The Doobie Brothers
Biography
As one of the most popular Californian pop/rock bands of the '70s, the Doobie Brothers evolved from a mellow, post-hippie boogie band to a slick, soul-inflected pop band by the end of the decade. Along the way, the group racked up a string of gold and platinum albums in the U.S., along with a number of radio hits like "Listen to the Music," "Black Water," and "China Grove."
The roots of the Doobie Brothers lie in Pud, a short-lived Californian country-rock band in the vein of Moby Grape featuring guitarist/vocalist Tom Johnston and drummer John Hartman. After Pud collapsed in 1969, the pair began jamming with bassist Dave Shogren and guitarist Patrick Simmons. Eventually, the quartet decided to form a group, naming themselves the Doobie Brothers after a slang term for marijuana. Soon, the Doobies earned a strong following throughout Southern California, especially among Hell's Angels, and they were signed to Warner Bros. in 1970. The band's eponymous debut was ignored upon its 1971 release. Following its release, Shogren was replaced by Tiran Porter and the group added a second drummer, Michael Hossack, for 1972's Toulouse Street. Driven by the singles "Listen to the Music" and "Jesus Is Just Alright," Toulouse Street became the group's breakthrough. The Captain and Me (1973) was even more successful, spawning the Top Ten hit "Long Train Runnin'" and "China Grove."
Keith Knudsen replaced Hossack as the group's second drummer for 1974's What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits, which launched their first number one single, "Black Water," and featured heavy contributions from former Steely Dan member Jeff "Skunk" Baxter. Baxter officially joined the Doobie Brothers for 1975's Stampede. Prior to the album's spring release, Johnston was hospitalized with a stomach ailment and was replaced for the supporting tour by keyboardist/vocalist Michael McDonald, who had also worked with Steely Dan. Although it peaked at number four, Stampede wasn't as commercially successful as its three predecessors, and the group decided to let McDonald and Baxter, who were now official Doobies, revamp the band's light country-rock and boogie.
The new sound was showcased on 1976's Takin' It to the Streets, a collection of light funk and jazzy pop that resulted in a platinum album. Later that year, the group released the hits compilation The Best of the Doobies. In 1977, the group released Livin' on the Fault Line, which was successful without producing any big hits. Johnston left the band after the album's release to pursue an unsuccessful solo career. Following his departure, the Doobies released their most successful album, Minute by Minute (1978), which spent five weeks at number one on the strength of the number one single "What a Fool Believes." Hartman and Baxter left the group after the album's supporting tour, leaving the Doobie Brothers as McDonald's backing band.
Following a year of audition, the Doobies hired ex-Clover guitarist John McFee, session drummer Chet McCracken, and former Moby Grape saxophonist Cornelius Bumpus and released One Step Closer (1980), a platinum album that produced the Top Ten hit "Real Love." During the tour for One Step Closer, McCracken was replaced by Andy Newmark. Early in 1982, the Doobie Brothers announced they were breaking up after a farewell tour, which was documented on the 1983 live album Farewell Tour. After the band's split, McDonald pursued a successful solo career, while Simmons released one unsuccessful solo record. In 1987, the Doobies reunited for a concert at the Hollywood Bowl, which quickly became a brief reunion tour; McDonald declined to participate in the tour.
By 1989, the early-'70s lineup of Johnston, Simmons, Hartman, Porter, and Hossack, augmented by percussionist and former Doobies roadie Bobby LaKind, had signed a contract with Capitol Records. Their reunion album, Cycles, went gold upon its summer release in 1989, spawning the Top Ten hit "The Doctor." Brotherhood followed two years later, but it failed to generate much interest. For the remainder of the '90s, the group toured the U.S., playing the oldies circuit and '70s revival concerts. By 1995, McDonald had joined the group again, and the following year saw the release of Rockin' Down the Highway. But the lineup had once again shifted by the turn of the new millennium. 2000 saw the band -- Hossack, Johnston, Knudsen, McFee, and Simmons -- issue Sibling Rivalry, which featured touring members Guy Allison on keyboards, Marc Russo on saxophone, and Skylark on bass. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Selected Discography

Greatest Hits Doobie Brothers
2001

Sibling Rivalry
2000

Best Of The Doobies Vol 2
1981

Minute By Minute
1978

Best Of The Doobies
1976
went to see in concert recently and i was transported back to a time when music was more than the crap that is now!! these guys are still fantastic!! patrick simmons is my all time guitar favorite
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thanks for making early to mid 70's music bearable on AM radio. that's what most of us had is AM radio in our beaters.
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Best of the Doobies album cover shows America's Greatest Hits. What up wit dat?
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I could get motivated to do something most men just love to this song......
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blaze.harmon . 1 Im sure your mother would be proud of your comments,you sick scumb!!!!
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Michael McDonald took a hard rockin' band and turned them into his lounge act backup group.
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tlathen is so true. I saw these guys live 4 times in their prime (early to mid 70s). They are tight, precise and just loud enough that when they play Listen To The Music, you felt it. tlathen let's lobby to get them in,(the Hall), how about Dire Straits, another FINE band that has been overlooked.
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The Tom Johnston/Pat Simmons Doobie Brothers were (and are) the absolute best. The mere fact that they haven't been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a testiment to that organization ' s irrelevance. There isn't a bad cut on Toulouse Street, The Captain and Me, What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits, and Stampede. Unfortunatel y most people are only familiar with their "hits," but some of the hidden gems on these four albums are their finest moments.
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\/ This guy knows what he's talkin' about. Doobie Brothers and grand Funk Railroad are two of the best bands out there.
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Well personally Southern Rock is my favorite genre so I believe the Doobies are the best.
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And as far as their hits go...Black Water never really impressed me that much...too out of place with their other hits I suppose..For some reason it just always seemed to rub me the wrong way..much like "Cripple Creek"...so sick of that song now
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As much as I love the Doobies...to suggest they may be the best band of all genres is unwarranted. . . N o b o d y will ever be as good as Zep was..nor is anybody as good as Tool now...
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The Doobie Brothers are truly the cream of american music. Most people will disagree but I believe very firmly that they are the greatest Southern Rock Band ever, perhaps the best band of all genres.
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"Takin it to the Streets" is one of the greatest albums of all time! This is not an exageration. It had only one hit, but there is not a bad moment on the whole record. It is a desert island record if I ever heard one.
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PLEASE GIVE ME MORE VARIETY OF CLASSIC ROCK!!! I ALSO LIKE POWER,DRAMAT I C SONGS!!! INTRICATE,CO M P L E X , G R E A T HARMONY,DRAM A T I C SOUND,EXTENS I V E VAMPING!!! MY MUSIC SEEMS REPETETIVE! PLEASE GIVE ME A MUCH LARGER VARIETY!!!
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I've seen Doobie Brothers at Rockfest in Cadott, Wisconsin the summer of '98. I had a blast to see them jam on stange as I noticed everyone from ages 12 to over 60 years old rocking out to them as well..
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"You Belong to Me"
Co-written by Carly Simon and Michael McDonald. Great song. Its interesting that although their performances of the song are very different, they are both very easy on the ear. |
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