 In 1991, Davy Jones released the cassette tape It's Christmas Time Again. And now, almost thirty years later, the album has been given a contemporary treatment featuring Davy's original vocals, along with guest appearances by Micky Dolenz, Coco Dolenz, Henry Diltz, and Davy's singer/songwriter daughter Annabel Jones, all overseen by celebrated Monkees producer Chip Douglas. Douglas was at the helm for The Monkees' two most acclaimed albums, Headquarters and Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd., as well as some of their best single sides, including "Daydream Believer," "Goin' Down," "Pleasant Valley Sunday," "Words," and "The Girl I Knew Somewhere." He recently talked about the opportunity to revisit Davy's early '90s holiday collection. "This was a rare chance to remix and enhance these recordings by adding the lovely voice of Davy's daughter Annabel whose heartwarming vocals on 'White Christmas' and 'Silent Night' were well above and beyond my expectations," Douglas told Rolling Stone. "Micky and Coco Dolenz beautifully enhanced 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen' and Henry Diltz, and other friends, added just the right gusto to 'Hark The Herald Angels Sing.'" "Singing with my dad on this record was an extremely beautiful and healing experience," Annabel said in a statement. "What a gift to be able to share a moment like this!" The Monkees delivered their first-ever holiday album, Christmas Party, via Rhino Records in 2018. That album featured posthumous contributions by Davy Jones, who passed away in 2012. UPDATE 11/13/2020: It's Christmas Time Once More is now available to download on iTunes and stream on Apple Music, Amazon, and Spotify. People has just published an interview with Annabel Jones where she speaks about singing with her father and much more. Rolling Stone is also covering the release of Davy's Christmas album. UPDATE 11/23/2020: The Associated Press included Davy's Christmas album in a laundry list of reviews spotlighting current holiday releases: 
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The Monkees Live Almanac would like to wish a very happy birthday to legendary rock and roll/Monkees photographer Henry Diltz, who was born on this day in 1938 in Kansas City, Missouri. Henry is also a musician, and was a member of the Modern Folk Quartet in the 1960s. While a member of MFQ, Diltz became interested in photography, met The Monkees, played on some of their recording sessions (that's Henry on banjo on "D.W. Washburn"), and took numerous pictures of the group. Henry was the official lensman at Woodstock and has photographed numerous album covers, including Morrison Hotel (The Doors) and the debut LP from Crosby, Stills & Nash. In honor of Henry's birthday today, here's one of his photos taken during production of the second season Monkees episode, "Hillbilly Honeymoon," in September 1967:  (Photo by Henry Diltz and from the collection of Kevin Schmid) "Hillbilly Honeymoon" eventually aired on NBC on October 23, 1967: Happy Birthday, Henry Diltz! Read more about Henry and his legendary photographic work in the archives of The Monkees Live Almanac (scroll down after clicking on the link)!  Stephen Stills, Henry Diltz, and Micky Dolenz in 1967 (Photo by Henry Diltz)  (Photo by Paul Zollo) Monkees fans are likely to recall the name Paris Stachtiaris, co-host of Headquarters ("The only radio show in America dedicated to The Monkees") that originally aired on 90.3 WBAU-FM, the radio station of Adelphi University in Long Island, New York, from 1987 to 1990. Cassette tapes of the program, which featured interviews with Monkees luminaries like Chip Douglas, Ward Sylvester, Jim Frawley, Coco Dolenz, Lester Sill, Monte Landis, Gerry Goffin, the individual Monkees themselves, and others, were frequently traded among fans in the late 1980s and early 1990s. And now in 2019, Paris is back, with co-host Ben Brown, producing a special in honor of the 50th Anniversary of Woodstock that will air Labor Day Weekend on HCS internet radio. Paris and Ben's premier guest is the renowned rock photograher Henry Diltz, the official lensman of Woodstock who also has photographed The Monkees extensively since the 1960s. Paris has informed the Live Almanac that he is planning to play Rhino's recently released (and now sold out) 38-disc box set, containing nearly every note played at Woodstock, during the special. The Woodstock Radio Special will air on HCS internet radio beginning Friday, August 30 at 5:00 PM through Monday morning, September 2, and you can preview the interview with Henry from the special right now! And don't miss a selection of Henry's photographs from Woodstock, courtesy of his website. Thanks to Paris for keeping everyone informed about his latest project, and be sure to check out the archives of the Headquarters radio program here at The Monkees Live Almanac!  This past November, the 50th anniversary of Head was commemorated at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood and featured special guests Micky Dolenz and Michael Nesmith. Monkees archivist and producer Andrew Sandoval hosted a Q&A session with Micky and Michael after the sold-out screening, which also included a slideshow created by Andrew that showcased photographs taken by legendary rock photographer Henry Diltz. The slideshow revealed many never before seen photos from The Monkees' appearance at Valley Music Hall in Salt Lake City, Utah while filming the "Circle Sky" sequence for the movie Head, screenshots which can be seen below. (The slideshow can be viewed in its entirety at Michael Nesmith's Videoranch Facebook page.)  (All photos by Henry Diltz)   On May 17, 1968, The Monkees finished their first and only motion picture, Head, with the filming of the "Circle Sky" concert scene in front of four thousand fans at the Valley Music Hall in Salt Lake City, Utah. They performed "Circle Sky" several times for the cameras and also did a handful of other special requests. Patio Gardens, a venue housed inside the Farmington, Utah amusement resort Lagoon, was the original location for the filming of "Circle Sky." The venue was changed at the last minute to the Valley Music Hall in Salt Lake City for logistical reasons, despite fans already waiting in line at Patio Gardens. To make amends, The Monkees delivered a 30-minute set later that evening in front of a crowd of five thousand at Patio Gardens. This particular show was not filmed or recorded, and a setlist has yet to surface. The two Utah-based concerts in May 1968 would constitute the last live performances by all four Monkees in the United States until 1986. This past November, the 50th anniversary of Head was commemorated at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood and featured special guests Micky Dolenz and Michael Nesmith. Monkees archivist and producer Andrew Sandoval hosted a Q&A session with Micky and Michael after the sold-out screening, which also included a slideshow created by Andrew that showcased photographs taken by legendary rock photographer Henry Diltz. The final part of the slideshow revealed many never before seen photos from The Monkees' performance at Lagoon's Patio Gardens, screenshots which can be seen below. (The slideshow can be viewed in its entirety at Michael Nesmith's Videoranch Facebook page.) A special thanks goes to the Live Almanac's friends at Written In Our Hearts for inspiring this post based on screenshots they had previously shared from the Diltz slideshow!                    Jack Nicholson, center, co-wrote and co-produced The Monkees' feature film "Head" and was in attendance at Lagoon (All photos by Henry Diltz)  In June 2017, The Monkees Live Almanac reported about a new listing on Amazon for the long-awaited Monkees book by Gary Strobl, Henry Diltz, and Harvey Kubernik. Entitled The Monkees: From Reel to Real, the online retailer advertised a release date of September 18, 2017. When speaking with Omnibus Press (the publisher of Reel to Real) last summer after the book appeared on Amazon, the Live Almanac was able to attain more information, including that the publication date had actually been delayed to 2018. Unfortunately, one year later, it can now be reported that The Monkees: From Reel to Real is experiencing another postponement. Today I spoke with Matthew from Omnibus Press, and he was kind enough to take time to update fans about the book. "October 2019 is the current pub date," Matthew relayed to the Live Almanac. "The book is a mighty tome and we are putting in the work to make sure that this is the best book it can be. Rest assured it will be worth the wait when it arrives. We’re obviously very keen for the fans to know that we’re taking the book seriously and are determined to bring everyone a book about the Monkees that will stand as their definitive story." The Monkees Live Almanac will continue to report more information about this project as it becomes available. And a special thanks to Matthew at Omnibus Press for providing the latest updates on the publication of Reel to Real. UPDATE 7/23/2019: The Live Almanac exchanged emails today with the Commercial Director of Omnibus Press who now informs the site that Reel to Real is now expected to be published in late 2020. "I'm afraid we still don’t have a publication date, but we are getting closer!" UPDATE 11/20/2020: The Live Almanac spoke today via email with the editor of Omnibus Press who relayed that work continues on the book but that a publication date is still to be determined.
 (Photo courtesy of eBay)  Earlier this week, The Monkees Live Almanac reported about a new listing on Amazon for the long-awaited Monkees book by Gary Strobl, Henry Diltz, and Harvey Kubernik. Entitled The Monkees: From Reel to Real, the online retailer advertised a release date of September 18, 2017. The Live Almanac can now confirm that the book has been delayed to 2018. Sophie, a representative from Omnibus Press (the publisher of Reel to Real) was highly enthused about the project while also explaining the postponement. "We're thrilled to be publishing this title," she told the Live Almanac. "The pub date is actually being put back so we can incorporate some new material. It's likely to be delayed until September of next year, though we may publish in the spring. It's going to be a truly beautiful thing, so I hope you'll forgive the new date!" Be sure to stay tuned to The Monkees Live Almanac for further updates. UPDATE 7/23/2019: The Live Almanac exchanged emails today with the Commercial Director of Omnibus Press who now informs the site that Reel to Real is now expected to be published in late 2020. "I'm afraid we still don’t have a publication date, but we are getting closer!" UPDATE 11/20/2020: The Live Almanac spoke today via email with the editor of Omnibus Press who relayed that work continues on the book but that a publication date is still to be determined.
