The 1960s were an incredible time for music. There were Elvis, the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, the Beach Boys and so many other groups and artists who left an indelible mark on pop culture.

And in the middle of it all, there were the Monkees.

Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork and Davy Jones first came together as the cast of a TV show (which ran from 1966 to 1968), then became a real band. They recorded a collection of chart-topping songs and would end up touring the country. Some of their most memorable hits included “Last Train to Clarksville,” “I’m a Believer,” “Daydream Believer” and others.

Today, nearly six decades after their popular TV show first hit the airwaves, Dolenz is the last surviving member of the group. Looking back, he attributes their success in part to the amazing songs written by talented writers such as Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, Neil Diamond, John Stewart (of the Kingston Trio) and others.

“I sang most of the leads, and it’s not difficult when you sing great songs,” Dolenz says with a laugh.

(Dolenz sang lead vocals on “Last Train to Clarksville and “I’m a Believer”, while Davy Jones sang lead on “Daydream Believer.”)

“So the songs had a lot to do with it. And in terms of the TV series, it really resonated with kids,” he continues. “Over the years, the show has stood the test of time because the humor was not topical or satirical. It’s the same reason you can watch old episodes of Honeymoon or The Marx Brothersbecause it still works.”

The show’s magic also had a lot to do with how well Dolenz, Nesmith, Tork and Jones worked together. Dolenz says that even though they didn’t know each other beforehand, the producers spent a lot of time during the audition process to find four young people from different backgrounds who had chemistry.

“During the casting process, I remember working and studying the scene. The screen tests themselves were part of the casting process. They mixed and matched us. I remember doing a scene with Davy and the reason it probably stands out is because he and I had a lot in common. We both acted and were in the entertainment business for a while.”

Jones has acted on TV and Broadway, while Dolenz got his start as a child actor in a TV series called The circus boy. The show aired on ABC from 1956 to 1958.

Dolenz says that once he, Nesmith, Tork and Jones were cast and filming began, it all clicked very quickly for the group in terms of acting and comedic timing. They also became good friends.

As the TV show progressed and they began to see success with their music, they began working together as musicians to take their show on the road. They played to packed houses, packed with frenzied fans and even had some familiar names open their shows.

“Jimi Hendrix was our first opening act,” Dolenz recalls.

It was Dolenz who saw Hendrix perform elsewhere, recognized his talent, and worked to get him to join them on the road.

When their show went off the air in 1968, it ended things for the Monkees, for a while. Over the next two decades, they would all go their separate ways. Dolenz, who was interested in directing and producing, headed to England for an acting gig, got married, and stayed there doing a lot of behind-the-scenes entertainment for the next 15 years.

Interestingly enough, one of his first directing projects involved a very young Catherine Zeta-Jones.

“I wrote a musical adapted from a movie called Bugsy Malone”, explains Dolenz. “I directed it in London’s West End. I don’t know if you’re familiar with the movie, but they were little kids, and she was one of the first Tallulahs, who is one of the characters in the show.”

In 1986, almost two decades later The Monkees ended its TV run, MTV began airing reruns of the show.

“The show hadn’t been on the air for almost 20 years, so once they did that, it rekindled interest,” says Dolenz.

It introduced the boys and their music to a whole new generation.

At the same time, Arista Records released a single by Dolenz called “That Was Then, This is Now”, which quickly charted Panel graphs. The Monkees reunited, went on a brand new tour, had a greatest hits album, new music and released all their previous albums.

In the years that followed, Dolenz toured as a solo artist as well as with fellow Monkees in various combinations. He says they like the brothers and it’s hard now that the others are gone. Jones died in 2012, Tork in 2019 and Nesmith in 2021.

And yet, Dolenz carries their memories and their music wherever he goes. He makes frequent appearances at Comic Cons events and is always happy to chat with those who have fond memories of the Monkees. He will appear at a Comic Con event in Nashville, Tennessee this weekend.

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“I always have fun at those things and look forward to seeing all the fans,” he says.

He also maintains a busy touring schedule. In December alone, Dolenz will perform in Connecticut, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and Northern Virginia.

“I’m touring, not a six-month non-stop tour,” he says, “but I’ll fly out and do two or three shows, then come home, then leave again.”

At 79, he still enjoys the entertainment business and says he chooses his projects with the same guidelines he has followed throughout his career.

“I don’t do anything unless it’s going to be fun. People ask me how I choose projects and it’s always by material. And that’s true whether it’s a song or a script or acting or singing or directing. It all starts with the material. I’d rather direct a great little movie than sing a bad song.”

It’s a process that seems to have worked pretty well, so far.

(For more on Micky Dolenz or to check his tour schedule, visit: www.mickydolenz.com)