He was best known as the Monkee in the wool cap, but Michael Nesmith made a mark on music well before The Monkees landed on TV. And after the show was canceled in 1968, Nesmith, who died in December 2021 at the age of 78, carried on a successful solo career. His smoothly crooned story-songs slotted alongside fellow craftsmen like Harry Nilsson and Randy Newman, albeit with a shambling Americana twang accented by his custom-built 12-string guitar. Among Nesmith's many solo recordings, the impeccably mellow "Joanne" was his one hit, though Linda Ronstadt made his "Different Drum" famous, and Nitty Gritty Dirt Band recorded "Some of Shelly's Blues" for their debut LP.