Michael McDonald (musician)
Michael H. McDonald (born February 12, 1952) is an American singer, keyboardist and songwriter known for his distinctive, soulful voice and as a member of Steely Dan (1973–1974), and the Doobie Brothers (1975–1982, 1987, 2019–present). McDonald wrote and sang several hit singles with the Doobie Brothers, including "What a Fool Believes", "Minute by Minute", and "Takin' It to the Streets." McDonald has also performed as a prominent backing vocalist on numerous recordings by artists including Steely Dan, Christopher Cross, and Kenny Loggins.
For other people named Michael McDonald, see Michael McDonald (disambiguation).
Michael McDonald
- Musician
- singer
- songwriter
- record producer
- Vocals
- keyboards
1973–present
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, including James Ingram, David Cassidy, Van Halen, Patti LaBelle, Lee Ritenour, The Winans, Aretha Franklin, Toto,[2] Grizzly Bear,[3] Joni Mitchell, and Thundercat. He has also recorded for television and film soundtracks.
McDonald is the recipient of five Grammy Awards, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Doobie Brothers in 2020.[4]
Early years[edit]
McDonald was born on February 12, 1952, into a Catholic Irish American family in Ferguson, Missouri,[5] a suburb of St. Louis. McDonald attended McCluer High School,[6] 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 by RCA staff producer Rick Jarrard, who offered him a record contract and brought him to Los Angeles.[7][8][9][10]
Solo career[edit]
After the Doobie Brothers' first farewell tour, McDonald released his first solo studio album, If That's What It Takes, in 1982, on the Warner Bros. label.[19] 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 album High Adventure.
He continued to collaborate with other artists during this period. McDonald co-wrote Van Halen's top-20 hit "I'll Wait", from their biggest-selling album 1984. "Yah Mo B There", a duet with James Ingram, won the 27th Annual Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.[20] In 1985, he released his second studio album No 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 the title 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 the Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines film Running Scared, and was McDonald's last top-10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The No 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 with Patti 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 album Fahrenheit, appearing on the hit single "I'll Be Over You" and its accompanying video. On August 22, 1986, McDonald appeared in an episode of The Young and the Restless.[21][22] Later that year, he provided backing vocals on the Wang Chung song "A Fool and His Money" from their studio album Mosaic. In 1987, McDonald did a featured collaboration, titled "Love Has No Color", with gospel quartet the Winans from their studio album Decisions.
In 1990, McDonald released his third studio album, Take It to Heart, which featured a minor hit with the title track, co-written by Diane Warren. The following year, he joined the New York Rock and Soul Revue,[23] put together by Steely Dan's lead vocalist Donald Fagen and featuring other artists such as Boz Scaggs and Phoebe Snow. In 1991, he released the single "Ever Changing Times", a duet with Aretha Franklin.
In 1999, McDonald recorded the song "Eyes of a Child", a comedic ballad written by Trey Parker, for the South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut soundtrack. It was also used at the ending credits for the movie. The same year, he sang backing vocals on the Warren Brothers' single "Better Man", from their studio album Beautiful Day in the Cold Cruel World.[24] He also provided lead vocals for one of three studio tracks on Chicago XXVI: Live in Concert.
Personal life[edit]
McDonald has been married to singer Amy Holland since 1983. They have two children. He moved with his family to Santa Barbara, California, in the late 1990s, and later lived in Nashville.[41]