Tag Archives: Michael Nesmith

The Monkees: More Of The Monkees

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On January 9, 1967, “Colgems” label released “More of the Monkees”, the second Monkees (The) studio album. It was recorded June – November 1966, at “RCA Victor A, B” in Hollywood, “RCA Victor A, B” in New York, “Western Recorders No. 2” in Hollywood, and was produced by Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart, Carole Bayer Sager, Neil Sedaka, Michael Nesmith, Jeff Barry, Jack Keller, Gerry Goffin and Carole King. The album was certified quintuple platinum in the US by the “RIAA”,

Personnel:

  • Micky Dolenz – lead vocals and backing vocals
  • Davy Jones – lead and backing vocals
  • Peter Tork – lead and backing vocals, guitar
  • Michael Nesmith – lead and backing vocals, steel guitar
  • Wayne Erwin – guitar, backing vocals
  • Gerry McGee – guitar
  • Louie Shelton – guitar
  • Al Gafa – guitar
  • Willard Suyker – guitar
  • Don Thomas – guitar
  • James Burton – guitar
  • Glen Campbell – guitar
  • Al Casey – guitar
  • Mike Deasy – guitar
  • Neil Diamond – guitar
  • Sal DiTroia – guitar
  • Al Gorgoni – guitar
  • Carol Kaye – guitar
  • Norm Jeffries – tambourine
  • Michael Cohen – keyboards
  • Larry Knechtel – keyboards
  • Neil Sedaka – keyboards
  • Michael Cohen – keyboards
  • Larry Knechtel – keyboards
  • Don Randi – keyboards
  • Michel Rubini – keyboards
  • George Butcher – keyboards
  • Stan Free – keyboards
  • Bobby Hart – organ, backing vocals
  • Larry Taylor – bass guitar
  • Russ Savakus – bass guitar
  • Bob West – bass guitar
  • Ray Pohlman – bass guitar
  • Billy Lewis – drums
  • Herbie Lovelle – drums
  • Hal Blaine – drums
  • Buddy Saltzman – drums
  • George Devens – percussion
  • Frank Capp – percussion
  • Julius Wechter – percussion
  • Gary Coleman – percussion
  • Jim Gordon – percussion
  • Louis Haber – violin
  • Irving Spice – violin
  • Louis Stone – violin
  • David Sackson – viola
  • Murray Sandry – viola
  • Seymour Barab – cello
  • Jeff Barry – backing vocals
  • Tommy Boyce – backing vocals
  • Ron Hicklin – backing vocals
  • Don Peake – conductor
  • Artie Butler – string arrangements
  • Don Kirshner – music supervisor
  • Lester Sill – music coordinator
  • Emil LaViola – music coordinator
  • Ernie Oelrich – engineer
  • Henry Lewy – engineer
  • Hank Cicalo – engineer
  • Richie Schmitt – engineer
  • Richard Podolor – engineer
  • Dave Hassinger – engineer
  • Ray Hall – engineer

Track listing:

  1. She – Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart
  2. When Love Comes Knockin’ (At Your Door) – Carole Bayer Sager, Neil Sedaka
  3. Mary, Mary – Michael Nesmith
  4. Hold on Girl – Billy Carr, Jack Keller, Ben Raleigh
  5. Your Auntie Grizelda – Diane Hildebrand, Jack Keller
  6. (I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone – Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart
  7. Look Out (here Comes Tomorrow) – Neil Diamond
  8. The Kind of Girl I Could Love – Michael Nesmith, Roger Atkins
  9. The Day We Fall in Love – Sandy Linzer, Denny Randell
  10. Sometime in the Morning –Gerry Goffin, Carole King
  11. Laugh – Phil Margo, Mitch Margo, Hank Medress, Jay Siegel
  12. I’m a Believer – Neil Diamond

Michael Nesmith: Nevada Fighter

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In May 1971, “RCA Victor” label released “Nevada Fighter”, the third Michael Nesmith album. It was recorded October 1970 – January 1971, and was produced by Michael Nesmith.

Personnel:

The First National Band:

  • Michael Nesmith – vocals, guitar
  • Red Rhodes – pedal steel guitar
  • John London – bass guitar
  • John Ware – drums
  • Al Casey – guitar
  • James Burton – guitar
  • Glen Hardin – keyboards
  • Michael Cohen – keyboards
  • Joe Osborn – bass guitar
  • Max Bennett – bass guitar
  • Ron Tutt – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Michael Nesmith, except where noted.

  1. Grand Ennui
  2. Propinquity (I’ve Just Begun to Care)
  3. Here I Am
  4. Only Bound
  5. Nevada Fighter
  6. Texas Morning – Mike Murphy, Boomer Castleman
  7. Tumbling Tumbleweeds – Bob Nolan
  8. I Looked Away – Eric Clapton, Bobby Whitlock
  9. Rainmaker – Harry Nilsson, Bill Martin
  10. René – Red Rhodes

The Monkees: Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. 

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On November 6, 1967, “Colgems” label released “Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.”, the fourth Monkees (The) album. It was recorded April – October 1967, at “RCA Victor” in Hollywood, “RCA Victor” in New York, “Western Recorders No. 1” in Hollywood, “American Recording Company” in Studio City, “United Recorders A” in Hollywood, and was produced by Chip Douglas.

Personnel:

  • Michael Nesmith – lead and backing vocals, guitar, shaker, acoustic and electric guitar, tremolo electric guitar, percussion
  • Micky Dolenz – lead and backing vocals, harmony vocals, percussion, drums, Moog synthesizer, intro chatter
  • Davy Jones – lead and backing vocals, percussion, tambourine, intro chatter
  • Peter Tork – lead and backing vocals, spoken word, organ, keyboards, piano
  • Chip Douglas – acoustic guitar, nylon-string guitar, guitar, bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Eddie Hoh – drums, percussion, claves
  • Kim Capli – guitar, piano, bass guitar, drums, shaker, cowbell, claves, other percussion
  • Doug Dillard – banjo 
  • Bill Chadwick – acoustic guitar
  • Bob Rafelson – piano intro
  • Bill Martin – intro chatter
  • Charlie Rockett – intro chatter
  • Paul Beaver – Moog synthesizer
  • Jim Horn – baritone sax
  • Pete Candoli – trumpet
  • Al Porcino – trumpet
  • Manny Stevens – trumpet
  • Dick Noel – trombone
  • Dick Leith – bass trombone
  • Philip Teele – bass trombone
  • Bobby Knight – bass trombone
  • Ted Nash – reeds, winds
  • Tom Scott – reeds, winds
  • Bud Shank – reeds, winds
  • Vincent DeRosa – French horn
  • Ollie Mitchell – flugelhorn
  • Anthony Terran – flugelhorn
  • Leonard Atkins – violin
  • Arnold Belnick – violin
  • Nathan Kaproff – violin
  • Wilbert Nuttycombe – violin
  • Jerome Reisler – violin
  • Darrel Terwilliger – violin
  • Edgar Lustgarten – cello

Track listing:

  1. Salesman – Craig Vincent Smith
  2. She Hangs Out – Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller
  3. The Door into Summer – Chip Douglas, Bill Martin
  4. Love Is Only Sleeping – Barry Mann, Cynthia Well
  5. Cuddly Toy – Harry Nilsson
  6. Words – Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart
  7. Hard to Believe – Davy Jones, Kim Capli, Eddie Brick, Charlie Rockett
  8. What Am I Doing Hangin’ Round? – Michael Martin Murphey, Owen Castleman
  9. Peter Percival Patterson’s Pet Pig Porky – Peter Tork
  10. Pleasant Valley Sunday – Gerry Goffin, Carole King
  11. Daily Nightly – Michael Nesmith
  12. Don’t Call on Me – Michael Nesmith, John London

Michael Nesmith: Pretty Much Your Standard Ranch Stash

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In October 1973, “RCA” label released “Pretty Much Your Standard Ranch Stash”, the sixth Michael Nesmith album. It was recorded in March 1973, and was produced by Michael Nesmith.

Personnel:

  • Michael Nesmith – vocals, acoustic rhythm 12-string guitar
  • Jay Lacy – electric guitar
  • Dr. Robert K. Warford – electric guitar, banjo
  • Red Rhodes – pedal steel, dobro
  • David Barry – piano
  • Billy Graham – bass, fiddle
  • Danny Lane – drums, percussion

Track listing:

  1. Continuing – Michael Nesmith
  2. Some of Shelly’s Blues – Michael Nesmith
  3. Release – Michael Nesmith
  4. Winonah – Michael Nesmith, Linda Hargrove, James Miner
  5. Born to Love You – Cindy Walker
  6. The Back Porch and a Fruit Jar Full of Iced Tea
  7. The F.F.V – traditional, arranged by Michael Nesmith
  8. Uncle Pen – Bill Monroe
  9. Prairie Lullaby – Billy Hill

The Monkees: Headquarters

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On May 22, 1967, “Colgems” label released “Headquarters”, the third Monkees (The) studio album. It was recorded February – April 1967, and was produced by Chip Douglas.

Personnel:

  • Micky Dolenz – vocals, drums, zither, electric rhythm guitar, shaker, timpani
  • Michael Nesmith – vocals; electric and acoustic lead, rhythm, and 12-string guitars, steel guitar, organ
  • Peter Tork – vocals; acoustic 12-string and electric guitars; piano, organ, celeste, electric piano, bass, banjo
  • Davy Jones – vocals, percussion
  • Chip Douglas – bass, backing vocals
  • John London – bass
  • Jerry Yester – bass
  • Vincent DeRosa – French horn
  • Frederick Seykora – cello
  • Hank Cicalo – engineer

Track listing:

  1. You Told Me – Michael Nesmith
  2. I’ll Spend My Life with You – Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart
  3. Forget That Girl – Douglas Farthing Hatlelid
  4. Band 6 – Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork
  5. You Just May the One – Michael Nesmith, Bobby Hart
  6. Shades of Grey – Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil
  7. I Can’t Get Her Off My Mind – Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart
  8. For Pete’s Sake – Peter Tork, Joey Richards
  9. Mr. Webster – Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart
  10. Sunny Girlfriend – Michael Nesmith
  11. Zilch – Micky Dolanz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork
  12. No Time – Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork, Hank Cicalo
  13. Early Morning Blues and Greens – Diane Hilderbrand, Jack Keller
  14. Randy Soouse Git – Micky Dolenz

Ian Matthews: Valley Hi

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In August 1973, “Elektra” label released “Valley Hi”, the fourth Ian Matthews album. It was recorded in 1973, at “The Countryside Studio”, and was produced by Michael Nesmith.

Personnel:

  • Ian Matthews – vocals, guitar, arranger
  • David Barry – keyboards
  • Jay Lacy – guitar
  • Michael Nesmith – guitar, steel guitar
  • Bobby Warford – guitar
  • Orville J. Rhodes – steel guitar
  • Byron Berline – fiddle
  • Billy Graham – bass, fiddle
  • Danny Lane – drums
  • Fritz Richmond – engineer 
  • Terry Dunavan – engineer
  • Robert L. Heimall – art direction
  • Bruce Atkins – artwork
  • Paul Slaughter – photography
  • John Paul Endress – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Ian Matthews, except where noted.

  1. Keep On Sailing
  2. Old Man at the Mill – traditional
  3. Shady Lies – Richard Thompson
  4. These Days – Jackson Browne
  5. Leaving Alone
  6. 7 Bridges Road – Steve Young
  7. Save Your Sorrows
  8. What Are You Waiting For – Randy Newman
  9. Propinquity – Michael Nesmith
  10. Blue Blue Day – Don Gibson

Hal Blaine

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On March 11, 2019, Harold Simon Belsky aka Hal Blaine died aged 90. He was musician (drums) regarded to be one of the most recorded studio drummers in the history of the modern music. He had more than 35,000 recording sessions in various music genres including big number of film and TV soundtracks. He worked with Shelley Fabares, The Crystals, Jan & Dean, The Beach Boys, Dean Martin, Lorne Greene, Gary Lewis & the Playboys, The Byrds, Sonny & Cher, Barry McGuire, Petula Clark, Nancy Sinatra, The Mamas & the Papas, Frank Sinatra, Johnny Rivers, The Supremes, The Association, Simon & Garfunkel, Tommy Roe, The 5th Dimension, Henry Mancini, The Carpenters, Neil Diamond, The Partridge Family, The Raiders, Barbra Streisand, John Denver, Captain & Tennille, Diana Ross, Sam Cooke, Van Dyke Parks, John Lennon, Lulu, Dennis Wilson, Paul Simon, Richard Harris, Glen Campbell, Emitt Rhodes, Art Garfunkel, Juice Newton, Michael Nesmith, Cher, Dusty Springfield, Aretha Franklin, J.J. Cale, José Feliciano, Bobby Darin, Rosanne Cash, Cass Elliot, Rodney Crowell, Dion DiMucci, Paul Anka, Barry Mann, Emmylou Harris, Jackie Lomax, Elkie Brooks, Helen Reddy, John Philips, Thelma Houston and Leonard Cohen. As leader Blaine released five albums.

