Sunday Music: Remembering The Monkee With The Hat

As a proud member of the 1980s Nick at Nite generation, I’m no stranger to The Monkees (via all those glorious reruns). Michael Nesmith, aka the one with the hat, passed away this week.

I’ve revisited the band and the TV show on more than one occasion (see this prior Monkees post here). They’re a great study in how to sell pop culture, how not to sell pop culture, and what happens when you stuff creatives into boxes (spoiler: they eventually destroy the box and run away).

Nesmith is a great example. He came to the band by auditioning for the TV show, and left with several writing credits and a few minor hits under his belt. Here are a few favorites: