The Doobie Brothers

During their long career, the Doobie Brothers have charted a path through boogie rock, blue-eyed soul, soft rock, and country, landing multiple hits and becoming perennial staples of the American touring circuit. What's more, they've been able to successfully evolve with a frequently rotating cast of core members. During their 1970s peak, they transitioned from the funky guitar rock of "Listen to the Music," "Long Train Runnin'," and "China Grove" -- early hits written and sung by guitarist Tom Johnston -- to the slick soft rock of "Takin' It to the Streets," "Minute by Minute," and the chart-topping "What a Fool Believes," under the leadership of second wave frontman, keyboardist Michael McDonald. After disbanding in the '80s, McDonald went on to a successful solo career, while the core trio of Johnston, John McFee, and Patrick Simmons -- the latter was the group's one constant member, who wrote and sang their other number one hit, "Black Water" -- reunited and continued touring and recording into the 2020s. McDonald was occasionally part of this, settling into a shared co-frontman role with Johnston. After marking their 50th anniversary, the Doobies' classic lineup recorded the 2025 album Walk This Road.

The roots of the Doobie Brothers lie in Pud, a short-lived California 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. Afterward, 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 hits "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, they released the similarly toned Livin' on the Fault Line, which, while not producing any big hits, was another high-quality set. Johnston left the band after the album's release to pursue a 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 essentially as McDonald's backing band.

Following a year of auditions, 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 his own solo record. In 1987, the Doobies reunited for a concert at the Hollywood Bowl, which was extended into a brief reunion tour; McDonald declined to participate.

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, though its success was more muted. For the remainder of the '90s, the group remained a staple of the U.S. touring circuit. By 1995, McDonald had joined the group again, and the following year saw the release of Rockin' Down the Highway. But, by the turn of the millennium, the lineup had once again shifted. In 2000, the band -- Hossack, Johnston, Knudsen, McFee, and Simmons -- issued Sibling Rivalry, which featured touring members Guy Allison on keyboards, Marc Russo on saxophone, and Skylark on bass. The late-'70s incarnation of the band -- Simmons, Johnston, McFee, and Hossack (with Michael McDonald guesting on one track) -- reunited once again to put out World Gone Crazy in 2010. The band-assisted documentary Let the Music Play: The Story of the Doobie Brothers followed in 2012, the same year Hossack died of cancer.

In early 2014, the Doobie Brothers -- this time featuring McDonald, Johnston, Simmons, and McFee -- announced they were returning to the studio to record an album filled with country versions of their greatest hits, featuring such Nashville stars as Toby Keith, Brad Paisley, Zac Brown, Sara Evans, and Chris Young. Called Southbound, the album appeared in November, peaking at 16 on the Billboard charts, making it their most successful release in decades. The Doobies continued to tour -- notably without McDonald -- in the years following Southbound. In 2015, Little Feat's Bill Payne took over the keyboardist slot previously occupied by Guy Allison, and they continued to tour amphitheaters and sheds throughout the U.S. By the end of the decade, they were specializing in shows spotlighting full performances of their Toulouse Street and The Captain and Me albums, all setting the stage for Michael McDonald to rejoin the band in 2020 for a planned 50th Anniversary tour. The Doobies' anniversary year, however, was thwarted by the global pandemic. They accepted their induction to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame by pre-recorded video and postponed the tour until lockdowns eased in 2021. That same year, a studio lineup of Johnston, Simmons, and McFee released Liberte, which marked the group's first collection of original material since 2010. Their original drummer John Hartman died at the end of the year, prompting a tribute from his bandmates. Even though he didn't appear on Liberte, McDonald remained part of the live lineup of the Doobie Brothers which continued to tour over the next few years. A stand-alone 2023 single, "Lahaina," honored its namesake Hawaiian town and later appeared on the Doobies' next studio album. Released in 2025, Walk This Road saw the return of McDonald to the studio lineup and featured guest contributions from Mavis Staples, Mick Fleetwood, and Jake Shimabukuro. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine