Thursday, October 10, 2024

Monkees in the Mix: Micky Dolenz Releasing Album of Mike Nesmith Songs Including Linda Ronstadt’s “Different Drum”

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Two days ago, Micky Dolenz celebrated a birthday. Happy birthday, Micky!

And now we get the news that the once and always Monkee is releasing his first new album in nine years. And all the songs are by his pal of more than 50 years, fellow Monkee Mike Nesmith.

“Dolenz Sings Nesmith” is produced by Mike’s son, Christian, and includes a cover of a song you may not realize Mike wrote: Linda Ronstadt’s “Different Drum.”

The cover, at left, reminds me a little of the famous “Nilsson Sings Newman” album from the 70s when Harry Nilsson had a collection of Randy Newman songs.

Micky confirms it in the album’s press release. He says he got the idea for the album a long time ago. As Micky says “I think I first mentioned it to Nez years ago, I don’t know where the idea came from, maybe from my friend Harry Nilsson and his Nilsson Sings Newman album. I thought to myself, ‘Wow, Dolenz Sings Nesmith’”. The new album, which was recorded between September 2020 and February 2021, features songs written throughout Nesmith’s long career, including many from the critically acclaimed Michael Nesmith & The First National Band albums, as well as a few Monkees deep cuts. And who better to produce the album than Nesmith’s son, Christian Nesmith, who has done an incredible job in coming up with fresh and completely new arrangements for all of the songs.

The album comes to us on May 21st from 7A Records.

Happy Birthday, Micky! You just keep getting younger and younger!

 

 

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.

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