The Doobie Brothers -

The Doobie Brothers were an American rock band that released nine albums between 1971 and 1980 on Warner Bros. Their first five albums feature guitarist/singer Tom Johnston, who led a hard-rocking sequence of lineups, augmented from 1974-onward by Steely Dan guitarist Jeff “Skunk” Baxter. During this phase, they scored hits with “Listen to the Music,” “Long Train Runnin’,” “China Grove,” and the bluegrass-tinged chart-topper “Black Water.”

In 1976, the Doobies entered their soul-pop phase with the arrival of another Dan fixture, keyboardist/singer Michael McDonald, who presided over their late-Seventies hits “Takin’ It to the Streets,” “It Keeps You Runnin’,” and “What a Fool Believes,” a second No. 1 from their platinum 1978 release Minute by Minute.

Members: Tom Johnston (guitar, vocals, 1970-77, 1987-present), Patrick Simmons (guitar, vocals), John Hartman (drums, 1970-79, 1987-92), Dave Shogren (bass, 1970-71), Tiran Porter (bass, 1971-80, 1987-92), Michael Hossack (drums, 1971-74, 1987-2000-12), Keith Knudsen (drums, percussion, vocals, 1973-82, 1987, 1992-2005), Jeff “Skunk” Baxter (guitar, 1974-79, 1987, 1992), Michael McDonald (keyboards, vocals, 1975-82, 1987), Bobby LaKind (percussion, 1977-79, 1980-82, 1987-89, 1992), John McFee (vocals, guitar, 1979-82, 1993-present), Chet McCracken (drums, vibraphone, marimba, 1979-82, 1987), Cornelius Bumpus (vocals, keyboards, saxophone, 1979-82), Willie Weeks (bass, 1980-82)

Background

The Doobie Brothers originated in 1970 from a partnership between guitarist/songwriter Tom Johnston and drummer John Hartman. They were introduced by ex-Moby Grape frontman Skip Spence after an aborted Grape reunion that was supposed to include Hartman, who’d just arrived in San Jose from Virginia. The two gigged locally as Pud before linking with bassist Dave Shogren and guitarist/songwriter Patrick Simmons, whose fingerpicking style contrasted Johnston’s rhythmic approach. They were given the name Doobie Brothers by a friend who noted that they were always smoking pot from doobies.

The Doobies emerged as a popular live attraction in Northern California, where they drew a loyal following among Hell’s Angels during a residency at the Chateau Liberté in the Santa Cruz mountains. They cut a demo that caught the attention of Warner Bros. A&R Ted Templeman, who signed the band in late 1970.

The Doobie Brothers

The Doobie Brothers released their self-titled debut album on April 30, 1971, on Warner Bros.

The album presents a compact four-piece format; Johnston and Simmons divide guitar and vocal space beside bassist Dave Shogren and drummer John Hartman. Johnston supplies most of the original material, while Simmons contributes two titles and arranges the closing traditional fragment. Randy Newman’s “Beehive State” supplies the album’s lone outside composition.

“Nobody” chugs on uptempo acoustic figures, Johnston’s broad lead voice, and a Simmons solo. “Greenwood Creek” rolls through acoustic picking and stretched harmony lines. “Travelin’ Man” saunters through rustic acoustic trades. “The Master” lifts Johnston into a wider lead range. “The Beehive State” tightens the same road-tread pattern. “Closer Every Day” drifts through loose acoustic trades and softer group replies.

A1. “Nobody” (3:42) – Johnston
A2. “Slippery St. Paul” (2:14) – Simmons
A3. “Greenwood Creek” (3:04) – Johnston
A4. “It Won’t Be Right” (2:38) – Johnston, Simmons
A5. “Travelin’ Man” (4:25) – Johnston

B1. “Feelin’ Down Farther” (4:20) – Johnston
B2. “The Master” (3:30) – Johnston
B3. “Growin’ a Little Each Day” (3:20) – Johnston
B4. “Beehive State” (2:42) – Newman
B5. “Closer Every Day” (4:19) – Simmons
B6. “Chicago” (1:40) – arr. Simmons

The Doobie Brothers recorded the album in November and December 1970 at Pacific Recorders in San Mateo with producers Lenny Waronker and Ted Templeman and engineer Marty Cohn.

