 Last night in Madison, Wisconsin at Overture Center for the Arts, Micky Dolenz and his band concluded a string of limited engagement shows meant to honor the legacy of The Monkees. "Micky Dolenz Celebrates The Monkees," produced by Monkees historian and author Andrew Sandoval, opened on April 5 at the famed Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee (where The Monkees performed live in 2013 and also filmed an appearance with Johnny Cash in 1969). The Live Almanac covered the Nashville debut, complete with video footage, photographs, set list, and a look at the tour merchandise. Joining Micky onstage for these special shows were members of The Monkees' touring band, featuring Coco Dolenz, Wayne Avers, John Billings, Rich Dart, Pete Finney, Alex Jules, and Emeen Zarookian. At each stop, Michael Nesmith, Davy Jones, and Peter Tork were honored with individual video and song tributes, and the set list included numbers that haven't been aired in some time, with "Valleri" (performed in the style of the first recorded version), "Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)," "Saturday's Child," "Can You Dig It," "Sometime in the Morning," "No Time," "Let's Dance On," "D.W. Washburn," and "That Was Then, This Is Now" all making appearances. During the pre-show, fans were treated to rare and unique audio selections playing over the house speakers, carefully curated by producer Sandoval in playlists that varied from city to city. The promotional materials for the "Celebrates The Monkees" shows also advertised rare photos and film from Micky's personal archives. Some of the highlights projected on the screen behind the band included footage of The Monkees rehearsing at the Hollywood Bowl in 1967, Micky, Davy, and Michael atop the RCA Building, filming a Kool-Aid commercial and more all from 1969, home movies, outtakes from the 1986 video shoot for "That Was Then, This Is Now," and The Monkees inside the recording studio. Micky will return to the road later this month, performing concerts and making various personal appearances throughout the summer. Check out Micky's current itinerary to see if he is coming to your town! In the meantime, enjoy some performances below from different cities on Micky's "Celebrates The Monkees" tour (tribute videos screened for Michael, Davy, and Peter can be seen in the Akron, Ohio footage) and don't forget the Live Almanac's previous coverage of opening night in Nashville, Tennessee. April 6: Richmond, Kentucky @ EKU Center for the ArtsApril 8: Nashville, IN @ Brown County Music CenterApril 9: Cincinnati, OH @ The Andrew J Brady ICON Music CenterApril 11: Wheeling, West Virgina @ The Capitol Theatre (more)April 12: Akron, Ohio @ Goodyear TheaterThanks to the Monkees Forever YouTube channel for providing the complete show in Akron, Ohio. Watch the tribute videos for Michael Nesmith (11:50) and Davy Jones (29:00) below, as well as footage of The Monkees rehearsing at the Hollywood Bowl (45:10): The tribute video for Peter Tork begins at 14:10: April 15: Riverside, IA @ Riverside Casino & Golf ResortApril 16: Madison, WI @ Overture Center for the Arts
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Earlier this week, Micky Dolenz debuted his new concert show, "Micky Dolenz Celebrates The Monkees," at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. The photos below of Micky and the band at the Ryman are courtesy of Sherri Hansen, a longtime Monkees fan and friend of the Live Almanac who for years has provided this site (and fans worldwide) with numerous photos and videos from Monkees concerts, group and solo. Sherri's photography was also featured in the compact disc and vinyl editions of The Monkees Live: The Mike & Micky Show that was released by Rhino Records in 2020. Thanks very much to Sherri for sharing her photos from Tuesday's performance at the Ryman, showcasing Micky, Coco Dolenz, Wayne Avers, John Billings, Rich Dart, Pete Finney, Alex Jules, and Emeen Zarookian. This evening, Micky Dolenz debuted his new concert show, "Micky Dolenz Celebrates The Monkees," at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. Thank you to Andrew Sandoval for sharing a copy of the night's set list, and be sure to get your tickets for this special limited run engagement!  Here's a look at items for sale at the merchandise booth, which includes copies of the long out-of-print The Monkees: The Complete Series Blu-ray recently discovered by Rhino/Warner. Other pieces include vinyl and CD copies of Dolenz Sings Nesmith along with a T-shirt featuring the album's cover art, Monkees tour programs from 2012 and 2013, and Monkees Farewell Tour shirts from 2021:  (Photo courtesy of The Monkees' official Facebook page - click image to visit) Thank you to Sherri Hansen, Alan Adkins, Michael Lawson, Jill Mitchell, The Junk Rocker, Derek Miner, and others for sharing some of their footage from the performance at the Ryman: And Happy Birthday to Coco Dolenz, who was serenaded by Micky, the band, and the crowd during the show in celebration: Micky Dolenz's latest release, Dolenz sings Nesmith - The E.P., arrived last week from 7a Records on 10" colored vinyl, compact disc, and digital/streaming platforms. Read more about the extended play and listen to a sample below, featuring Micky's interpretation of "The Crippled Lion." Thank you to Live Almanac contributor Ben Belmares for sharing his scans of the E.P.! THE VINYL  (Click to enlarge)    THE COMPACT DISC    (Click to enlarge)  
Here he comes! This spring, Micky Dolenz will pay tribute to his fellow Monkees bandmates, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork, during a special limited run of shows. "Micky Dolenz Celebrates The Monkees" opens on April 5, 2022 at the legendary Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee.
"We will be fully delving into The Monkees' songbook, as well as Micky's personal archive of films and photos to create a unique evening of memories," said manager Andrew Sandoval when the tour was announced in February. "It will give Micky and the band an opportunity to share the music he made alongside Davy, Peter, and Michael and reminisce on their journey as brothers for five decades. We have also been talking about Micky singing some songs he's never done on stage before, as well as pulling out older Monkees album tracks that have not been performed in many years." Watch Micky talk about the "Celebrates The Monkees" show in the video below, which includes some snippets of rare footage from his archives featuring The Monkees, Jack Nicholson, and more:
Joining Micky onstage will be members of "The Mike & Micky Show" band: Wayne Avers, Coco Dolenz, Emeen Zarookian, Rich Dart, Alex Jules, John Billings, and Pete Finney. Tickets are currently on sale.
To commemorate Micky's opening night at the Ryman in Nashville, several fan festivities are being planned by Wine Down Nashville, which has been owned and operated by Amy and John Billings since 2019. John is a veteran musician with a long list of credits who was the bass player in The Monkees' touring band and continues to perform at Micky's solo shows. This weekend on Facebook, he previewed the unique events that will take place in the lead up to the performance at the Ryman:
As John said in the video above, be sure to like and follow the "Monkee Mania Weekend" page on Facebook for updates on guests, events, and all the fun that will usher in the Nashville concert.
In what surely will be an entertaining event, John will share the stage at Wine Down Nashville on Saturday, April 2 with drummer Rich Dart, who has performed with The Monkees since 2012 and with Micky Dolenz for even longer. (UPDATE: This event is now sold out.)
(Click image above to RSVP)
On Sunday, April 3, Wine Down Nashville will welcome Pete Finney, the pedal steel extraordinaire who was a member of Michael Nesmith's First National Band Redux and also played with Micky and Michael on the various "Mike & Micky Show" tours, along with the multitalented singer-songwriter Chris Scruggs. Pete and Chris will be joined by host Jay McDowell for an evening of music and memories of Michael Nesmith. Purchase your tickets to this event by clicking the image below:
On the day of Micky's show at the Ryman, take a moment at Wine Down Nashville to celebrate Coco Dolenz's birthday with a special "Birthday Brunch" in Coco's honor. Tickets are now available!
And if that's not enough to get you ready for Micky's Nashville opener on his "Celebrates The Monkees" tour, Jodi Ritzen of Monkee Meet and Greets is sponsoring several different get togethers (featuring the likes of Wayne Avers and Sandy Gennaro), including a preshow event at Wine Down Nashville before Micky's concert at the Ryman.
(Click image above to RSVP)
Be sure to watch this post for future updates, and get your tickets now for "Micky Dolenz Celebrates The Monkees"!
