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Michael McDonald | |
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.jpg) McDonald performing in 2011 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Michael H. McDonald (1952-02-12)February 12, 1952 (age 73) |
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| Years active | 1973–present |
| Labels | |
| Member of | The Doobie Brothers |
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Spouse | |
| Website | michaelmcdonald |
Michael H. McDonald (born February 12, 1952) is an American singer, keyboardist, and songwriter. Known for his distinctive,soulful voice, he was a backing vocalist forSteely Dan from 1973 to 1980 and the lead vocalist ofthe Doobie Brothers across various stints (1975–1982, 1987, 2019–present). McDonald wrote and sang several hit singles with the Doobie Brothers, including "What a Fool Believes", "Minute by Minute", "Takin' It to the Streets", "Real Love" and "It Keeps You Runnin'". McDonald has also performed as a prominent backing vocalist on numerous recordings by artists including Steely Dan,Toto,Christopher Cross, andKenny Loggins.
McDonald's solo career consists of nine studio albums and a number of singles, including the 1982 hit "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)". During his career, McDonald has collaborated with a number of other artists, includingJames Ingram,David Cassidy,Van Halen,Patti LaBelle,Twinkie Clark,Lee Ritenour,the Winans,Aretha Franklin,Grizzly Bear,[3]Joni Mitchell, andThundercat.[4] He has also recorded for television and film soundtracks. McDonald is the recipient of fiveGrammy Awards,[5] and was inducted into theRock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Doobie Brothers in 2020.[6]
McDonald was born on February 12, 1952, in the St. Louis suburb ofFerguson, Missouri.[7] McDonald attendedMcCluer High School,[8] where he played in local bands, including Mike and the Majestics, Jerry Jay and the Sheratons, the Reeb-Toors/Younger Brothers and the Guild. In 1970, while playing with a band called Blue, he was discovered in an Illinois night club byRCA staff producer Rick Jarrard, who offered him a record contract and brought him to Los Angeles.[9][10][11][12] He is ofIrish Catholic ancestry.[13]
McDonald became a member ofSteely Dan's touring band in 1973, singing lead and backing vocals. As he recalled in a 2016 interview:
I literally threw my piano in the back of myPinto and drove down to where they were rehearsing and auditioned. Remarkably I got the gig, not because of my keyboard playing but because I could sing all the high parts. I could tell that appealed to Donald (Fagen)—'cause I could sing like a girl.[10]
McDonald became one of the many in-studio adjunct members of the band, providing backing vocals on tracks for 1975'sKaty Lied.[14] He appeared on subsequent Steely Dan recordings, including 1976'sThe Royal Scam,[15] and 1977'sAja.[16] He also played keyboards on some Steely Dan tracks.[17][18]
McDonald continued to provide backing vocals for Steely Dan for their 1980 release,Gaucho.[19] In 2006, he rejoined Steely Dan on the band's summer tour, both as the opening act and as part of the band.[20]
McDonald was recruited bythe Doobie Brothers in April 1975, initially as a temporary replacement for their lead vocalistTom Johnston after he became ill during a national tour. McDonald's work with the band proved successful so they decided to retain him as a full-time member.[21]
As a member of the Doobie Brothers, McDonald sang lead vocals on some of the band's best-known songs, such as "Real Love", "Takin' It to the Streets", "Little Darling (I Need You)", "It Keeps You Runnin'", "Minute by Minute", and "What a Fool Believes" (which became a number-one single in the U.S. and earned him a 1980Grammy Award for Song of the Year along with co-writerKenny Loggins).
At the same time, McDonald appeared as a session vocalist and keyboardist for various artists, includingChristopher Cross,Stephen Bishop,Jack Jones,Bonnie Raitt, the bandToto, and Kenny Loggins. McDonald co-wrote "You Belong to Me" withCarly Simon, which is on the Doobie Brothers' studio albumLivin' on the Fault Line (1977).[22]
McDonald has reunited as a guest performer with the Doobie Brothers several times since the band's initial dissolution in 1982.[20] He reteamed with them for the track "Don't Say Goodbye" on the band's thirteenth studio album,World Gone Crazy (2010).[23] In March 2014, he reunited with the band to record a new album featuring the greatest hits of their 40-plus-year career. This project was completed in conjunction withSony Music Nashville. On the album, McDonald shares lead vocals withSara Evans for "What a Fool Believes", the duoLove and Theft for "Takin' It to the Streets", andAmanda Sudano-Ramirez for "You Belong to Me." The album titledSouthbound was released on November 4, 2014, as the Doobie Brothers' fourteenth studio album.
