Mickey's Music

Mickey began his music career by pounding a junior edition set of drums as a youngster. Born in Houston, Texas, Mickey moved "at the age of real little" to Dallas where he played in school groups. While in high school, Mickey met Trini Lopez, who offered him a steady job. It was his first real taste of living on the road -"nothin' but cokes and cheeseburgers." Mickey followed Trini to Los Angeles and eventually joined him at the hottest club in town at that time, P.J.'s. Their duo album, "Live at P.J.'s," was a tremendous hit then, and is a folk classic today.

A young fan and frequenter of P.J.'s finally persuaded Mickey to team up with him for a fresh challenge. His name was Johnny Rivers. Together they recorded a string of hits including "Maybelline," "Mountain of Love," and "Secret Agent Man." During the following three years Mickey recorded seven albums and toured the world, including a trip to Vietnam with Rivers and Ann-Margret.

Then another admirer entered Mickey's life. Bob Dylan noticed Mickey while he was playing at the Whiskey-A-Go-Go in Los Angeles, and a professional alliance began that lasted for years. The two became close friends as well. "The word 'genius' is not enough to describe Bobby," says Mickey. Dylan in turn appreciated Mickey's blues roots - a style that worked well with "The Band." Together they toured around the world including stops in such places as Malaysia, India and Lebanon. Just before a huge concert in New York's Shea Stadium, Bob Dylan was hospitalized with a broken neck. Change was in the air again.

Through old acquaintances, The Smothers Brothers, Mickey was contacted by "four singers who needed a drummer." The four singers turned out to be the seed of what later grew into "The First Edition." Of their initial meetings Mickey remembered, "I was really impressed by their unique vocal sound and when we rehearsed it was like I'd known them all my life - everything just fell into place." This relationship was to last a decade. During that period "Kenny Rogers and The First Edition," with Mickey as drummer and singer, recorded a stack of albums and dozen of singles including "Just Dropped In To See What Condition My Condition Was In," and "Ruby Don't Take Your Love to Town." The First Edition made a half dozen tours, a film and a TV series, "Rollin' On the River," which is still in reruns around the world. Engagements kept Mickey on an airplane 288 days in 1975.

After the dissolution of The First Edition in 1976, Mickey concentrated all his energies on his acting career.