Dolenz Sings Nesmith - The E.P. was released yesterday and immediately landed on the US iTunes charts! Available on 10" colored vinyl, compact disc, and via all digital platforms, the extended play features four songs from the sessions that yielded Micky Dolenz's critically acclaimed 2021 solo album Dolenz sings Nesmith (produced by Michael's son, Christian), including "Soul-Writer's Birthday," a previously unreleased Michael Nesmith composition that Nez originally copyrighted in October 1967 but never recorded. Congratulations to 7a Records for another stellar release, and don't forget to pre-order 7a's newest undertaking, a 50th anniversary edition of Michael Nesmith's classic 1972 album, And the Hits Just Keep on Comin'.   
Micky Dolenz will hit the road this April for a special series of shows designed to pay tribute to his longtime bandmates Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork. "Micky Dolenz Celebrates The Monkees" opens on April 5, 2022 at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee and will close in Madison, Wisconsin on April 16 at Overture Center for the Arts.
Joining Micky onstage will be the members of "The Mike & Micky Show" band: Wayne Avers, Emeen Zarookian, Gemma Dolenz, Rich Dart, Alex Jules, John Billings, and Pete Finney. "We will be fully delving into The Monkees' songbook, as well as Micky's personal archive of films and photos to create a unique evening of memories," said manager Andrew Sandoval earlier today on social media. "It will give Micky and the band an opportunity to share the music he made alongside Davy, Peter, and Michael and reminisce on their journey as brothers for five decades. We have also been talking about Micky singing some songs he's never done on stage before, as well as pulling out older Monkees album tracks that have not been performed in many years. It is unclear if we will be doing anything beyond these nine shows in this format, but we are truly looking forward to being together again to celebrate the Monkees in song." Tickets go on sale this Friday, February 11 but presales will begin on Tuesday, February 9 with the presale code CELEBRATE for all shows. Check out the official press release with tour dates below, as well as the most up-to-date press coverage regarding the announcement of the tour. OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
Micky Dolenz of The Monkees will embark on a special series of concert dates in April 2022. Honoring the contributions of his bandmates – the late Davy Jones, Mike Nesmith & Peter Tork – in song and with personal multimedia footage of the legendary performers, Dolenz will celebrate their lasting legacy on record and film. Launching on April 5 at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium, the tour will end on April 16 at Madison’s Overture Center For The Arts. TOUR DATES
April 5: Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
April 6: Richmond, KY @ EKU Center For The Arts April 8: Nashville, IN @ Brown County Music Center April 9: Cincinnati, OH @ The Andrew J Brady ICON Music Center April 11: Wheeling, WV @ The Capitol Theatre April 12: Akron, OH @ Goodyear Theater April 13: Joliet, IL @ Rialto Square Theatre April 15: Riverside, IA @ Riverside Casino & Golf Resort April 16: Madison, WI @ Overture Center For The Arts PRESS COVERAGE
Fox News: Micky Dolenz, last surviving Monkees member, to embark on tribute tour: ‘Like my brothers’
UPDATE 4/1/2022: Andrew Sandoval discussed the upcoming tour and more in a post on Facebook today:
 7a Records recently delivered exciting news for Monkees fans when it announced Dolenz Sings Nesmith - The E.P. was set for release on March 18, 2022 on 10" colored vinyl and via all digital platforms. The extended play disc, featuring four songs from the sessions that yielded Micky Dolenz's critically acclaimed 2021 solo album Dolenz sings Nesmith (produced by Michael's son, Christian) includes "Soul-Writer's Birthday," a previously unreleased Michael Nesmith composition that Nez originally copyrighted in October 1967 but never recorded. And now, due to popular demand, a compact disc version of the EP will also be made available on the release date. Pre-order links for US and UK customers can be found below, including the option to obtain an autographed copy from Micky's official online store. Rounding out the track list on Dolenz Sings Nesmith - The E.P. are some of Michael's most celebrated songs, two of which were originally recorded during the Monkees era and later featured on Michael's RCA solo albums ("The Crippled Lion" and "Some of Shelly's Blues"), and "Grand Ennui," the opening track from Nevada Fighter, the third and final album released by Nez and The First National Band.   