Joseph Osborn

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On December 14, 2018, Joseph Osborn died aged 81. He was musician (bass), known for his work as a session musician, member of the Wrecking Crew in Los Angeles, and the A-Team in Nashville. He recorded and performed with Ricky Nelson, Johnny Rivers, the Mamas & the Papas, The Association, The 5th Dimension, Simon & Garfunkel, The Carpenters, Don Francisco, The Grass Roots, America, Glen Campbell, Thelma Houston, Al Kooper, Billy Joel, Michael Nesmith, Barbra Streisand, Lulu, Paul Simon, David Clayton-Thomas, Art Garfunkel, J. J. Cale, Olivia Newton-John, Amy Grant, Kenny Rogers, Neil Young, Tanya Tucker, and Jackie Lomax. In 2010, Osborn was inducted into the “Louisiana Music Hall of Fame”.

Thomas Tedesco

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On November 10, 1997, Thomas J. Tedesco died aged 67. He was a musician (guitar), part of the loose collective of Los Angeles area’s session musicians known as The Wrecking Crew. As he played on hundreds studio recordings, “Guitar Player” magazine described him as “the most recorded guitarist in music history”. He recorded with the Beach Boys, Chet Baker, the Mamas & the Papas, the Everly Brothers, the Association, Bobby Darrin, Barbra Streisand, Jan and Dean, the 5th Dimension, Elvis Presley, Sam Cooke, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Zappa, Ricky Nelson, Cher, Neil Diamond, Van Dyke Parks, Michael Franks, Nancy and Frank Sinatra, Richard Harris, Peggy Lee, Johnny Rivers, Al Kooper, Michael Nesmith, Paul Anka, Don Ellis, Minnie Riperton, Maria Muldaur, Leon Russell, Aretha Franklin, Art Garfunkel, J.J. Cale, Quincy Jones, Stephen Bishop, Kenny Loggins, Jack Nitzsche, Sarah Vaughan, Lalo Schifrin, Randy Newman, Hugh Masakela, and Joan Baez. Tedesco performed on soundtracks including The French Connection, Jaws, The Godfather, Field of Dreams, and The Deer Hunter. As a leader he released ten albums.

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band: Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy

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In February 1970, “Liberty” label released “Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy”, the fourth Nitty Gritty Dirt Band studio album. It was recorded in 1969, and was produced by William McEuen.

Personnel:

  • Les Thompson – vocals, electric bass, mandolin, electric guitar
  • Jimmie Fadden – vocals, lead acoustic and electric guitar, harmonica, washtub bass
  • Jeff Hanna- vocals, rhythm acoustic and electric guitar, drums, washboard, percussion
  • Jimmy Ibbotson – vocals, rhythm acoustic guitar, lead electric guitar, electric piano, drums, conga, accordion
  • John McEuen- banjo, mandolin, acoustic guitar, accordion
  • Maurice Manceau – vocals, guitar, keyboards
  • Jim Gordon- horns, keyboards
  • John London- bass
  • Byron Berline- violin
  • Russ Kunkel- drums
  • Woody Woodward – recording
  • John McEuen, Jimmy Hoyson – mixing
  • Dean Torrence/ Kittyhawk Graphics – art direction
  • William McEuen – photography

Track listing:

  1. Some of Shelly’s Blues – Michael Nesmith
  2. Prodigal’s Return – Kenny Loggins, Dann Lottermoser
  3. The Cure – Jeff Hanna
  4. Travelin’ Mood – James Waynes
  5. Chicken Reel – traditional
  6. Yukon Railroad – Kenny Loggins, Dann Lottermoser
  7. Livin’ Without You – Randy Newman
  8. Clinch Mountain Backstep – Ruby Rakes
  9. Rave On – Norman Petty, Bill Tilghman, Sonny West
  10. Billy in the Low Ground – Les Thompson
  11. Jesse James – traditional
  12. Uncle Charlie Interview – Uncle Charlie
  13. Bojangles – Jerry Jeff Walker
  14. Opus 36, Clementi – Muzio Clementi
  15. Santa Rosa – Kenny Loggins
  16. Propinquity – Michael Nesmith
  17. Uncle Charlie – Jimmie Fadden
  18. Randy Lynn Rag – Earl Scruggs
  19. House at Pooh Corner – Kenny Loggins
  20. Swanee River – Stephen Foster
  21. Uncle Charlie Interview #2 / Spanish Fandango – traditional