How did Michael Nesmith die? Tributes pour in as Monkees singer passes away at 78

On Friday, December 10, The Monkees singer and guitarist Michael Nesmith passed away at the age of 78. News of his demise was shared by his family, who stated that Nesmith died at his Carmel Valley, CA home.

The late singer’s family gave an exclusive statement to The Rolling Stone, which read:

“With Infinite Love, we announce that Michael Nesmith has passed away this morning in his home, surrounded by family, peacefully and of natural causes.”

While the cause of his death is pegged as natural in the statement, no further details have been made public surrounding Michael Nesmith’s demise.

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Michael Nesmith’s health issues

In 2018, the singer experienced shortness of breath at the Keswick Theatre in Pennsylvania while doing their soundcheck. The Monkees were supposed to perform on stage later, and Michael Nesmith was hospitalized, and the band later had to postpone and cancel multiple dates of their tour.

It was later discovered that Michael had congestive heart failure, which required quadruple bypass heart surgery. After having the surgery in June, Nesmith spoke to Rolling Stone and said:

“It was congestive heart failure. It has taken me four weeks to climb out of it. If anybody ever comes up to you on the street and offers you (heart surgery) for free, turn them down. It hurts.”

Michael Nesmith further revealed how he performed at the Mike & Micky Show in June 2018. He said that he had an oxygen tank and mask near a chair off-stage during his shows in Denver at the time.

The Texas native also revealed that he had recovered from his surgery and was back to 80% of his prior health. While his family did not reveal the cause of his death, it is suspected that Michael Nesmith had a cardiological issue, presumably heart failure, which caused his demise.

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How fans reacted to the death of the band’s singer and guitarist Michael Nesmith

Several fans offered their condolences to Michael Nesmith’s family. Meanwhile, a few reminisced on his legacy with The Monkees and shared facts about the late singer’s contribution.

Micky Dolenz, the last surviving member of The Monkees, shared his condolences on Instagram, saying:

“I’m heartbroken. I’ve lost a dear friend and partner. I’m so grateful that we could spend the last couple of months together doing what we loved best – singing, laughing, and doing shtick. I’ll miss it all so much. Especially the shtick. Rest in peace, Nez.”

Michael Nesmith had been associated with The Monkees since 1965. The group disbanded after Nesmith and Dolenz’s last tour took place in September. However, it was cut short due to the pandemic.