Characteristic Picture: dbking, CC BY 2.0
Michael McDonald’s arrival in The Doobie Brothers in April 1975 grew to become the turning level that put his voice, keyboards, and songwriting on the middle of among the band’s best-known data. Recruited throughout a nationwide tour as a short lived substitute after Tom Johnston grew to become in poor health, McDonald stayed on as a full-time member when the change labored onstage and within the studio. His principal Doobie Brothers stints are listed as 1975 to 1982, a quick return in 1987, then a later stretch starting in 2019.
Earlier than that nationwide highlight, McDonald’s early path started in Ferguson, Missouri, close to St. Louis, and was formed by fixed native band work. He attended McCluer Excessive College and performed in teams that included Mike and the Majestics, Jerry Jay and the Sheratons, the Reeb Toors, additionally known as the Youthful Brothers, and the Guild. In 1970, whereas performing with a band known as Blue, he was found at an Illinois nightclub by RCA employees producer Rick Jarrard, who supplied him a report contract and introduced him to Los Angeles. His years lively are listed as 1973 to current, and his core devices are vocals and keyboards.
His skilled breakthrough earlier than the Doobies additionally included Steely Dan, the place he joined the touring band in 1973 and remained a frequent studio collaborator by means of 1980. He contributed backing vocals to tracks on Katy Lied and appeared on later Steely Dan albums, together with The Royal Rip-off and Aja, additionally offering keyboards on some tracks. His backing vocal work continued by means of Gaucho, and he later rejoined the band for a 2006 summer time tour, opening and performing with them. That interval established him as a sought-after high-harmony singer and a dependable studio keyboard participant, setting the stage for the second when the Doobies wanted a frontman.
With the Doobie Brothers, McDonald grew to become a lead vocalist and author on a run of singles that outlined the band’s late Seventies path. The songs particularly credited to him as key Doobie Brothers hits embrace “Takin’ It to the Streets,” “It Retains You Runnin’,” “Minute by Minute,” “Actual Love,” “Little Darling (I Want You),” and “What a Idiot Believes.” “What a Idiot Believes” was additionally a No. 1 single in the USA and earned the 1980 Grammy Award for Tune of the 12 months for McDonald and co-writer Kenny Loggins. Throughout the identical period he was additionally lively as a session vocalist and keyboardist for artists named on the web page, together with Christopher Cross, Stephen Bishop, Jack Jones, Bonnie Raitt, Toto, and Kenny Loggins.
After the Doobie Brothers’ first farewell tour, McDonald shifted right into a solo profession that, on the web page’s album checklist, spans twelve studio releases. His solo studio albums are If That’s What It Takes (1982), No Lookin’ Again (1985), Take It to Coronary heart (1990), Blink of an Eye (1993), Blue Obsession (2000), Within the Spirit A Christmas Album (2001), Motown (2003), Motown Two (2004), By way of the Many Winters A Christmas Album (2005), Soul Communicate (2008), This Christmas (2009), and Large Open (2017). His early solo period additionally produced main singles, together with “I Maintain Forgettin’ (Each Time You’re Close to)” and “I Gotta Attempt.” He continued high-profile writing collaborations as nicely, together with co-writing I’ll Look forward to Van Halen, which is recognized as a high twenty hit from the album 1984.
His awards profile is anchored by 5 Grammy wins, together with the Tune of the 12 months Grammy related to “What a Idiot Believes.” He additionally received a Grammy for “Yah Mo B There,” a duet with James Ingram, within the class Greatest R&B Efficiency by a Duo or Group with Vocals. In later years, his Motown-era initiatives are additionally linked on the web page to Grammy consideration, with Motown incomes two Grammy nominations. Past award voting, he was inducted into the St. Louis Stroll of Fame on Could 11, 2003, and his recording work features a duet with Ray Charles on the album Genius Loves Firm.
# 10 – Stroll This Highway
We begin our Michael McDonald Doobie Brothers songs checklist with an album and a music I by no means thought we’d truly be speaking about. I don’t suppose many individuals anticipated Michael McDonald to rejoin the Doobie Brothers after being away from the band for thus lengthy, although he has toured with them on and off. Getting a brand new Doobie Brothers album that includes Michael McDonald simply didn’t appear attainable. So I’m glad that it occurred, and it’s incredible. What higher music so as to add to this checklist than the album’s title observe, “Stroll This Highway,” which additionally options the unimaginable, legendary vocals of Mavis Staples.
