Michael Nesmith

The First National Band was a short-lived American collaborative band, led by former Monkee Michael Nesmith, which issued three albums in the country... rock genre in 1970–1971. During his time in The Monkees, Nesmith was unhappy with the bubblegum pop records that musical director Don Kirshner was providing for the group, and fought to get his own compositions to be recorded under the Monkees name. Before The Monkees, Nesmith had released a handful of singles under the name "Michael Blessing" which were country rock in genre, and the few Monkees songs he was allowed to contribute to the albums followed in the same vein. In 1968, Nesmith released "The Wichita Train Whistle Sings" as a side-project from the Monkees and, due to continued frustration, in 1970 he bought himself out of his Monkees contract altogether. In 1969, before Nesmith had left the Monkees, it was clear to both him and his friend John Ware that The Monkees were soon to come to an end. Ware suggested to Nesmith that he form another band with Ware and their mutual friend and Nesmith's long-time songwriting partner John London and put his connections to good use while he still had the chance.
more