Warner art director Ed Thrasher designed this and subequent sleeves. On The Doobie Brothers, he used a monochrome group shot by Jim Marshall, who also photographed the Allman Brothers Band for their popular 1971 live double-LP At Fillmore East.

Warner Bros. lifted “Nobody” as a May 1971 single (b/w “Slippery St. Paul”), which reached No. 122 on the Billboard Bubbling Under chart. “Feelin’ Down Farther” followed in September 1971 (b/w “Travelin’ Man”), then “Beehive State” in November 1971 (b/w “Closer Every Day”). In October 1974, “Nobody” reappeared as a single (b/w “Flying Cloud”) and reached No. 58 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Toulouse Street

The Doobie Brothers released their second album, Toulouse Street, in July 1972 on Warner Bros.

Toulouse Street introduces bassist Tiran Porter and drummer Michael Hossack. Porter replaces Shogren as the credited bassist, while Hossack expands the drum section beside Hartman. The album contains covers of Seals and Crofts (“Cotton Mouth”), Sonny Boy Williamson II (“Don’t Start Me to Talkin’”), and the Art Reynolds Singers (“Jesus Is Just Alright”). Bill Payne appears on keyboards, and Jerry Jumonville leads the horn parts on “Cotton Mouth” and “Don’t Start Me to Talkin’.”

“Listen to the Music” saunters on acoustic chord changes, banjo accents, and subtle phase effects. “Rockin’ Down the Highway” high-tails through piano-driven accents and harmony lifts. “Mamaloi” sways in laidback island time. “Toulouse Street” floats sustained group voices over an airy acoustic figure. “Cotton Mouth” stomps through a swampy low-end strut.

“Don’t Start Me to Talkin’” struts through Delta horn punches. “Jesus Is Just Alright” claps through holy group shouts. “White Sun” softens into bright close-harmony voices. “Disciple” stretches into a guitar showcase with interlocked voices. “Snake Man” skips through a jaunty closing shuffle.

A1. “Listen to the Music” (4:44) – Johnston
A2. “Rockin’ Down the Highway” (3:18) – Johnston
A3. “Mamaloi” (2:28) – Simmons
A4. “Toulouse Street” (3:20) – Simmons
A5. “Cotton Mouth” (3:44) – Seals, Crofts

B1. “Don’t Start Me to Talkin’” (2:41) – Williamson
B2. “Jesus Is Just Alright” (4:33) – Reynolds
B3. “White Sun” (2:28) – Johnston
B4. “Disciple” (6:42) – Johnston
B5. “Snake Man” (1:35) – Johnston

The Doobie Brothers recorded Toulouse Street in 1972 at Warner Bros. Studios in North Hollywood and Wally Heider Studios in San Francisco with producer Ted Templeman and engineers Stephen Barncard, Marty Cohn, and Donn Landee.

Barbara Casado and John Casado designed the sleeve under Ed Thrasher art direction. Jill and Michael Maggid photographed the cover and centerfold at a former Toulouse Street brothel.

Warner Bros. lifted “Listen to the Music” as a July 1972 single (b/w “Toulouse Street”), which reached No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. “Jesus Is Just Alright” became the second single in November 1972 (b/w “Rockin’ Down the Highway”) and reached No. 35 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Toulouse Street reached No. 21 on the Billboard 200 chart.

“Listen to the Music” inspired a 1973 Isley Brothers cover and a 1977 remake by Candi Staton.

The Captain and Me

The Doobie Brothers released their third album, The Captain and Me, on March 2, 1973, on Warner Bros.

The Captain and Me retains the Porter–Hartman–Hossack lineup and expands the studio palette with Bill Payne keyboards, Jeff Baxter pedal steel, Nick DeCaro strings, and ARP programming by Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff. Johnston and Simmons remain the main authors, while the side-two opener credits the five-piece band. Jack Luft contributes the album’s brief instrumental track.

“Natural Thing” strides on flanged guitar, group harmonies, and synthesized horn chords. “Long Train Runnin’” chops a repeated figure into stop-start breaks and a harmonica turn. “China Grove” charges off a lean riff and straight-ahead chords. “Dark Eyed Cajun Woman” smolders with electric-piano shadow and string backing. “Clear as the Driven Snow” broadens from acoustic figures into a late jam.

“Without You” careens from an old stage jam into a fast band surge. “South City Midnight Lady” settles into acoustic drift with pedal-steel bends and a synthesized whisper. “Evil Woman” roughens Simmons’s side with a louder push. “Busted Down Around O’Connelly Corners” offers a short acoustic link. “Ukiah” trots through an upbeat bass tread and lead interludes. “The Captain and Me” rises through acoustic strums, group harmonies, and a faster final climb.

A1. “Natural Thing” (3:17) – Johnston
A2. “Long Train Runnin’” (3:25) – Johnston
A3. “China Grove” (3:14) – Johnston
A4. “Dark-Eyed Cajun Woman” (4:12) – Johnston
A5. “Clear as the Driven Snow” (5:18) – Simmons

B1. “Without You” (4:58) – Hartman, Hossack, Johnston, Porter, Simmons
B2. “South City Midnight Lady” (5:27) – Simmons
B3. “Evil Woman” (3:17) – Simmons
B4. “Busted Down Around O’Connelly Corners” (0:48) – Luft
B5. “Ukiah” (3:04) – Johnston
B6. “The Captain and Me” (4:53) – Johnston

The Doobie Brothers recorded The Captain and Me during 1972 and 1973 at Warner Bros. Studios in North Hollywood with Templeman and engineer Donn Landee.

John Casado and Barbara Casado designed the sleeve under Ed Thrasher art direction. Michael Maggid and Jill Maggid photographed the front and back images, which show the band and manager Bruce Cohn in nineteenth-century Western dress beneath an unfinished freeway overpass.

Warner Bros. lifted “Long Train Runnin’” as a March 1973 single (b/w “Without You”), which reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. “China Grove” became the second single in July 1973 (b/w “Evil Woman”) and reached No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The Captain and Me reached No. 7 on the Billboard 200 chart.

The album initiated the ongoing involvement of Jeff Baxter, the one-time Ultimate Spinach guitarist who played currently in the Steely Dan quintet behind the 1972/73 albums Can’t Buy a Thrill and Countdown to Ecstasy.

What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits

The Doobie Brothers released their fourth album, What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits, on February 1, 1974, on Warner Bros.

What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits brings Keith Knudsen into the credits for backing vocals while Hossack remains the second recorded drummer. Baxter, Payne, James Booker, Arlo Guthrie, Novi Novog, Milt Holland, and the Memphis Horns appear among the outside players. The tracklist places Johnston and Simmons material beside one band-credit piece and Porter’s closing instrumental.

“Song to See You Through” saunters through loose group replies, brass jabs, and Johnston’s homespun lead. “Spirit” lopes on a dusty western tread with a front-porch lilt. “Pursuit on 53rd St.” charges through a city-road chug and a heated break. “Black Water” drifts through finger-picked motion, porch-side swing, and an a cappella handoff. “You Just Can’t Stop It” struts through shuffle motion, bright answering figures, and Porter’s low-end drive.

“Tell Me What You Want (And I’ll Give You What You Need)” sways through crossed acoustic lines and country-leaning replies. “Down in the Track” bobs with New Orleans roll before the late-band tradeoff. “Another Park, Another Sunday” glides through shaded harmonies and Johnston’s raspy front. “Daughters of the Sea” lengthens from misted slow motion to a rolling final stretch. “Flying Cloud” hovers in a relaxed instrumental drift.

A1. “Song to See You Through” (4:06) – Johnston
A2. “Spirit” (3:15) – Johnston
A3. “Pursuit on 53rd St.” (2:33) – Johnston
A4. “Black Water” (4:15) – Simmons
A5. “Eyes of Silver” (2:57) – Johnston
A6. “Road Angel” (4:49) – Hartman, Hossack, Johnston, Porter

B1. “You Just Can’t Stop It” (3:28) – Simmons
B2. “Tell Me What You Want (and I’ll Give You What You Need)” (3:53) – Simmons
B3. “Down in the Track” (4:15) – Johnston
B4. “Another Park, Another Sunday” (4:27) – Johnston
B5. “Daughters of the Sea” (4:29) – Simmons
B6. “Flying Cloud” (2:00) – Porter

The Doobie Brothers recorded What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits in 1973 at Warner Bros. Studios in North Hollywood, Wally Heider Studios in San Francisco, and Burbank Studios in Burbank with Templeman and engineers Landee and Lee Herschberg.

Chas Barbour designed the sleeve and handled art direction. Dan Fong took the cover photograph during a December 1973 concert at E.A. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Warner Bros. lifted “Another Park, Another Sunday” as a March 1974 single (b/w “Black Water”), which reached No. 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. “Eyes of Silver” became the second single in June 1974 and reached No. 52 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

In November 1974, “Black Water” reappeared as a single and reached No. 9 in Canada and No. 3 on the Cashbox Top 100. On the week of March 15, 1975, “Black Water” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it ousted “Have You Never Been Mellow” by Olivia Newton-John and bowed the following week to “My Eyes Adored You” by Four Seasons singer Frankie Valli.

What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Meanwhile, Jeff Baxter played on the 1974 Steely Dan album Pretzel Logic and the corresponding tour, after which Donald Fagen and Walter Becker dissolved the original band and continued as a studio-based unit.

Stampede

The Doobie Brothers released their fifth album, Stampede, on April 25, 1975, on Warner Bros.

Stampede marks Jeff Baxter’s first Doobie Brothers album as a credited member after earlier guest appearances. The outside cast includes keyboardist Bill Payne, bottleneck guitarist Ry Cooder, percussionist Victor Feldman, backing vocalist Maria Muldaur, and arrangers Nick DeCaro, Paul Riser, and Curtis Mayfield. The album contains the Kim Weston cover “Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me),” among Johnston, Simmons, Baxter, and band-credit titles.

“Sweet Maxine” barrels from saloon bounce into hot barroom lift and sharp section jabs. “Neal’s Fandango” high-tails through three-part answers and a backroad solo break. “Texas Lullaby” lingers through soft western sway and an elongated coda. “Music Man” struts through staggered accents, sanctified replies, and charted lift. “Slat Key Soquel Rag” picks through a spare old-time miniature. “Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me)” surges through bright ensemble lift and hard-struck breaks.

“I Cheat the Hangman” starts with minor-key finger-picking and low haunted voices, then changes key into orchestral swell with lightning fretboard runs. “Précis” sketches a brief Spanish miniature. “Rainy Day Crossroad Blues” shuffles through bottleneck slide motion, a suspended middle stop, and a hotter final pass. “I Been Workin’ on You” amps up through churchy backing, whistled detail, and a late break. “Double Dealin’ Four Flusher” kicks through saloon sway, shared leads, a mid-song jazz detour, and an electric finish.

A1. “Sweet Maxine” (4:26) – Johnston, Simmons
A2. “Neal’s Fandango” (3:20) – Simmons
A3. “Texas Lullaby” (5:00) – Johnston
A4. “Music Man” (3:34) – Johnston
A5. “Slack Key Soquel Rag” (1:54) – Simmons

B1. “Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me)” (3:39) – Holland, Dozier, Holland; first recorded in 1965 by Kim Weston and covered in the interim by Blood Sweat & Tears.
B2. “I Cheat the Hangman” (6:38) – Simmons
B3. “Précis” (0:56) – Baxter
B4. “Rainy Day Crossroad Blues” (3:45) – Johnston
B5. “I Been Workin’ on You” (4:22) – Johnston
B6. “Double Dealin’ Four Flusher” (3:30) – Simmons

The Doobie Brothers recorded Stampede between September 9 and October 6, 1974, at Warner Bros. Studios in North Hollywood, Burbank Studios in Burbank, Curtom Studios in Chicago, and the Record Plant in Sausalito. They recorded “I Been Workin’ on You” at Creative Workshop in Nashville. The band worked with Templeman and engineers Landee and Travis Turk.

Barbara Casado and John Casado designed the sleeve under Ed Thrasher art direction. Jill Maggid and Michael Maggid supplied the photography.

Warner Bros. lifted “Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me)” as an April 1975 single (b/w “Slack Key Soquel Rag”), which reached No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. “Sweet Maxine” became the second single in July 1975 (b/w “Double Dealin’ Four Flusher”) and reached No. 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. “I Cheat the Hangman” followed in November 1975 (b/w “Music Man”) and reached No. 60 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Stampede reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Phase II

Tom Johnston suffered a bleeding ulcer during the Stampede tour, which forced the group to fill his vocal and guitar role during booked dates.

Baxter recommended singer/keyboardist Michael McDonald, a colleague on the Pretzel Logic tour who played an auxiliary role on the subsequent Steely Dan album, Katy Lied. McDonald joined the Doobies during 1975 as sessions commenced on their next album, which saw Johnston’s brief, partial return before his final exit.

Johnston resurfaced with the 1979 Warner release Everything You’ve Heard Is True, which spawned the US Top 40 hit “Savannah Nights.”

Takin’ It to the Streets

The Doobie Brothers released their sixth album, Takin’ It to the Streets, on March 19, 1976, on Warner Bros.

Takin’ It to the Streets introduces keyboardist, singer, and songwriter Michael McDonald. Johnston reduces his studio role to electric guitar, backing vocals, the lead vocal on “Turn It Loose,” and a shared vocal part on “Wheels of Fortune.” Porter takes the lead vocal on “For Someone Special,” while Bobby LaKind, Richie Hayward, Novi Novog, Jesse Butler, Maria Muldaur, and the Memphis Horns join the outside credits.

“Wheels of Fortune” cruises on a neat bassline, group harmony answers, and a slick Simmons–Johnston vocal handoff. “Takin’ It to the Streets” simmers under McDonald’s smooth lead, backing replies, and a Memphis-styled saxophone break. “8th Avenue Shuffle” rolls through horn-driven shuffle motion and a rippling guitar break. “Losin’ End” slackens around McDonald’s measured lead and shaded backing against a dark electro-Rhodes bedrock.

“Rio” unfurls around Simmons–McDonald vocals and a bright brass lift with tropical mallets. “For Someone Special” lingers on Porter’s earnest lead over a spacious pocket. “It Keeps You Runnin’” glides through rounded McDonald phrasing and soft electric-piano motion. “Turn It Loose” barrels through Johnston’s older road-worn tread. “Carry Me Away” lifts McDonald’s lead into polished ensemble replies and late-seventies studio sheen.

A1. “Wheels of Fortune” (4:54) – Simmons, Baxter, Hartman
A2. “Takin’ It to the Streets” (3:56) – McDonald
A3. “8th Avenue Shuffle” (4:39) – Simmons
A4. “Losin’ End” (3:39) – McDonald

B1. “Rio” (3:49) – Simmons, Baxter
B2. “For Someone Special” (5:04) – Porter
B3. “It Keeps You Runnin’” (4:20) – McDonald
B4. “Turn It Loose” (3:53) – Johnston
B5. “Carry Me Away” (4:09) – Simmons, Baxter, McDonald

The Doobie Brothers recorded Takin’ It to the Streets in 1975 at Warner Bros. Studios in North Hollywood. They mixed the album at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles with Landee and Templeman, who worked in sequence on the 1976 Carly Simon album Another Passenger, which includes her version of “It Keeps You Runnin’,” recorded with backing by all six Doobies. Baxter played earlier on Simon’s 1971 debut.

The sleeve, designed by Ed Thrasher, features images by What Were Once Vices photographer Dan Fong.

Warner Bros. lifted “Takin’ It to the Streets” as a March 1976 single (b/w “For Someone Special”), which reached No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song inspired 1976–78 covers by Brass Fever, Billy Paul, and funksters Manchild.

“Wheels of Fortune” became the second single in August 1976 (b/w “Slack Key Soquel Rag”) and reached No. 87 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. “It Keeps You Runnin’” followed in October 1976 (b/w “Turn It Loose”) and reached No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Takin’ It to the Streets reached No. 8 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Meanwhile, McDonald contined his Steely Dan association on the 1976 album The Royal Scam.

Livin’ on the Fault Line

The Doobie Brothers released their seventh album, Livin’ on the Fault Line, on August 19, 1977, on Warner Bros.

Livin’ on the Fault Line follows Johnston’s early-session departure and leaves Simmons, Baxter, McDonald, Porter, Knudsen, and Hartman as the recorded core. McDonald and Simmons hold most of the composer and lead-vocal credits. The outside cast includes conga player Bobby LaKind, electric-sitar guitarist Dan Armstrong, trumpeter Randy Brecker, harmonica player Norton Buffalo, vibraphonist Victor Feldman, and arranger David Paich.

You’re Made That Way” slides from a Fender Rhodes figure into tight McDonald lead, Maureen McDonald backing, and a mid-song synth–brass turn. “Echoes of Love” glints through a Roland-synth figure, Simmons picking, and polished vocal replies. “Little Darling (I Need You)” sprints through a tougher cover treatment, congas, percussion, backing voices, and a Simmons solo. “You Belong to Me” settles into precise machine-tick motion, Baxter’s licks, Paich strings, and Randy Brecker’s trumpet spot.

“Livin’ on the Fault Line” veers through interwoven opening figures, Porter’s counterline, Victor Feldman’s vibraphone, McDonald synth breaks, and Baxter’s mid-song solo. “Nothin’ But a Heartache” chugs on electric-piano and organ bed, congas, and group backing vocals. “Chinatown” snakes through tricky turnarounds, tandem Simmons–McDonald lead, synthetic accents, metallic percussion, and Baxter’s compact synth-guitar break.

“There’s a Light” settles into Knudsen–LaKind pocket playing, Norton Buffalo harmonica, strings, and Rosemary Butler backing. “Need a Lady” locks interlaced guitars, clavinet, percussion, backing replies, and Dan Armstrong’s electric-sitar solo. “Larry the Logger Two-Step” picks through a spare acoustic miniature.

A1. “You’re Made That Way” (3:30) – McDonald, Baxter, Knudsen
A2. “Echoes of Love” (2:57) – Simmons, Mitchell, Randle
A3. “Little Darling (I Need You)” (3:24) – Holland, Dozier, Holland
A4. “You Belong to Me” (3:04) – Carly Simon, McDonald
A5. “Livin’ on the Fault Line” (4:42) – Simmons

B1. “Nothin’ But a Heartache” (3:05) – McDonald
B2. “Chinatown” (4:55) – Simmons
B3. “There’s a Light” (4:12) – McDonald
B4. “Need a Lady” (3:21) – Porter
B5. “Larry the Logger Two-Step” (1:16) – Simmons

The Doobie Brothers recorded Livin’ on the Fault Line in 1977 at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, Western Recorders in Hollywood, and Warner Bros. Studios in North Hollywood with Templeman and Landee.

Bruce Steinberg designed and photographed the sleeve. The front image places the Transamerica Pyramid in water beside a bluff.

Warner Bros. lifted “Little Darling (I Need You)” as a July 1977 single (b/w “Losin’ End”), which reached No. 48 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. “Echoes of Love” became the second single in September 1977 (b/w “There’s a Light”) and reached No. 66 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. “Nothin’ But a Heartache” followed in November 1977 (b/w “Livin’ on the Fault Line”).

Livin’ on the Fault Line reached No. 10 on the Billboard 200 chart.

“You Belong to Me” became a 1979 hit for its lyrical co-writer, Carly Simon, whose verseion appears on her 1978 album Boys in the Trees.

Meanwhile, McDonald harmonized with Donald Fagen on “Peg,” a Steely Dan evergreen from the 1977 album Aja. He also guested on 1977 albums by Bonnie Raitt, OC Smith, Tim Moore, and harmonized with Patrick Simmons on one track (“Red Streamliner”) on Time Loves a Hero, the sixth album by Little Feat, who used Baxter on dobro for the closing track, “Missin’ You.”

Minute by Minute

The Doobie Brothers released their eighth album, Minute by Minute, on December 1, 1978, on Warner Bros.

Minute by Minute retains the Simmons–Baxter–McDonald–Porter–Hartman–Knudsen lineup and adds Bobby LaKind as a recurring percussion-and-vocal presence. Nicolette Larson and Rosemary Butler add prominent backing and duet vocals, while Norton Buffalo, Herb Pedersen, Byron Berline, Lester Abrams, Bill Payne, Novi Novog, Andrew Love, and Ben Cauley expand selected arrangements.

The album includes the Doobies second chart-topper, “What a Fool Believes,” which McDonald co-wrote with Kenny Loggins, who recorded the first version for his 1978 second solo album, Nightwatch.

“Here to Love You” cruises through muscular piano licks, driving percussion, terse backing replies, and McDonald’s smoke-grained lead. “What a Fool Believes” rolls on a jaunty tread, bright synthesizer detail, and tight vocal responses. “Minute by Minute” simmers around airy McDonald phrasing and polished horn cushioning. “Dependin’ on You” lifts Simmons’ lead with Nicolette Larson and Rosemary Butler backing. “Don’t Stop to Watch the Wheels” barrels through Simmons’ lead, Johnston backing, Norton Buffalo harmonica, and rougher road-band motion.

“Open Your Eyes” glides around McDonald’s lead and Novi Novog’s synthetic solo flash. “Sweet Feelin’” eases through acoustic drive and Larson’s harmony counterpoint. “Steamer Lane Breakdown” high-tails through banjo, fiddle, and harmonica. “You Never Change” unfurls through chord-shifting turns and a Simmons–McDonald vocal handoff. “How Do the Fools Survive?” lengthens from Abrams’ solo prelude to horn jabs and Baxter’s final break.

A1. “Here to Love You” (3:58) – McDonald
A2. “What a Fool Believes” (3:41) – McDonald, Loggins
A3. “Minute by Minute” (3:26) – McDonald, Abrams
A4. “Dependin’ on You” (3:44) – McDonald, Simmons
A5. “Don’t Stop to Watch the Wheels” (3:26) – Simmons, Baxter, Ebert

B1. “Open Your Eyes” (3:18) – McDonald, Abrams, Henderson
B2. “Sweet Feelin’” (2:41) – Simmons, Templeman
B3. “Steamer Lane Breakdown” (3:24) – Simmons
B4. “You Never Change” (3:26) – Simmons
B5. “How Do the Fools Survive?” (5:12) – McDonald, Bayer Sager

The Doobie Brothers recorded Minute by Minute in 1978 at Warner Bros. Recording Studios in North Hollywood. The band mixed the album at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles with Donn Landee and Ted Templeman, who worked in sequence on the debut album by Van Halen.

Minute by Minute appeared in a Bruce Steinberg sleeve with photography by David Alexander, also credited on Nightwatch and 1978 albums by Kellee Patterson, Kiki Dee, Marshal Tucker Band, Melissa Manchester, Moody Blues, and Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers.

Warner Bros. lifted “What a Fool Believes” as a January 1979 single (b/w “Don’t Stop to Watch the Wheels”), which reached No. 1 in Canada, No. 5 in New Zealand, and also went Top 20 in Australia and Benelux. On the week of April 7, “What a Fool Believes” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it overtook “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor and bowed the following week to “Knock on Wood” by Amii Stewart.

The Doobies’ triumph made them the only act with a non-disco/non-ballad Billboard chart-topper in the ten months between the October 1978 summit of “Hot Child in the City” by Nick Gilder and the late-August 1979 takeover of “My Sharona” by The Knack.

“Minute by Minute” became the second single in April 1979 (b/w “Sweet Feelin’”) and reached No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. “Dependin’ on You” followed in July 1979 (b/w “How Do the Fools Survive?”) and reached No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Minute by Minute reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Interim Changes

McDonald reteamed with Loggins for “This Is It,” a hit from the singer’s 1979 album Keep the Fire. As demand grew for his unique tenor, McDonald appeared on 1978/79 albums by Bill Champlin, Lisa Dal Bello, Nicolette Larson, Pablo Cruise, Rickie Lee Jones, Steve Harley, Stephen Bishop, and the Bliss Band, whose 1978 release Dinner With Raoul conjured assorted elements of the classic Steely Dan sound.

Baxter produced Raoul — perportedly one of his favorite credits — just as tensions arose with McDonald, whose strict song-based approach clashed with Baxter’s more vicersal tendencies as a soloist. Between Doobies albums, Baxter cleared for guitarist John McFee, fresh off a London-based stint in the second iteration of West Coast rockers Clover, which cut two 1977 albums and backed Elvis Costello on his pre-Attractions debut, My Aim Is True. (Clover frontman Huey Lewis and keyboardist Sean Hopper subsequently formed Huey Lewis & The News). Meanwhile, onetime Help drummer Chet McCracken stepped in for Doobies co-founder John Hartman, who joined the backing band of former frontman Tom Johnston.

Elsewhere, Baxter proliferated as a sessionist on 1978/79 albums by Bill Quaterman, Dusty Springfield, Jackie DeShannon, Jakob Magnusson, Leo Sayer, Stanley Clarke, and the Donna Summer double-LP Bad Girls, which features his sizzling leads on the hit “Bad Girls.” In 1980, Baxter produced Malice In Wonderland, the eleventh album by Scottish rockers Nazareth.