On November 5, 2014, McDonald and the Doobie Brothers were featured musical guests on the 47th annualCountry Music Association Awards to celebrate the release ofSouthbound. They were joined byHunter Hayes,Jennifer Nettles, andHillary Scott in their performance of "Listen to the Music". At the end of the awards ceremony, they were also joined by hostBrad Paisley for "Takin' It to the Streets".
After the Doobie Brothers' first farewell tour, McDonald released his first solo studio album,If That's What It Takes, in 1982, on theWarner Bros. label.[24] The album featured the hit singles "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)" and "I Gotta Try", the latter co-written with Kenny Loggins, who also recorded it that same year for his fourth albumHigh Adventure.
He continued to collaborate with other artists during this period. McDonald co-wroteVan Halen's top-20 hit "I'll Wait", from their biggest-selling album1984. "Yah Mo B There", a duet withJames Ingram, won the27th Annual Grammy forBest R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.[25] In 1985, he released his second studio albumNo Lookin' Back, his first time co-producing an album. He also wrote or co-wrote all of the tracks and featured a minor hit with thetitle track, cowritten by Kenny Loggins. By June 1986, the album had met with little success, but McDonald then had a huge boost with the release of the single "Sweet Freedom", which appeared on the soundtrack to theBilly Crystal andGregory Hines filmRunning Scared, and was McDonald's last top-10 hit on theBillboard Hot 100 chart. TheNo Lookin' Back album was then re-released in some markets with the new hit single included, as well as a few songs remixed. The single "On My Own", a duet withPatti LaBelle, reached number one on the U.S. charts in 1986. Mid that year, he performed as a backing vocalist on the rock band Toto's studio albumFahrenheit, appearing on the hit single "I'll Be Over You" and its accompanying video. On August 22, 1986, McDonald appeared in an episode ofThe Young and the Restless.[26][27] Later that year, he provided backing vocals on theWang Chung song "A Fool and His Money" from their studio albumMosaic. In 1987, McDonald did a featured collaboration, titled "Love Has No Color", withgospel quartetthe Winans from their studio albumDecisions.
In 1990, McDonald released his third studio album,Take It to Heart, which featured a minor hit with the title track, co-written byDiane Warren. The following year, he joinedthe New York Rock and Soul Revue,[28] put together by Steely Dan's lead vocalistDonald Fagen and featuring other artists such asBoz Scaggs andPhoebe Snow. In 1991, he released the single "Ever Changing Times", a duet withAretha Franklin.
In 1999, McDonald recorded the song "Eyes of a Child", a comedic ballad written byTrey Parker, for theSouth Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut soundtrack. It was also used at the ending credits for the movie. The same year, he sang backing vocals onthe Warren Brothers' single "Better Man", from their studio albumBeautiful Day in the Cold Cruel World.[29] He also provided lead vocals for one of three studio tracks onChicago XXVI: Live in Concert.
In 2003, McDonald earned two Grammy nominations for his sixth studio albumMotown, a tribute to theMotown sound. A year later,Motown Two was released. Music criticStephen Thomas Erlewine stated, "The album follows the same blueprint as the first record, offering highly polished, professionally produced, expertly performed interpretations of gems from the Motown vaults."[30]
In 2000, McDonald, along with partners Chris Pelonis and actorJeff Bridges, founded the independent recording label Ramp. On May 11, 2003, McDonald was inducted into theSt. Louis Walk of Fame.[31] McDonald recorded a duet withRay Charles on Charles' final studio albumGenius Loves Company (2004). In 2007, McDonald helped judge the sixth annual Independent Music Awards.[32] In 2006, McDonald sang as a guest singer in the jazz quartetFourplay from the studio albumX, in a cover ofSteve Winwood's song "My Love's Leavin'".[33]
In 2008, McDonald released his studio albumSoul Speak, which includes three new songs penned by McDonald, and covers of songs originally made famous byDionne Warwick ("Walk On By"),Stevie Wonder ("Living for the City"),Van Morrison ("Into the Mystic"),Tyrone Davis ("Baby Can I Change My Mind"), and others.[34] In 2009, McDonald along with theWest Angeles COGIC Mass Choir, released the song "Storm Before the Calm" on the compilation albumOh Happy Day.[35] McDonald also contributed an alternate lead vocal track for the 7-inch single "While You Wait for the Others", by theindie rock bandGrizzly Bear.[36]
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In December 2009, McDonald donated his performance to Keep the Beat inSanta Barbara, California, where he played to a capacity crowd at the newly renovated Granada Theater. Harry Rabin, producer and head of Keep the Beat, an initiative of the Santa Barbara Education Foundation, produced the show, including two video productions, and worked with student choral groups from primary and secondary schools as well as a brass section so they could perform in the show with McDonald and his band.[37]
In 2009, McDonald appeared on the satirical television sitcom30 Rock as one of the benefit singers in the season finale episode "Kidney Now!".[38] McDonald performed the national anthem before theTostitos Fiesta Bowl between theBoise State Broncos andTCU Horned Frogs at theUniversity of Phoenix Stadium on January 4, 2010, inGlendale, Arizona.[39] McDonald sang "Takin' It to the Streets" on theAmerican Idolseason nine finale, in 2010.[40]
In 2010, McDonald teamed up again with Donald Fagen and Boz Scaggs, to formthe Dukes of September. In June 2012, thesupergroup performed onLate Night with Jimmy Fallon to promote their tour. The group also played atLincoln Center, a performance which was then broadcast as aPBS special and later released on DVD.
In 2013, McDonald settled a $500,000 breach-of-contract suit (out of court) with Warner Music over underpayment of royalties of online sales.[41] In the summer of 2014, he co-headlined a U.S. tour with the rock bandToto.[42] In 2017, McDonald was featured together withKenny Loggins onThundercat's single "Show You the Way", included on the latter's albumDrunk.[43] In June 2017, McDonald, Loggins and Thundercat performed the song together onThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.[44]
In 2018, he appeared as a guest vocalist on the song "What the World Needs Now" onBarbra Streisand's thirty-sixth studio albumWalls.[citation needed] In 2021, McDonald was featured on "The Best of Me", fromToad the Wet Sprocket's seventh studio album,Starting Now.[45] In 2024, McDonald contributed background vocals to "No Lie" onLalah Hathaway's album,VANTABLACK.[46]
McDonald has been married to singerAmy Holland since 1983. They have two children. He moved with his family to Santa Barbara in the late 1990s, and later lived in Nashville.[47]
| Grammy Awards | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| 1979 | Record of the Year | "What a Fool Believes" (The Doobie Brothers) | Won |
| 1979 | Song of the Year | "What a Fool Believes" (co-written withKenny Loggins) | Won |
| 1979 | "Minute by Minute" (co-written withLester Abrams) | Nominated | |
| 1979 | Album of the Year | Minute by Minute (The Doobie Brothers) | Nominated |
| 1979 | Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus | "Minute by Minute" (The Doobie Brothers) | Won |
| 1979 | Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocals | "What a Fool Believes" | Won |
| 1982 | Best Pop Vocal Performance – Male | "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)" | Nominated |
| 1984 | Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal | "Yah Mo B There" (withJames Ingram) | Won |
| 1984 | Best R&B Song | "Yah Mo B There" (with James Ingram,Rod Temperton, andQuincy Jones) | Nominated |
| 1986 | Best Pop Vocal Performance – Male | "Sweet Freedom" | Nominated |
| 1986 | Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group | "On My Own" (withPatti LaBelle) | Nominated |
| 2003 | Best Pop Vocal Performance – Male | "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" | Nominated |
| 2003 | Best Pop Vocal Album | Motown | Nominated |
In May 2011, Michael McDonald was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music fromBerklee College of Music.[48]
In 1970 he was discovered while performing in an Illinois night spot by a record producer, who put him under contract and flew him to L.A. There, he recorded an album of his songs for RCA Records. It was never released. Nor was a subsequent album recorded for Bell Records.
The Young and the Restless: Lauren, Traci, Danny and guest Michael McDonald gave a successful concert to benefit unwed teenage mothers.
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