# 9 – Losin’ Finish
“Losin’ Finish” was written by Michael McDonald and closes aspect certainly one of ” Takin’ It to the Streets. That is most likely my favourite Doobie Brothers album. It’s the primary Doobie Brothers album that Michael McDonald seems on, and it actually modifications the path of the band.Â
# 8 – Right here To Love You
The Michael McDonald music “Right here to Love You ” seems on the band’s third album with Michael McDonald known as, Minute by Minute. Though the music opens the album, it’s one of many lesser-known tracks, because it was by no means launched as a single, and just about solely these of us who purchased the report realize it. I needed to ensure that I put this one on the checklist.
# 7 – Little Darling (I Want You)
Michael McDonald recorded 4 albums with the Doobie Brothers within the late seventies. Out of the 4 , Livin’ on the Fault Line was most likely the weakest of the bunch. Nonetheless an incredible report, simply not as robust as the opposite three. There have been no actually large hit singles from this album. Nonetheless, it is a fairly grooving observe.
# 6 – Actual Love
One Step Nearer could be the ultimate album on which Michael McDonald would seem as a Doobie Brother, till the current launch of Stroll This Highway. The opening guitar lick units up the Fender Rhodes jazz chord that warps round McDonald’s silky vocals. Simply fantastic 70s rock meets jazz meets soul, all fueled by a band that will not have even realized the gems they had been releasing.
# 5 – Minute by Minute
I get chills once I hear the start of this music and people keys. It brings me proper again to highschool within the 70s. “Minute by Minute” was nominated for the Grammy Award for File of the 12 months, but it surely didn’t win. The award went as a substitute to a different Doobie Brothers music, “What a Idiot Believes,” which received File of the 12 months on the 1980 Grammy Awards. That outcome meant the band competed towards itself within the class, with Michael McDonald concerned in each songs as a lead vocalist and songwriter. I’m unsure if that’s ever occurred in Grammy Award historical past: an artist dropping an award to himself.
# 4 – You Belong to Me
It was actually attention-grabbing when this music was launched that each the Doobie Brothers and Carly Simon launched their very own variations. Most individuals love the Carly Simon model, which was incredible. But I’ve at all times cherished Michael McDonald’s lead vocal on this music, too.
# 3 – It Retains You Runnin’
I do not forget that after I first purchased the album, one factor that blew me away was the sound high quality. This was positively one of many best-sounding data of the ’70s. Simply take heed to how good that is.
# 2 – What A Idiot Believes
There’s nothing like successful a Grammy award, and that’s what the Doobie Brothers did with this sensational music.“What a Idiot Believes” was written by Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins. Launched as a single in January 1979, the music reached primary on the Billboard Sizzling 100, changing into the band’s greatest chart success.
# 1 – Takin’ It To The Streets
The Doobie Brothers had been at all times a band about groove. Lengthy earlier than Michael McDonald joined the band, The Doobie Brothers launched so many nice grooving singles. For me, Taking It To The Streets will at all times be the album that outlined this band at their most grooving peak. And that is the music that does it essentially the most.
Take a look at related articles on ClassicRockHistory.com Simply click on on any of the hyperlinks under……
Learn Extra: Traditional Rock Bands Record And Listing
High 10 Michael McDonald Doobie Brothers Songs article revealed on ClassicRockHistory.com© 2025
Classicrockhistory.com claims possession of all its authentic content material and Mental property beneath United States Copyright legal guidelines and people of all different international international locations. Nobody particular person, enterprise, or group is allowed to re-publish any of our authentic content material anyplace on the net or in print with out our permission. All photographs used are both public area Artistic Commons photographs or licensed formally from Shutterstock beneath license with ClassicRockHistory.com. All photograph credit have been positioned on the finish of the article. Album Cowl Photographs are affiliate hyperlinks and the property of Amazon and are saved on the Amazon server. Any theft of our content material can be met with swift authorized motion towards the infringing web sites.
