MIKE NESMITH -- Before They Made A Monkee Out of Him!

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          MIKE NESMITH born Robert Michael Nesmith December 30,1942 to Warren and  Bette Nesmith.

          In October of 1958, Bette Nesmith invented Liquid Paper correction fluid. In the 1970’s Mike will inherent her substantial royalties from the product.

          In 1959 Mike appeared in The Thomas Jefferson High School (Dallas, Texas) production of Oklahoma as Andrew Carnes.

          Mike became a member of his school’s choir as an extracurricular activity in 1960.

          In 1962, Mike enlisted in the Air Force and was stationed at Wichita Falls, Texas. On weekend leave, he saw songwriter Hoyt Axton perform at an Oklahoma nightclub. Nesmith was so moved by the performance he decided to take up the guitar and become a songwriter.

          In 1963 Mike enrolled in San Antonio College as a drama major. He formed a folk group comprised of various floating members, to perform at store openings, private parties etc.

          He released his first, now rather mysterious single, as Mike Nesmith. It has two original Nesmith compositions; “Wanderin’ / Well, Well”. It was released on Highness Records, and was probably a vanity pressing. Also that year, his composition “Go Somewhere and Cry” was released by Denny Ezba and the Goldens. It included Mike whistling and playing guitar on the record.

          In June, he headed a Hootenanny at Wonderland Shopping City, San Antonio Texas. He performed to an estimated audience of 3,000. Two hours of the event were broadcast on local channel twelve. Curiously, in an interview with the San Antonio Light newspaper, he stated he would be recording for Warner Brothers records in July. (Apparently, that never happened.)

           In the summer, Mike performed as a solo at Grey Gables Inn, Cape Cod Massachusetts. A tape recording of one of his club appearances at San Antonio, Texas reveals his set at this time included Woody Guthrie’s “Pastures of Plenty” and traditional songs: “Pick A Bale of Cotton”, “Winkin’, Blinkin’ and Nod”, and “Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down”, plus original compositions “Looks Like Rain” and “One In Twenty”.

           In the fall he formed a duet with John London. Their play list included Nesmith originals “Pretty Princess” and future Linda Rondstadt and the Stone Pony’s hit “Different Drum”.

           In early 1964, Mike & John won the San Antonio College “Headliner of the Year” talent show, and began a residency at the nightclub The Rebel. When school let out for the summer, Mike, John and their friend / manager Charlie Rocket formed a trio for performances at the Rubyait and PM Clubs. John and Charlie moved to Los Angeles, followed in short order by newlyweds Mike and the former Phyllis Barbour. Their new apartment’s manager had a daughter who was an associate of famed singer Frankie Laine. She set up some gigs and demo sessions for Mike and John. She also set them up on a grueling and financially disastrous tour of Texas school assemblies.

           Mike and John spent an unspecified (undoubtedly very short) period performing in Los Vegas, then at the Safari Hut in San Jose, California. With the addition of Bill Sleeper on drums, they released a single, as Mike, John & Bill, “How Can You Kiss Me / Just A Little Love”on the Omnibus label. They also record demos for Mike’s songs “All the King’s Horses” and “I’ve Been Searchin’”  

           Later in 1965, Mike, John & Charlie became an electric rock band, and Mike also continued pursuing his solo folkie career, now under the stage name Michael Blessing. Significantly, he left Frankie Laine’s management company for Bob Krasnow, who was associated with Colpix, a division of Columbia / Screengems, and will make Michael Blessing a label mate of David Jones. As Michael Blessing he records the Colpix single “The New Recruit / What Seems to be the Trouble Officer”.

           For $50 a week, he joins a large folk group, The Survivors, and meets group members Owens Murphy & Michael Castleman, future Monkees songwriters, and Nyles Brown, who will later get work as an extra on The Monkees TV series. It is also through the group that he met publisher Randy Sparks, who will publish several Nesmith compositions throughout the year.

            In the fall, The Survivors had a month long residency at the Duke of York in Manhattan Beach, California.

            He made a few appearances as Mike Nesmith, backed by a rock band for Frost Brothers’ Dept. Store in San Antonio Texas.

             Tuesday, November 9^th, Michael Blessing’s second, and final single “Until It’s Time for Us to Go / (and a reissue of) What seems To Be The Problem Officer” was released. The following week “Michael Blessing” appeared on TV on the syndicated “Lloyd Thaxton Show”.

            Also some time in 1965, Mike’s composition “Mary Mary” was released on record by the prestigious Butterfield Blues Band. 

            Interestingly, contrary to legend, none of The Monkees got their auditions from "cattle call casting". Davy and Mike were both already under contract to the Colpix division of Columbia / Screen Gems, based on their potential merits as performers, prior to The Monkees. Micky got an audition through his agent. Stephen Stills was seriously considered for a part, but turned it down as "not being my bag." He recommended his similar looking friend, dishwasher Peter Tork. Monkees producer Bob Rafelson later recalled that he had to make a considerable effort to track down Peter, whose current dishwashing gig really didn't link him to show business in any traceable way. 

           Still, they all had to do screen tests to earn their parts.