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Wayne Avers speaks to The Monkees Live Almanac about "The Mike Nesmith & Micky Dolenz Show" and the touring band

5/12/2018

16 Comments

 
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On June 1, Michael Nesmith and Micky Dolenz will begin their first tour as a duo at the Chandler Center for the Arts in Chandler, Arizona. Entitled "The Monkees Present: The Mike Nesmith & Micky Dolenz Show," fans have already been promised a set list full of surprises and deep cuts, and the 17-date tour is likely to be one of the most unique in the live performance history of The Monkees. 
Longtime Monkees guitarist and musical director Wayne Avers recently spoke with the Live Almanac about the upcoming concerts. "The Nez and Micky combination gives us a chance to play some songs that have never been played live by The Monkees before," Wayne said. "It's also the 50th anniversary of the movie Head, so we will highlight some of the songs from its soundtrack. And of course, besides all of the new selections added to the set list, we will play all of the classic Monkees hits everyone loves to hear."

Wayne also revealed the musicians that will constitute the backing band, and the lineup includes both familiar and fresh faces. "We have added steel guitarist Pete Finney (from Nez’s First National Band) and Paul Kramer from Nashville on fiddle/banjo/guitar so we can replicate the more country-influenced songs of The Monkees more accurately."

Wayne Avers / Guitars & Vocals

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(Photo courtesy of Wayne Avers)
Wayne Avers is no stranger to Monkees fans. He has been a part of The Monkees' family since the group's 30th Anniversary Tour in 1996, acting as musical director and handling lead guitar duties. Wayne has performed onstage with all four Monkees at Wembley in 1997, appeared twice on The Tonight Show with the group, and took part in The Monkees' massive 50th Anniversary celebrations in 2016. Residing in Nashville, Wayne is an ardent collector of guitars. "I play the guitar because I saw The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964," he told the Live Almanac in April 2017.

Christian Nesmith / Guitars & Vocals

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(Photo by Sherri Hansen)
Christian is Michael's eldest son and first joined The Monkees' touring band upon his father's return to the group in 2012. His songs have been heard in both film and TV (Blades of Glory, The Hills Have Eyes, Lionheart) and he has composed commercials for companies ranging from AOL to ESPN to Starbucks. His theater credits include being the musical director for the first ever production of Hair in Moscow, Russia. Christian was also musical director for Hair in Los Angeles in 2007 (which also featured Circe Link), and that production was awarded Best Musical of the Year by LA Weekly. In 2016, Christian contributed greatly to the arrangement of "Birth of an Accidental Hipster," a key track from The Monkees' album Good Times!

John Billings / Bass

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(Photo by Jennifer Anne Alexander)
John Billings was introduced to the Monkees family by Wayne Avers. "Wayne had been in the Monkees circle for nearly 20 years and had, at that time, run Micky Dolenz's band. The bass chair opened and Wayne brought me into the fold," John told Epiphone.com. John resides in Nashville, where he owns a recording studio. When performing with The Monkees live in concert, John received some good advice from Avers on how to approach the songs. "Wayne gave us a fundamental direction," John said. "Go back to the records."

Rich Dart / Drums

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(Photo courtesy of Eileen Shapiro)
Rich Dart began his association with The Monkees in 2010 when he started playing drums for Micky Dolenz during his solo performances. He joined The Monkees' backing band in 2012 when Micky, Michael, and Peter Tork delivered a series of concerts in honor of Davy Jones. R​ich has had an eclectic career as a free-lance percussionist. He has played with various symphonies, jazz groups, theater troupes, rock bands, country bands, and percussion ensembles. Rich also played drums for Avenue Q on Broadway and for its first national tour, and traveled with a production of Pippin. 

​Pete Finney / Pedal Steel Guitar

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Pete Finney accompanied Michael Nesmith on the road this past January when Nez led the First National Band Redux through a  series of shows in California. "I first met Nez in the spring of 2014, when I filled in for Chris Scruggs on pedal-steel and guitar for the last few weeks of the Movies of the Mind tour. The '70s albums Nez made with Red Rhodes and the First National Band had been long-time favorites of mine, so of course I really enjoyed the experience musically, and also really enjoyed the hang and the conversations that ensued during our travels." Pete has performed and toured with the Dixie Chicks, Vince Gill, Patty Loveless, and many others throughout his career. 

