The Monkees’ Micky Dolenz appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon earlier this week. Dolenz remembered the time Jimi Hendrix opened for The Monkees in the mid-1960s, shared a bit from his new photo book I’m Told I Had a Good Time and performed “Last Train To Clarksville” with Jimmy and The Roots.
The segment began with Fallon sharing that he and Micky go way back. A pre-SNL stand-up comedian Jimmy opened for The Monkees in Los Angeles on their 1997 tour. Dolenz offered Fallon an audion for a pilot he was working which Jimmy said helped to build his confidence as a young actor/comedian.
“There’s another famous Jimi who opened for you as well,” Fallon said, as a segue into Micky’s story about Jimi Hendrix opening for The Monkees. Dolenz recalls seeing Jimi with the John Hammond Band when the legendary guitarist was still a sideman. Impressed, Micky later suggested that Hendrix open for The Monkees, which was a bit of problem considering the band’s more pop-oriented audience.
Watch Micky Dolenz tell the story along with a performance of “Last Train To Clarksville” with Jimmy and The Roots below:
