonkees Monkee]], "Papa Nez" had quite the storied and innovative career. From helping codify early country rock to basically inventing Creator/{{MTV}} and music videos with his Grammy award-winning "visual album" ''Elephant Parts'', Nesmith's influence cannot be underestimated. Oh, and his mum invented liquid paper.

** ''Tantamount to Treason, Vol. 1'' is probably the only [[ProgressiveRock "prog country"]] album in existence. It's been specifically described as sounding like Music/PinkFloyd trying to do CountryMusic.

* EpicRocking: "[[LongTitle The Back Porch and a Fruit Jar Full of Iced Tea]]", a two-part medley clocking in at nearly eight and a half minutes.

* LongTitle: The albums ''And the Hits Just Keep on Comin''', ''Pretty Much Your Standard Ranch Stash'', ''From a Radio Engine to the Photon Wing'', and ''Infinite Rider on the Big Dogma'', alongside a few songs.

* CoolOldGuy: He transitioned into this persona in his final years.

[[caption-width-right:350:[[Music/TheMonkees Monkee]]. Songwriter. Innovator.]]

* RefrainFromAssuming: ''Infinite Rider On The Big Dogma'' appears to parody this somewhat with the parenthesized titles on the album cover. Most of them fit, anyway.

* NiceHat: His famous wool cap, of course, but also his array of cowboy hats.

* TheCameo: Having been a guest at the orchestral overdub session for Music/TheBeatles' [[Music/SgtPeppersLonelyHeartsClubBand "A Day in the Life"]] (along with several members of Music/TheRollingStones, Music/{{Donovan}} and Music/MarianneFaithfull), Michael appears a few times in the video, which was largely filmed at the session, including a shot of him casually chatting with Music/JohnLennon.

* NeoClassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly:
** His 1968 album ''The Wichita Train Whistle Sings'' is not only all-instrumental, but an oddball mix of big band, soft rock and country.
** ''Tantamount to Treason, Vol. 1'' is probably the only [[ProgressiveRock "prog country"]] album in existence. It's been specifically described as sounding like Music/PinkFloyd trying to do CountryMusic.

* MoodWhiplash / SomethingCompletelyDifferent: "The Candidate" off ''And The Hits Just Keep On Comin''' is a strange, dissonant rumination over the fleeting world of politics... and it opens the second side.

* ThreeChordsAndTheTruth: ''And the Hits Just Keep on Comin''' consists of precious little else than Nez and his guitar, long-time compatriot Red Rhodes on pedal steel, standard country chords and the truth. Except for [[SomethingCompletelyDifferent that one song]], of course.

+ Music/ChuckBerry, Music/BoDiddley, Music/BobDylan, Music/JohnLennon, Music/JerryLeeLewis, Music/BuckOwens, Music/JimmieRodgers, Music/HankWilliams.]

+ Music/BobDylan, Music/JohnLennon, Music/JerryLeeLewis, Music/BuckOwens, Music/JimmieRodgers, Music/HankWilliams.]

He passed away from natural causes in 2021, just a few weeks shy of his 79th birthday.

Enlisting in the Air Force at 18, Nesmith took up the guitar while in the service and became involved in the Texas folk music scene after his discharge. After releasing a self-financed 1963 single ("Wanderin'") he decided to try his luck in California, forming the folk-rock trio Mike, John and Bill with two of his old Texas buddies (John London and Bill Sleeper) in the wake of Music/TheBeatles' success, and later releasing two solo singles for the Colpix label under the name Michael Blessing in 1965. After seeing the famous "MADNESS!" ad in ''Variety'', he successfully auditioned for The Monkees.[[note]]He was the only one of the Monkees who did an actual walk-in audition after seeing the ad. Davy Jones was a Columbia Pictures contract player who was attached to the project from the start, Micky Dolenz's agent saw the ad and arranged his audition, and Peter Tork was tracked down by the producers on the recommendation of [[Music/CrosbyStillsNashAndYoung Stephen Stills.]][[/note]] Alongside the massive success of The Monkees, Nesmith also began to make a name for himself as a songwriter, with the ultra-hip Paul Butterfield Blues Band recording "Mary, Mary", and Music/LindaRonstadt having her breakthrough hit as the lead singer of the Stone Poneys with "Different Drum".

[[caption-width-right:350:[[Music/TheMonkees Monkee]]. Songwriter. Innovator. BadassBeard.]]

* BadassBeard: He had legendary, dense sideburns in his Monkees days, which blossomed into a full beard toward the end of their original career (the 1969 Monkees guest shot on ''Series/RowanAndMartinsLaughIn'' was Michael's first bearded public appearance). Then, after briefly going clean-shaven in the First National Band days, it became a permanent part of his public image up through the early '00s, featured lovingly throughout ''Elephant Parts''.

* FadingIntoTheNextSong: "The One Rose" -> "Blue Horizon", "Texas Morning" -> "Tumbling Tumbleweeds".