And the Hello and welcome to the first Soda Jerker episode of 2020, a new decade no less.

Joining us to mark the occasion is an American musician, songwriter, actor, producer,

author, entrepreneur and philanthropist.

Seriously, the term multi-hifen it might have been invented for this guy.

He helped pioneer the country rock genre with his first national band

and his songs have been covered by the diverse likes of Linda Ronstadt, Earl Scruggs, the Lemon Heads, Paul Westerberg, and even Run DMC,

but he's best known as one quarter of the monkeys.

We're honored to welcome to the show the incomparable Mike Nes Smith.

We got Papa Nears on the phone from California a little while back around the release of his book

Infinite Tuesday and found him great fun to talk to and someone who thinks very deeply

about his art and life in general.

Mike was born in Houston, Texas in 1942 and grew up in Dallas.

When he was 13, his mother, a secretary, invented typewriter correction fluid known as liquid paper. He found school life to be something of a drag but he took part in

choral and drama activities at high school and began writing poetry.

One formative musical experience was when he saw Bo Diddley perform at a Dallas nightclub in the

late 50s. Mike joined the Air Force in 1960 but was honorably discharged in 1962.

Age 19 he received a guitar from his parents as a Christmas present

on which he taught himself to play. He began writing songs and more poetry after moving to

Los Angeles when he was 20 and made some early recordings under the name Michael Blessing

releasing his first single Wandering in 1963. Mike began performing in folk clubs

around the city and also MCed the Monday night Hutananiis at the legendary troubadour in Hollywood.

On the strength of his growing reputation he was offered a publishing deal by a musician and singer-songwriter Randy Sparks

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