Micky Dolenz may be coming to your town in 2022! Micky will return to the road this year, performing live in concert while also making a variety of personal appearances that will provide fans the opportunity to meet Micky in person. Dates, venues, and links to purchase tickets to currently scheduled events can be found below. Monkees historian and author Andrew Sandoval is producing Micky's appearance on the Beach Boys Good Vibrations Cruise in late March, billed as "Micky Dolenz celebrates The Monkees." And from there, Micky will be appearing with Felix Cavaliere of The Rascals for a series of special shows on the East Coast. But wait, there is more to come! Andrew Sandoval has relayed to the Live Almanac that fans should expect more Dolenz concert dates to be announced in February. "The intention is to do something special for and with the fans; paying tribute to Davy, Peter, and Michael and performing some unique things," Andrew said. (UPDATE: "Micky Dolenz Celebrates The Monkees" was announced on February 7, 2022.) Stay tuned to the Live Almanac for all of the latest updates, and be sure to follow the site on Facebook and Twitter!   March 25-28: Beach Boys Good Vibrations Cruise / Miami, Florida to Nassau, Bahamas April 5: Ryman Auditorium / Nashville, Tennessee April 6: EKU Center For The Arts / Richmond, Kentucky April 8: Brown County Music Center / Nashville, Indiana April 9: The Andrew J Brady ICON Music Center / Cincinatti, Ohio April 11: The Capitol Theatre / Wheeling, West Virginia April 12: Goodyear Theater / Akron, Ohio April 13: Rialto Square Theatre / Joliet, Illinois April 15: Riverside Casino & Golf Resort / Riverside, Iowa April 16: Overture Center For The Arts / Madison, Wisconsin  April 23: American Music Theatre / Lancaster, Pennsylvania April 24: Keswick Theatre / Glenside, Pennsylvania May 12: Count Basie Center for the Arts / Red Bank, New Jersey May 14: Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts / Patchogue, New York June 3: Palladium Times Square / New York, New York June 4: Lynn Auditorium / Lynn, Massachusetts October 22: Celebrity Theatre / Phoenix, Arizona SUMMER 2022 SOLO DATES June 16: 28th Annual Hot Summer Nights / Sherman, Texas July 21: Kenan Auditorium - UNCW / Wilmington, North Carolina July 22: Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts / Raleigh, North Carolina July 23: FabFest / Charlotte, North Carolina Personal Appearances "Dolenz sings Nesmith - The E.P." to include previously unheard Michael Nesmith song (UPDATED)1/18/2022 There's fresh news today from 7a Records as the label has announced Dolenz sings Nesmith - The E.P., coming March 18, 2022 on 10" colored vinyl and via all digital platforms. Last year's Dolenz sings Nesmith album featured Micky Dolenz reimagining select tracks from the songbook of his longtime friend and bandmate, Michael Nesmith, and was met with critical acclaim. The EP includes "Soul-Writer's Birthday," a song Nez copyrighted in 1967 but never recorded. Check out 7a's press release for Dolenz sings Nesmith - The E.P. below, along with links to pre-order the vinyl version.  OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE:7A Records announces the release of a brand new 10" EP by Micky Dolenz featuring four Nesmith compositions, including the first ever release of 'Soul-Writer’s Birthday.' "Dolenz Sings Nesmith - The EP" will be released on March 18.  (Click image to enlarge) UPDATE 2/11/2022: Have a listen to the vinyl test pressing of Dolenz sings Nesmith - The E.P. courtesy of 7a Records: 
This Friday, Dolenz sings Nesmith, the highly anticipated new release from 7a Records, will be available worldwide on CD, vinyl, and as a digital download. The album features Micky Dolenz reimagining select tracks from the songbook of his longtime friend and bandmate, Michael Nesmith. Pre-orders are now available, and be sure to take advantage of the great prices being offered by Import CDs.
