Music Biz to Celebrate 50 Year of The Monkees With Outstanding Achievement Award at Nashville Convention
February 9, 2016 – The Music Business Association (Music Biz) will be honoring The Monkees with an Outstanding Achievement Award celebrating their 50th anniversary. The Award will be presented to band members Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork at the Music Biz 2016 Welcome Reception, sponsored by WEA, on Monday, May 16 at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel. It’s the beginning of a jam-packed year for the group, which will mark the anniversary with a world tour, kicking off May 18 in Fort Myers, FL; a new album, also featuring Michael Nesmith and a vocal from Davy Jones, titled “GOOD TIMES!” and set for a June release; and a remastered Blu Ray release of “The Monkees” TV series.
“The Monkees have blazed a unique path over the course of their five decades in the entertainment business, achieving incredible success not only with their TV series, but with their music,” said James Donio, President of Music Biz. “Their debut record, ‘The Monkees,’ was actually the first album I ever received, and is still one of my favorites. With more than 75 million records sold worldwide, five Platinum-selling albums (including two 5x-Platinum and two 2x-Platinum releases), and 12 Top 40 singles (including three chart-toppers), the group has earned a place in music’s upper echelon. Now, they are poised to reach a new generation of fans with their upcoming record.”
“Our thanks to Music Biz for this Award and to our fans for allowing us to live out our dreams for the past 50 years,” said band member Micky Dolenz. “It’s great to look back and remember all that we’ve accomplished, especially as we put the finishing touches on new music that we know our fans will love. We can’t wait to see everyone out on the road!”
The Monkees – consisting of Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork, and the late Davy Jones – burst onto the scene in August 1966 with their debut single, “Last Train to Clarksville,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 and is now certified Gold. The following month, the group’s TV series, “The Monkees,” debuted. A tribute to not only The Beatles, but also the comedy stylings of The Marx Brothers and Laurel and Hardy as well as the pop-art sensibilities of Andy Warhol and the emerging San Francisco psychedelic scene, the show brought The Monkees to new heights of popularity, with their debut self-titled album spending 13 weeks at the top of the Billboard 200 chart.
Their next three full-length records, all released in 1967, also topped the charts, and each of their first five records have been certified Platinum, with “The Monkees” and “More of The Monkees” reaching 5x Platinum and “Headquarters” and “Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.” reaching 2x Platinum. The group disbanded in 1970, but reunited for a 20th anniversary tour in 1986. Later, in 1997, they recorded the album “Justus” and released the TV special “Hey, Hey, It’s The Monkees.” Following Jones’ death in 2012, the surviving members began performing together once again, leading to sessions for their upcoming new album, produced by Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne and Ivy.
Music Biz 2016, which will return to Nashville from May 16-18, is the music industry’s premier event, giving the commerce and content sectors a place to meet with trading partners, network with new companies, and learn about new trends and products impacting the music business. Registration is open now, with early bird discounts available until March 11, 2016. For more information or to sign up for the conference, visit www.musicbiz2016.com.
