Micky Dolenz, former drummer of The Monkees, will appear in concert April 8 at Brown County Music Center in Nashville.
Photo provided
Former drummer Micky Dolenz regularly gets asked why The Monkees remain excluded from The Rock &Roll Hall of Fame. Forgive the former child TV star, pop-rocker, Broadway actor, cartoon voice actor and more if he has little time to consider or critique the matter.
Besides, what was it that his ‘60s marquee group used to croon in its trademark TV title tune?
We’re too busy singing to put anybody down … .
There you have it, nostalgic questioners. At 77, Dolenz is still too busy singing, so much so that he recently launched his “Micky Dolenz celebrates The Monkees” tour that stops for a show at 8 p.m. April 8 at Brown County Music Center in Nashville.
“I always have been very flattered, grateful and thankful that fans have done petitions (for the hall),” he said, speaking by phone from his home just outside Los Angeles. “But it doesn’t concern me that we’re not in.
“I’ve raised money for the Rock &Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. I’ve also played in their golf tournaments, because the foundation is wonderful. But most people don’t realize that the hall of fame itself is not a public, democratic-type organization.”
The Monkees were first embraced by the public when members were assembled for a weekly TV show in 1966 (before that, Dolenz, who had never played drums, had planned to be an architect). Just two and half years later, when the show ended — before it was re-aired by MTV in the 1980s, forming a whole new fan base and 1986 20th anniversary tour — the group had sold 16 million albums and 7.5 million singles.
But Dolenz, as the only surviving band member, decided to do this tour just after he finished last year’s emotional excursion with ex-Monkee Michael Nesmith. Nesmith died days after that tour finished. Dolenz has called Nesmith, Davy Jones, and Peter Tork “brothers.”
“I feel just blessed to have been a part of this whole thing for years and years,” Dolenz said, adding that he is totally fine simply being remembered simply as “that crazy drummer.” “It’s not uncommon these days for me to see three generations of families in the same audience. But I am so blessed to have been part of it then and still be a part of it now.”
Though away from music, he prefers a quiet life of hunting and fishing, he stays in touch with those in the music business. On his recent birthday, his Twitter feed included well wishes from artists such as Richard Marx.
The concert with a seven-piece band will include plenty of mutimedia, including film clips, plus the group’s hits such as “I’m A Believer,” “Daydream Believer,” “Last Train To Clarksville,” “Pleasant Valley Sunday,” “(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone” and “That Was Then, This Is Now.”
Plus, it will pay tribute to the songs of Nesmith (“Different Drum,” “Mary, Mary,” “Papa Gene’s Blues,” and “Listen To The Band”) and Peter Tork (“For Pete’s Sake” and “Can You Dig It”). Davy Jones, who headlined the local Our Hospice of South Central Indiana concert in 2004, will be honored with a spotlight on several songs that he made famous, such as “Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)” and “Valleri”.
Dolenz also will share stories and unseen images of The Monkees from his personal archive, according to publicists.
Former Columbus resident Sandy Owens remembers being in love with the band in the mid-’60s “Monkees Madness,” as she calls it. She has seen Dolenz in concert twice.
“I always thought Micky Dolenz really gave the group that really significant, pop-rock sound,” she said.
Dolenz totally understands that many music fans never have heard of The Monkees or him, though. So, for the uninitiated, he offered a no-frills public relations pitch on his scheduled show.
“If you like the music we did written by artists like Carole King, Neil Diamond, Harry Nilsson and Neil Sedaka,” he said, “then you’ll love the show.”