Collected below are recent articles and interviews with Micky about this long-simmering project, along with some early (and glowing) reviews! "Dolenz sings Nesmith" Press Coverage and InterviewsReviews of "Dolenz sings Nesmith"
And if that's not enough to get you excited about the album, a pre-release party was held this past weekend on Zoom where hosts Tim Powers and Jodi Ritzen welcomed 7a's Glenn Gretlund, Christian Nesmith (who produced the album), Circe Link, Andrew Sandoval, and Micky himself! Check out the entire session below, which also features samples from each track on Dolenz sings Nesmith.
UPDATE 6/7/2021: More great news about Dolenz sings Nesmith from 7a Records:
Dolenz sings Nesmith, a brand new album by Micky Dolenz comprised of songs written by Michael Nesmith throughout his career, will be released by 7a Records worldwide on May 21. Listen to a recent interview with Micky conducted by Steven Rainey of BBC Radio Ulster where he talks about the album, working with Christian Nesmith, and more:  This week, fans will get a preview of Micky Dolenz's forthcoming solo album when "Different Drum"/"Propinquity" debuts as the lead single from Dolenz sings Nesmith, a collection featuring Micky singing the songs of Michael Nesmith. While you wait for this Friday's single release, take a listen to the latest episode of Zilch where Glenn Gretlund of 7a Records is joined by the album's producer, Christian Nesmith, and the two chronicle the project with host Ken Mills, along with exclusive track samples to boot!  Cover art and track listing revealed for "Dolenz sings Nesmith" coming this May from 7a Records3/10/2021  (Artwork by Tim Johnson from Silver Parrot Creative Services) 7a Records is pleased to announce the release of Dolenz sings Nesmith – Micky Dolenz's first new solo studio album in nine years. The album is comprised of songs Michael Nesmith wrote throughout his career, all beautifully reimagined. Produced by Nesmith's son, Christian Nesmith, this is the album Monkees fans have waited years to hear. The Album Dolenz 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 global release date for Dolenz sings Nesmith is May 21, 2021. (Courtesy of 7a Records) The Track Listing
 (Courtesy of 7a Records) Pre-Order Now!
 Back cover (Courtesy of 7a Records) 
For years, Micky Dolenz has spoken about his admiration for Michael Nesmith, including his song catalog stretching from the Monkees era all the way through Nez's varied solo output. And their well-known camaraderie was on full display during the recent "Mike & Micky Show" tours. "Way back in the day when we were in the recording studio, Nez and I fell into this wonderful harmonic vocal blend I called 'The Everly Monkees,' as exemplified by the beautiful song 'Me & Magdalena,'" Micky wrote in the liner notes of the The Monkees Live: The Mike & Micky Show. "On the set of The Monkees TV show, we would fall into some ad-lib riff and totally crack each other up. We often joked about one day having 'The Mike & Micky Show'!"
Those 2018-2019 dates were a critical and commercial success, performing to audiences in North America, Australia, and New Zealand. Although Micky and Michael's most recently scheduled tour has twice been postponed due to COVID-19, Rolling Stone delivered some welcome news today that Micky Dolenz will record an album covering the works of his longtime friend and musical partner Michael Nesmith. "I've always been a huge fan of his songs,” Micky told Rolling Stone. "He's just so prolific." According to Rolling Stone, recording has not commenced for Dolenz Sings Nesmith and there's no firm track listing, but Christian Nesmith, Michael's oldest son, will be producing the project while Monkees manager and historian Andrew Sandoval will be handling A&R duties. 7a Records, the British-based label fronted by Glenn Gretlund and well-known to fans for its Monkees-related releases over the last several years, will issue the album.
UPDATE 11/23/2020: Micky is currently recording the album in Los Angeles, and 7a's Glenn Gretlund has informed the Live Almanac that a tentative release date is set for March 2021.
UPDATE 11/28/2020:
UPDATE 2/13/2021: Christian Nesmith posted the following on his Facebook page regarding the latest update about Dolenz Sings Nesmith:
Micky with Christian Nesmith (Photo courtesy of Micky Dolenz on Twitter)
 And listen to Iain Lee and Glenn Gretlund from 7a Records as they discuss their latest project on the Zilch podcast. Click the image below to listen!   |
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