The Monkees were a pop culture phenomenon in the late 1960s. The group started as a fictional pop-rock band for its eponymous TV sitcom on NBC. But they became so popular that the show’s singles were released on LPs, and the band recorded two albums and went on tour.
After the show’s cancellation in 1968, the band only lasted two more years, breaking up in 1970. But they reunited in 1986 for a 20th anniversary reunion, and then over the next 35 years, the group got back together periodically.
However, lead singer Davy Jones died in 2012, and bassist Peter Tork died in 2019. In 2021, drummer Micky Dolenz and guitarist Michael Nesmith went on a farewell tour, and Nesmith sadly passed away from heart failure just weeks after the tour concluded, leaving Dolenz as the last surviving member of the group.
But Dolenz is not slowing down. He is, in fact, touring right now; his most recent stop was in Pittsburgh on May 4. Ahead of the show, he spoke with Pittsburgh-area paper The Observer-Reporter about his lengthy career.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Micky Dolenz (@micky_dolenz)
Having just turned 80 years old in March, he told the paper that he’s “glad to be above ground” at this point.
He also sees his most recent tour as a celebration of his career, from his start as a child star in the 1950s, through his shenanigans with The Monkees in the 1960s, and into some of the solo work he went on to do, including performing on stage in Pippin and Aida.
His tour is called “Songs and Stories” and, appropriately, it features songs that are “punctuated by cool stories,” including ones about famous artists he has encountered over the years, like Paul McCartney, Elton John and Chuck Berry.
Dolenz admits to feeling his age with the “typical aches and pains,” but he also said that he feels like “the Energizer Bunny.”
“The travel is tough, but the shows are easy. That’s why they call it playing,” said Dolenz. He also wrote on Instagram about the tour, “It’s not just about looking back — it’s about celebrating the music with people who’ve made it part of their lives.”
His most recent album, Live at the Troubadour, came out in November 2024. It featured some of the Monkees’ greatest hits, like “Last Train to Clarksville,” “Daydream Believer” and “I’m a Believer,” plus covers of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” “Gimme Some Lovin'” and “Johnny B. Goode,” which is the song that Dolenz used to audition for The Monkees.
