The Monkees’ Mike Nesmith ‘Died Knowing That They Were Beloved’ and ‘Finally Embraced’ Their Impact

According to his manager, The Monkees‘ guitarist Mike Nesmith “finally embraced” what the group meant to so many and died knowing “they were beloved.”

What caused Nesmith’s death, and what did he say about accepting The Monkees at the end of his life? Plus, what song did he and his bandmate Micky Dolenz play as their last? Read on to find out.

The Monkees’ Mike Nesmith died of heart failure

Nesmith’s manager, Andrew Sandoval, talked to Variety about the Monkee’s death and how his illness progressed while he was on his final tour with Dolenz. “He had serious heart issues and he had quadruple bypass surgery three years ago,” he offered.

Sandoval said doctors eventually told Nesmith while on tour, “Look, if you go on stage, you might die tonight.”

“And so we pulled down the tour, and he went home,” he added. Nesmith performed his last show on Nov. 12, 2021, with Dolenz at his side. He died on December 10.

The Monkees’ Mike Nesmith died knowing ‘that they were beloved’

Sandoval spoke to Nesmith about the group’s legacy months before he died (per Variety). And according to him, Nesmith was more aware than ever of their impact, despite having distanced himself from The Monkees at times in his life.

“He died knowing that they were beloved, and he finally embraced what they meant to so many other people,” Sandoval shared. “I think he finally got it.”

He recalled, “Mike said, ‘You know, I finally really have come to accept The Monkees’ music. I really like it now.’ And it was an amazing moment.”

He added Nesmith was happy new people were still discovering his work. “His legacy and his music were being appreciated by more people in so many ways than he ever thought it would be, say, five or 10 years ago,” he explained.

“And he started to see it more through the eyes of his fans, of how they loved it. And that was bringing him a lot of joy at the end of his life,” Sandoval said. “Their joy was coming back on him. He finally really felt that and it lit him up, you know?”

The Monkees’ Micky Dolenz was Mike Nesmith’s beloved musical partner until the end

Sandoval talked to Variety about Nesmith’s friendship with Dolenz and how they toured as The Monkees for the last time. “We did feel like we were playing out his ultimate desire to do things,” he shared, adding, “And Micky was certainly supportive of him in wanting to be his partner and doing it.”

Though Nesmith’s health was failing, the shows were a treat for the lucky fans who attended. “People that got to see the shows I think really, really got a lot out of it. It was a really intimate show. And in traditional Monkees fashion, they defied expectation,” he added.

They ended the night with a performance of their hit “Daydream Believer,” the last of Nesmith’s career (per Guitar Player).