Along with Bob Dylan and Gram Parsons, he’s seen as one of the pioneers of Country Rock.  He was also at the forefront of the music video revolution, winning the very first Grammy Award for Video of the Year in 1982.  Following its success he then focused on producing full-length motion pictures. “Repo Man” is one of his.

Through his company, Pacific Arts Corporation, he had acquired the largest catalog of non-theatrical video titles in the world by the early ’80s and (second verse same as the first) was also at the forefront of the home video revolution, although here he was embroiled in a celebrated lawsuit with PBS. Though he eventually won he was famously known to say, “It’s like finding your grandmother stealing your stereo.  You’re happy to get your stereo back, but it’s sad to find out your grandmother is a thief.”

A published author and renowned philanthropist, an inventor with two patents pending for 3D virtual innovations, and an accomplished singer/songwriter, he is nonetheless remembered by most as… “Mike from The Monkees.”

After serving a tour of duty in the United States Air Force, Robert Michael Nesmith was given a guitar for Christmas by his mother and stepfather.  Aged 20, soon to be married and having written a great deal of poetry through the years, he learned to play and began to perform in a series of Folk, Country and Rock and Roll bands.  He also began to turn some of his poems into song lyrics and, after he and his bride moved to L.A. from their San Antonio home, he eventually landed a publishing contract for his songs.

In the fall of 1965, Nesmith noticed an ad from Screen Gems Entertainment for “four insane boys” and decided to show up at the audition, literally with a laundry bag over his shoulder (to be done on his way home) and wearing what would become his trademark wool cap to keep his hair out of eyes.  His insouciance won the day and not only did “wool hat” as the producers referred to him get the part but Screen Gems proceeded to buy his catalog of songs so they could be used in the show, which ran from 1965 to 1970.

Indeed, a rushed version of today’s selection was initially included in a 1966 episode of “The Monkees” before it was recorded by a bluegrass group called The Greenbriar Boys. But “Different Drum” remains best known as Linda Ronstadt’s first hit single (reaching Number 13 on the Billboard Charts) when she recorded it with her group the Stone Poneys in 1967.

Singer, songwriter, musician, inventor, actor, producer, entrepreneur, novelist, philanthropist Nesmith didn’t release this version, however until 1972, after the whole Monkee business was behind him, on his fifth solo album, “And the Hits Just Keep on Comin’”

 LISTEN TO TODAY’S SELECTION – Thursday 15 November

Different Drum

 Well you and I

Travel to the beat of a different drum

Can’t you tell by the way I run

Every time you make eyes at me

 Yes, you cry and moan

And say it’ll work out

But honey child I’ve got my doubts

You can’t see the forest for the trees

 Now don’t get me wrong

It’s not that I knock it

It’s just that I am not in the market

For a girl

Who wants to love only me

And I’m not saying that you ain’t pretty

All’s I saying’s that I’m not ready

For any person place or thing

To try and pull the reins

In on me

Well I feel pretty sure

That you’ll find a man

Who will take a lot more than I ever could or can

And you’ll settle down with him

And I know that you’ll be happy

So goodbye

I’m a-leavin’

I see no sense in you cryin’ and grievin’

We’ll both live a lot longer

If you live without me

Well I feel pretty sure

That you’ll find a man

Who will take a lot more than I ever could or can

And you’ll settle down with him

And I know that you’ll be happy

So goodbye

I’m a-leavin’

I see no sense in you cryin and grievin’

We’ll both live a lot longer

If you live without me

 If you live without me, woman

If you live with out me