Paul Kramer / Banjo, Fiddle, Guitar

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Paul Kramer is a Nashville-based multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and songwriter, and this Nesmith/Dolenz tour will mark his first association with The Monkees. Paul has toured with nationally known recording acts including Gary Allan, Travis Tritt, Pam Tillis, Suzy Bogguss, and the Special Consensus Bluegrass Band. His fiddle and mandolin stylings have graced the recordings of Lionel Cartwright, Suzy Bogguss, Leon Russell, Willie Nelson, Buddy Spicher & Vassar Clements, and Carolyn Martin. He has released three CDs: Swing Street, The Bloggrass Boys and Low Budget Christmas. He currently performs with several bands including Paul Kramer & Swing Street, 50 Shades of Hay, The Grassaholics, Nashville Fiddle Mafia, and on the General Jackson showboat. (Biography courtesy of 50shadesofhayband.com)

Alex Jules / Keyboards & Vocals

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(Photo courtesy of Alex Jules on Facebook)
Alex Jules is new to the band (replacing longtime Monkees keyboardist Dave Alexander) and is a New York born and raised rock and roll singer/songwriter now based in Los Angeles. You can sample some of Alex's work on SoundCloud.

Coco Dolenz / Vocals

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(Photo by Sherri Hansen)
Micky's sister, Coco, has a long history with The Monkees. She provided harmony and background vocals on such Monkees tracks as "Shortly Blackwell," "Little Girl," "Midnight Train," and "Mommy and Daddy." She wrote for teen magazines in the 1960s at the height of her brother's fame, and in the late 1970s, she toured with Micky and Davy after the dissolution of Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart. In 1987, Coco released her own album, One Voice. She has been touring with The Monkees since 2012. You can also hear Coco at Micky's solo shows, where she often duets with her brother on "Bye Bye Blackbird" and "Crying in the Rain" while taking over on lead vocals for Michael Nesmith's own "Different Drum."

Circe Link / Vocals

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(Photo by Sherri Hansen)
Circe Link joined The Monkees' band for the first time in 2014, performing backing vocals with Coco Dolenz, and more recently performed with Michael Nesmith's First National Band Redux. A singer, songwriter, and musician in her own right, Circe has previously described her music as ranging from "Cowboy Jazz to Alternative to Americana." She has recorded several albums, including a live CD from a successful tour of Japan. Circe writes, records, and performs with her companion, Christian Nesmith.

Be sure to get your tickets to see Micky, Nez, and the band this June. And stay tuned to The Monkees Live Almanac for more updates soon!

UPDATE 3/9/2019: When "The Mike & Micky Show" returned to the road in March 2019, Paul Kramer was no longer featured in the lineup. Probyn Gregory is the newest member of the touring band and plays guitar, banjo, and trumpet. You can read more about Probyn in this March 2019 post from the Live Almanac's blog.
16 Comments
Chris N.
5/12/2018 14:00:08

I love the new additions, but will miss Dave Alexander on keyboards.

Reply
scott catton
5/23/2018 11:36:50

Yes,indeed!!!! Dave will be GREATLY MISSED on this tour!Even though he may not be a part of this tour,hopefully he'll be able to work on the tour.He has ALL of the fans support!!!

Reply
rob
5/12/2018 16:46:56

WOW!! how cool is this! ... great news that "Head" is getting a workout this tour. IMO looks like an interesting sound developing.

I'm still hoping for Peter ..but... well .. anyway ..

... nothing against Dave Alexander ..but the Micky solo show I saw last summer in Old Saybrook CT he was way way off key on Me and Magdalena ..so much that Wayne pulled him aside during the song. Too bad though Dave seemed to be a real likeable guy.
The Show must go on !

Reply
Benny
5/12/2018 20:08:54

This is fantastic. I'm really excited to see this band perform with Micky and Nez! But with this new approach it's hard to not miss Peter Tork. I'm sure Mr. Kramer is very talented, but there's already a banjo player in The Monkees.

Reply
mary
5/12/2018 21:02:49

Good to see some familiar faces and some new band members. Definitely, we all miss Mr. Tork.

Reply
Angus
5/12/2018 20:52:41

I will miss Dave Alexander and Peter as well. I wish them both well.

Dave is a multi-talented musician & artist. You can't be mediocre to sustain decades as a top touring musician with any of The Monkees. In regard to Rob's comment above, any touring musician will tell you, it is a live event and stuff happens on stage. Sometimes beyond your control. A million things actually. I've seen Dave perform in numerous Monkee band configurations over the years and he's always been tops in my books on a consistent basis. Anyone of the Monkees & touring band members have had brief off moments on stage. It happens. As I said, it is a live event. I wish him the best on whatever he pursues next.

I also look forward to the upcoming tour with anticipation to see what this configuration has up their sleeve to perform for us all & wish them the best too.

Reply
Tom Czarnota link
5/13/2018 05:04:23

I'm a bit surprised by the addition of the steel and banjo player, but its a pleasant surprise, looks like they're going for the Flying Burrito Monkee Brothers approach.

Reply
rob
5/13/2018 07:20:25

Love that thought Tom --

Reply
Louis
5/13/2018 08:16:26

Obviously songs from the 1968 Nashville sessions are getting some love on this tour, so you need the pedal steel. And you can't do You Told Me without the banjo :)

Reply
Susan Gordon
5/14/2018 15:49:04

I really like Circe's voice. Will be a great addition

Reply
George murphy
5/14/2018 22:11:19

Hi Mike and Micky
Could you please add this one back in the set that I think everyone enjoys hearing the kind of girl I could love & love is only sleeping please add these both to the line up since they're great Monkees songs from off the 2nd & 4th lps. remember think twice before not adding the one off of the 2hd lp. above time song lists looks great otherwise.

Reply
Phil Sollar link
5/17/2018 22:08:12

Gonna be a great tour, going to the Saratoga, CA show. The addition of Nesmith's personnel the show / tour will be great, as the band can go deep into the late 60's stuff. Good Clean Fun? Indeed!

Reply
scott catton
5/23/2018 11:40:56

Whaattt???.....NO Dave Alexander!...Davy Jones would NOT approve!Dave will be sorely MISSED on this tour!Dave is a great versatile musician.ALL the fans will miss him on this tour! :(!....hopefully he'll get some work on the tour though,even though not a part of this band.

Reply
Jan
3/14/2019 10:03:51

Davy didn't approve when they dumped Aviva during the last tour either. I think she sued and won...not sure.

Reply
John Bridge
3/4/2019 17:03:13

Where is Probyn 'Breadstone' Gregory ?

Reply
Monkees Live Almanac
3/9/2019 13:54:59

Hi John,

I updated this post to reflect that Paul Kramer no longer plays in the band, and also provided a link to a new piece that introduces Probyn Gregory. You can read it here:

https://www.monkeeslivealmanac.com/blog/meet-probyn-gregory

Reply



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  • HOME
  • '60s
    • 1966 PROMOTIONAL TOUR
    • 1966 - 1967 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR
    • 1967 US / BRITISH TOUR
    • "HEAD" (ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE) CONCERT
    • AUSTRALIA & JAPAN 1968
    • 1969 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR
  • '70s
    • THE MONKEES LIVE IN 1970
    • THE GREAT GOLDEN HITS OF THE MONKEES (Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart)
  • '80s
    • 1986 'SOUND OF THE MONKEES' AUSTRALIAN TOUR
    • 1986 '20th ANNIVERSARY' NORTH AMERICAN TOUR
    • THE GREEK THEATRE 1986 (all four Monkees reunited)
    • 1987 'SOUND OF THE MONKEES' AUSTRALIAN TOUR
    • 1987 NORTH AMERICAN 'HERE WE COME AGAIN' TOUR
    • 1988 AUSTRALIAN TOUR
    • 1989 EUROPEAN TOUR
    • 1989 NORTH AMERICAN / JAPANESE TOUR
    • UNIVERSAL AMPHITHEATRE 1989 (all four Monkees reunited)
  • '90s
    • 'MICKY AND DAVY: TOGETHER AGAIN'
    • 1996 '30th ANNIVERSARY' NORTH AMERICAN TOUR
    • BILLBOARD LIVE 1996
    • 1997 UNITED KINGDOM 'JUSTUS' TOUR
    • 1997 US TOUR
  • '00s
    • 2001 US TOUR
    • 2002 NORTH AMERICAN / UNITED KINGDOM 'MONKEEMANIA' TOUR
  • '10s
    • 2011 '45th ANNIVERSARY' WORLD TOUR
    • AN EVENING WITH THE MONKEES (THE 2012 TOUR)
    • A MIDSUMMER'S NIGHT WITH THE MONKEES (THE 2013 TOUR)
    • 2014 MONKEES TOUR
    • AN EVENING WITH THE MONKEES (FEATURING MICKY DOLENZ & PETER TORK)
    • GOOD TIMES: THE 50th ANNIVERSARY TOUR
    • THE PANTAGES THEATRE 2016 (Michael Nesmith's final Monkees concert)
    • THE MONKEES PRESENT: THE MIKE NESMITH & MICKY DOLENZ SHOW
  • '20s
    • AN EVENING WITH THE MONKEES FEATURING MIKE NESMITH & MICKY DOLENZ
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