My sister and I are still singing Monkees’ songs
- col-teri-stein
- October 23, 2023
- 2163
In my younger days in rural Tuscarawas County, I wasn’t going to concerts and — gasp — there was no internet. I developed my musical tastes by listening to AM radio on my handheld transistor radio that was enclosed in a protective white plastic case. It came with a single ear jack if you wanted to listen in private.
Pop culture was hard to come by, but we did our best. There was always the “Ed Sullivan Show” on television. He was the first to introduce the Beatles to America, and in my research I found a black and white photo of Mr. Sullivan talking with a very young Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones. Ed was hip and happening.
Beginning in 1972, there was a television show every Friday night we did not miss called “The Midnight Special.” It showcased musical groups. Wolfman Jack, a popular disc jockey at the time, was the announcer. It wasn’t the only place to watch new musical groups though. There also was “Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert,” “Soul Train” and “Dick Clark’s American Bandstand.”
Music was my life in high school. I could tell you the name of every song just by hearing the first few notes. I listened to music while studying and often fell asleep listening to a radio station from New York City that would randomly come in during the night if atmospheric conditions were just right.
But let’s go back to where all this love of music got its start. It was Sept. 12, 1966, and I was 9 years old when the very first show of “The Monkees” aired on television.
The Monkees — Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork and Mickey Dolenz — were cast to play a musical group for the show. “The Monkees” show was on weekly, and in each episode they got into one crazy situation after another while featuring their music, spreading love and making the world a better place.
The show was the talk of all our elementary and middle school friends. Everybody I knew had their favorite Monkee. Finding out someone’s favorite Monkee was as common as asking their favorite color. Davy Jones was a favorite, but I also knew people who liked Michael Nesmith, and our cousin liked Peter Tork, which my sister and I could never understand because our favorite was Mickey Dolenz.
We liked Mickey because he was cute, and more importantly, he was funny. A good sense of humor is most important.
Fast forward to the 2023 season unveiling at the Kent State Tuscarawas Performing Arts Center. I attended in person, and my sister was watching it online. I can’t even describe how ecstatic I was when the Mickey Dolenz show was announced to the familiar tunes of the Monkees. We immediately made plans via text to attend. In our wildest dreams, we never imagined we’d get to see Mickey in person.
We couldn’t wait to see the show, and it did not disappoint. Mickey, who topped off his look with a black fedora and glasses with square-shaped orange lens, took the stage to our screams and applause to start the show with “(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone.” Throughout the evening he also sang many of the Monkees hits including “I’m a Believer,” “Another Pleasant Valley Sunday,” “Valerie,” “The Last Train to Clarksville” and “A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You,” a song written by Neil Diamond.
A humble guy, Mickey thanked all the song writers like Diamond, Neil Sedaka, Carole King and others for their hits, and a true family guy, Mickey even had his younger sister Coco singing too. She is as talented as Mickey.
Everyone in the audience got to sing aloud to a refrain from the song “Daydream Believer.” But my sister and I knew just about every song he sang, so we sang along most of the evening.
Mickey performed the song he sang at his audition for The Monkees. It was “Johnny B. Goode” by Chuck Berry. Mickey’s voice is still incredible at age 78.
In the meantime clips of scenes from The Monkees’ shows and concerts filled a screen hanging from the back of the stage, and Mickey spoke fondly of his former band members while telling interesting stories from the past.
Wait — my wrist is buzzing. My fitness tracker thinks all that clapping along and applause is exercise. It was celebrating 10,000 steps. Yes, more concerts could be the answer to getting in shape.
After the show I couldn’t resist getting a souvenir. I purchased an autographed photo of Mickey; it was an image from his days as a member of The Monkees. So you know if Mickey signed this, then Mickey touched this, and now I have something touched by Mickey Dolenz! Aaaah!
My sister and I are still singing Monkees’ songs over a week later, and we will never forget the best girls night out ever.