One Step Closer

The Doobie Brothers released their ninth album, One Step Closer, on September 17, 1980, on Warner Bros.

One Step Closer introduces McFee, McCracken and saxophonist-organist Cornelius Bumpus as new recruits alongside ongoing members McDonald, Simmons, Porter, and Knudsen. The outside cast includes keyboardist Patrick Henderson, trumpeter Lee Thornburg, saxophonists Jerome Jumonville and Joel Peskin, and arranger Jimmie Haskell.

“Dedicate This Heart” slides through McDonald’s smooth lead, Nicolette Larson backing, and Thornburg’s flugelhorn. “Real Love” floats McDonald’s lead across plush strings and glossy Larson replies. “No Stoppin’ Us Now” rolls through Simmons’ lead, Chris Thompson backing, and an airy guitar break. “Thank You Love” sways around Bumpus’ satin lead, Cuban-leaning accents, saxophone solos, and vibraphone turns.

“One Step Closer” cruises through Bumpus–McDonald vocal handoffs and rounded horn figures. “Keep This Train A-Rollin’” sprints through warm dance motion, McDonald’s glazed lead, and brass punctuation. “Just in Time” leans into Simmons’ lead and glassy chord turns. “South Bay Strut” struts through McFee–McCracken instrumental play and tidy arrangement shifts. “One by One” settles into a Simmons–McDonald duet with a melancholy late-night finish.

A1. “Dedicate This Heart” (4:07) – McDonald, Anka
A2. “Real Love” (4:18) – McDonald, Henderson
A3. “No Stoppin’ Us Now” (4:40) – Simmons, McDonald, Thompson
A4. “Thank You Love” (6:22) – Bumpus

B1. “One Step Closer” (4:10) – Knudsen, Carter, McFee
B2. “Keep This Train A-Rollin’” (3:29) – McDonald
B3. “Just in Time” (2:43) – Simmons
B4. “South Bay Strut” (4:05) – McCracken, McFee
B5. “One by One” (3:47) – LaKind, McDonald

The Doobie Brothers recorded One Step Closer in 1980 at Sunset Sound Recorders in Hollywood, Warner Bros. Recording Studios in North Hollywood, United Sound Recorders in Detroit, and A&R Recorders in New York with producer Ted Templeman and engineer James Isaacson.

One Step Closer appeared in a sleeve designed by Jim Welch with photography by Norman Seeff.

Warner Bros. lifted “Real Love” as an August 1980 single (b/w “Thank You Love”), which reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. “One Step Closer” became the second single in November 1980 (b/w “South Bay Strut”) and reached No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In January 1981, “Keep This Train A-Rollin’” followed (b/w “Just in Time”) and reached No. 62 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

One Step Closer reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Breakup and Reunion

The Doobie Brothers faltered after the One Step Closer campaign. Patrick Simmons and Tiran Porter left during 1981 and the remaining members toured with a revised lineup. Simmons returned for the 1982 farewell tour, which ended on September 11 at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, where they were joined by Porter, Tom Johnston, John Hartman, and Michael Hossack. Warner Bros. documented the final round on the 1983 live double-album Farewell Tour.

Meanwhile, McDonald branched further with outside vocal and production work. In 1980, he sang backing vocals on songs by Christopher Cross (“Ride Like the Wind,” “I Really Don’t Know), Steely Dan (“Time Out of Mind”), and the self-titled album by his personal partner, Amy Holland, who he co-produced with Patrick Henderson. He launched his solo career with the 1982 Warner release If That’s What It Takes, which spawned a Billboard No. 4 hit with “I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near),” his arrangement of the Leiber–Stoller song first recorded in 1962 by R&B singer Chuck Jackson.

Keith Knudsen organized a 1987 alumni benefit that returned Johnston, Simmons, Baxter, McFee, Hartman, Hossack, McCracken, McDonald, Bumpus, LaKind, and Porter to one stage. The Doobie Brothers resumed around Johnston, Simmons, Porter, Hartman, Hossack, and LaKind. Capitol issued the 1989 album Cycles, which restored Johnston as frontman and brought the group back to the Top 10 with “The Doctor.”

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