Gary Strobl is a lifelong Monkees fan and collector who has been compiling a book on The Monkees since 1983, conducting research and amassing numerous amounts of interviews through the years. Strobl, in collaboration with noted rock and Monkees photographer Henry Diltz, and journalist Harvey Kubernik, announced in May 2013 that a deal had been signed to publish their work. And now, it looks like Gary and company's long-awaited book on The Monkees will become a reality! Amazon now shows a listing for The Monkees: From Reel to Real from Omnibus Press, with a release date of September 18, 2017. The online retailer provides the following description for the 496 page hardcover book: In 1965 America launched its assault on The Beatles - a blueprint boy band called The Monkees who against all the odds triumphed with their music, their personalities and their zany half-hour TV shows. The quartet of Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork and Mike Nesmith spent three years in a blazing spotlight before disintegrating into a mess of recriminations and ill-feeling. With contributions from all the major players in the Monkees' saga - including the four Monkees themselves - Reel To Real is an oral history of the group that follows their adventures through to their eventual split. Along the way we learn how they came together, the background to their movie Head! and the financial chaos that loomed with the realization that the only ones who didn't make any money out of The Monkees were The Monkees themselves. Thank you very much to Dan McKenzine for giving the heads-up to the Live Almanac about the Amazon listing. Stay tuned for more details! UPDATE 7/23/2019: The Live Almanac exchanged emails today with the Commercial Director of Omnibus Press who now informs the site that Reel to Real is now expected to be published in late 2020. "I'm afraid we still don’t have a publication date, but we are getting closer!" UPDATE 11/20/2020: The Live Almanac spoke today via email with the editor of Omnibus Press who relayed that work continues on the book but that a publication date is still to be determined.
To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of The Monkees' performance at the Hollywood Bowl on June 9, 1967, the group's official Facebook page posted these wonderful images by Henry Diltz.      Diltz will be on hand to provide color commentary between songs, reminiscing about his hippie days in the canyon, where talented musicians converged from all over North America in the sprawling homes of “Mama” Cass Elliot, the den mother they considered the Gertrude Stein of folk-rock; Frank Zappa, who lived for a time in the grand log cabin that once belonged to cowboy actor Tom Mix; and the Monkees’ Peter Tork, whose hillside home had orange walls and huge picture windows.
Spot Henry in the reflection of Micky's sunglasses!  (From the September 1967 issue of Monkee Spectacular) Micky traveled to Honolulu, Hawaii on December 26, 1967 to vacation at Monkees producer Chip Douglas's parents' house. This article was originally published in the April 1968 issue of Tiger Beat.   (Click images to enlarge)  The July 1995 issue of Television Chronicles magazine featured an extensive article written by Bill Groves about The Monkees television series, and also included an interview with legendary rock and Monkees photographer Henry Diltz.   A photo from this session appeared in the 1969 Monkees tour program:  The Monkees Live Almanac would like to wish a very happy birthday to rock and Monkees photographer extraordinaire Henry Diltz, who was born on this day in 1938 in Kansas City, Missouri. Henry is also a musician, and is perhaps most famously known for being a member of the Modern Folk Quartet. While a member of MFQ, Diltz became interested in photography, met The Monkees, played on some of their recording sessions, and took numerous photographs of the group. Henry was the official photographer at Woodstock, as well as the Monterey Pop Festival, and has photographed numerous album covers, including Morrison Hotel (The Doors) and the debut LP from Crosby, Stills & Nash. This blog has an entire category dedicated to Henry, with plenty of great stories and articles. Oh, and Henry, if you are reading, how about a photo book centered around your rare photographs of The Monkees to celebrate the group's 50th Anniversary next year?!  Stephen Stills, Henry, and Micky Dolenz in 1967 (Photo by Henry Diltz) Check out Henry Diltz (on banjo), Chip Douglas (on bass), and company performing on the music variety show in 1965. That's Monkees session drummer Eddie Hoh on drums. They are performing "Come On In," a song Peter tackled in 1968 as a member of The Monkees: "One day in 1968 in Laurel Canyon I made myself some special Virgo love beads. There were seven blue and seven white with one red one at the very end. I wore them the next day on The Monkees film set and right away Davy Jones asked me if I would make some for him. Then the camera man wanted some. Holy cow, these were my special personal love beads! Soon the teenybopper magazines were advertising Monkees Love Beads and selling packets... 'string em yourself.' At least they never knew about the one red bead at the end..."  (Photo by Henry Diltz)  In a recent Facebook post, Henry Diltz recalled the Gene Clark Group, featuring Chip Douglas, who would later become The Monkees' producer in the recording studio:  (Photo by Henry Diltz) "The Gene Clark group outside the Whiskey A Go Go in 1966 (my first year photographing). L to R: Chip Douglas (a.k.a. Douglas Hatlelid), my bandmate from the MFQ, Bill Rinehart, guitarist and surfer, Gene Clark, former Byrd, Joel Larsen, drummer and driver. A short-lived but cool group."
Read about Henry's travels with The Monkees during their 1967 summer tour in this article from the November 1967 issue of Tiger Beat. (Click each image to enlarge.)     |
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