#the Doobie Brothers

[woodelf68]

Listen to the songs under the cut!

[k-i-l-l-e-r-b-e-e-6-9]

The Doobie Brothers - Listen to The Music

[itsmarjudgeloveclassicrock59]

The Doobie Brothers performing at Balboa Stadium in San Diego, 1973

[nostalgia-eh52]

People March 12th 1979

Michael McDonald and Charlie

[justforbooks]

Don't you feel it growing, day by day People getting ready for the news Some are happy, some are sad Oh, we got to let the music play

What the people need Is a way to make 'em smile It ain't so hard to do if you know how Gotta get a message Get it on through Oh now mama, don't you ask me why

Whoa, listen to the music Whoa, listen to the music Whoa, listen to the music All the time

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[zimtrim]

The Doobie Brothers - Tom Johnston

[theeminentlyimpractical]

I love the song “Jesus is Just Alright with Me” by The Doobie Brothers so much bc to the modern ear the chorus sounds like “eh he’s alright. like 6/10 at best. idk what the fuss is.”

[bayareabadboy]

June 29, 1975

Oakland, California

The Doobie Brothers and The Eagles played Bill Graham's Day on the Green at the Oakland Coliseum. Elton John joined each band for their encores.

[affiches-concerts]

The Doobie Brothers, 1970s.

[myimaginaryradio]

China Grove - The Doobie Brothers

[poprocklyrics]

I think passing love along Is all we were born to do

Here To Love You, The Doobie Brothers

[pinkbulletins]

The Doobie Brothers - China Grove (From "Live At The Greek Theatre 1982")

[lotrobsession]

[nostalgia-eh52]

People March 12th 1979 The Doobie Bros Supportin Patrick Simmons

Left to Right: John Hartman, Michael McDonald. Jeff Baxter, Keith Knudsen & Tiran Porter

[zimtrim]

The Doobie Brothers - Michael McDonald

[krispyweiss]

Book Review: “What a Fool Believes: A Memoir” by Michael McDonald with Paul Reiser

Some guys - like Michael McDonald - have all the luck.

The gods of good fortune are evident throughout “What a Fool Believes: A Memoir,” by the Doobie and actor and comedian Paul Reiser.

There’s the pickup gig - a wrap party for television’s “Emergency” program - the then-struggling musician did with Jeff Porcaro. That led to a call from Steely Dan. Dan, of course, led to McDonald meeting Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, which led to the Doobies and all the rest.

Sure, McDonald worked hard - singing his first song, “Love is a Many-Splendored Thing,” as a 5-year-old in a club his singing father had dragged him to; a series of small-time cover groups; house-band gigs backing Bobby Vee, Bobby Vinton, Muddy Waters, B. B. King, Albert King, Howlin’ Wolf and Chuck Berry in and around St. Louis; an aborted, 1970 solo album after moving to California.

All this and more - including wonderful photos of early-’70s Dan on stage and the Doobies’ priceless 1975 Christmas card that features the Brothers flipping the bird in unison - is packed into “Fool”’s 336 pages.

One of the things that makes the book so readable and enjoyable is McDonald’s honesty and humbleness. And so, as Chapter 28 begins, McDonald, says: “If my life had a motto, it would surely be: ‘As luck would have it.’”

And the reader thinks: I knew he knew it.

Although McDonald was for a time one of the world’s brightest stars, he understands it was good fortune. And he got lucky despite a debilitating drug and alcohol problem he finally licked.

McDonald breezily acknowledges he was overexposed by singing backgrounds for everyone as the 1970s melted into the 1980s and happily admits he ultimately wound up saddled with adult-contemporary and yacht-rock record labels.

For all the often hilarious (Walter Becker) or disturbing (Buffalo Springfield’s Bruce Palmer, who is not named) stories about famous people, the tales of McDonald’s son, Dylan, are perhaps the most entertaining. A free spirit from the jump, Dylan’s escapades are laugh-out-loud hilarious and testament to McDonald’s story-telling abilities and Reiser’s tight writing style.

Love him or loathe him - McDonald’s a divisive musician - “What a Fool Believes” is a strong rock ‘n’ roll memoir, one that has sex and drugs, of course, but also one that has McDonald’s decades-long marriage to Amy Holland at its core and an obviously solid human being as its voice.

Grade card: “What a Fool Believes: A Memoir” by Michael McDonald with Paul Reiser - A-

10/29/24