Nevada Fighter
Encyclopedia
Nevada Fighter is the third solo album by American
singer-songwriter Michael Nesmith
during his post-Monkees career. The album is also the third and final album with the First National Band. Released in 1971, it peaked at No. 70 on the Billboard Pop Albums
charts, the highest position since the beginning of Nesmith's solo career.
John London
and John Ware left the group in late November 1970. Two tracks were left to finish the album - "Here I Am" (recorded in early January 1971) and "Only Bound" (recorded in late January). Nesmith recruited James Burton
, Joe Osborn
and Ron Tutt to help finish the album — all three had worked with Nesmith during his days with The Monkees
.
The track "Nevada Fighter" was originally recorded under the title "Apology." "Propinquity" was the third version of this song Nesmith recorded — he demoed it for The Monkees in 1966 and recorded a 1969 version for the group.
Additional musicians:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer-songwriter Michael Nesmith
Michael Nesmith
Robert Michael Nesmith is an American musician, songwriter, actor, producer, novelist, businessman, and philanthropist, best known as a member of the musical group The Monkees and star of the TV series of the same name...
during his post-Monkees career. The album is also the third and final album with the First National Band. Released in 1971, it peaked at No. 70 on the Billboard Pop Albums
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
charts, the highest position since the beginning of Nesmith's solo career.
John London
John London
John Carl Kuehne , better known as John London, was an American musician and songwriter, and was involved in several Hollywood television and movie productions...
and John Ware left the group in late November 1970. Two tracks were left to finish the album - "Here I Am" (recorded in early January 1971) and "Only Bound" (recorded in late January). Nesmith recruited James Burton
James Burton
James Burton is an American guitarist. A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since 2001 , Burton has also been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame...
, Joe Osborn
Joe Osborn
Joe Osborn is an American bass guitar virtuoso, notable for his work as a session musician in Los Angeles and Nashville during the period from the 1960s through the 1980s. Osborn's work is widely admired by fellow musicians.Osborn began his career working in local clubs, then played on a hit...
and Ron Tutt to help finish the album — all three had worked with Nesmith during his days with The Monkees
The Monkees
The Monkees are an American pop rock group. Assembled in Los Angeles in 1966 by Robert "Bob" Rafelson and Bert Schneider for the American television series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968, the musical acting quartet was composed of Americans Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork,...
.
The track "Nevada Fighter" was originally recorded under the title "Apology." "Propinquity" was the third version of this song Nesmith recorded — he demoed it for The Monkees in 1966 and recorded a 1969 version for the group.
Track listing
All songs by Michael Nesmith except where noted.- "Grand Ennui" – 2:07
- "Propinquity (I've Just Begun To Care)" – 2:59
- "Here I Am" – 3:15
- "Only Bound" – 3:23
- "Nevada Fighter" – 3:06
- "Texas Morning" (Mike MurphyMichael Martin MurpheyMichael Martin Murphey is an American singer-songwriter best known for writing and performing Western music, Country music, and Popular music. A multiple Grammy nominee, Murphey has six gold albums, including Cowboy Songs, the first album of cowboy music to achieve gold status since Gunfighter...
, Boomer CastlemanBoomer CastlemanOwen Castleman, better known by his stage name Boomer Castleman, was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist from Farmers Branch, Texas. He was a one-hit wonder, hitting the US charts in 1975 with the single "Judy Mae", which peaked at #33....
) – 3:00 - "Tumbling TumbleweedsTumbling Tumbleweeds"Tumbling Tumbleweeds" is a song composed by Bob Nolan, one of the founding members of the Sons of the Pioneers. Although one of the most famous songs associated with cowboys, the song was composed by Nolan back in the 1930s while he was working as a caddy and living in Los Angeles...
" (Bob NolanBob NolanBob Nolan was a Canadian-born American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was a founding member of the Sons of the Pioneers, and composer of numerous Country music and Western music songs, including the standards "Cool Water" and "Tumbling Tumbleweeds." He is generally regarded as one of the...
) – 4:10 - "I Looked Away" (Eric ClaptonEric ClaptonEric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
, Bobby WhitlockBobby WhitlockRobert Stanley 'Bobby' Whitlock is a songwriter and performer, best known as a member of Derek and the Dominos.- Biography :...
) – 3:13 - "Rainmaker" (Harry NilssonHarry NilssonHarry Edward Nilsson III was an American singer-songwriter who achieved the peak of his commercial success in the early 1970s. On all but his earliest recordings he is credited as Nilsson...
, Bill Martin) – 3:17 - "René" (Red RhodesRed RhodesRhodes played pedal steel on many country rock, pop and rock albums with The Monkees, James Taylor, Seals and Crofts, The Byrds, The Carpenters and many other groups. He is most often remembered for his work with former Monkee Michael Nesmith on Nesmith's first solo albums in the early 1970s...
) – 1:40
Personnel
- Michael Nesmith – vocals, guitar
- John LondonJohn LondonJohn Carl Kuehne , better known as John London, was an American musician and songwriter, and was involved in several Hollywood television and movie productions...
– bass - John Ware – drums
- O.J. "Red" RhodesRed RhodesRhodes played pedal steel on many country rock, pop and rock albums with The Monkees, James Taylor, Seals and Crofts, The Byrds, The Carpenters and many other groups. He is most often remembered for his work with former Monkee Michael Nesmith on Nesmith's first solo albums in the early 1970s...
– Pedal steel
Additional musicians:
- Joe OsbornJoe OsbornJoe Osborn is an American bass guitar virtuoso, notable for his work as a session musician in Los Angeles and Nashville during the period from the 1960s through the 1980s. Osborn's work is widely admired by fellow musicians.Osborn began his career working in local clubs, then played on a hit...
– bass - Max BennettMax Bennett (musician)Max Bennett is an American jazz bassist and session musician.Bennett grew up in Kansas City and Oskaloosa, Iowa, and went to college in Iowa. His first professional gig was with Herbie Fields in 1949, and following this he played with Georgie Auld, Terry Gibbs, and Charlie Ventura...
– bass - Glen D. HardinGlen HardinGlen D. Hardin is an American piano player, songwriter and arranger. He has performed and recorded with such notable artists as Elvis Presley, Emmylou Harris, John Denver, Ricky Nelson and many others.-Career:...
– keyboards - Michael Cohen – keyboards
- Ron Tutt – drums
- James BurtonJames BurtonJames Burton is an American guitarist. A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since 2001 , Burton has also been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame...
– guitar - Al CaseyAl Casey (rock & roll guitarist)Alvin W. Casey was an American guitarist. He was mainly noted for his work as a session musician, but also released records and scored three Billboard Hot 100 hits in the United States...
– guitar