Michael McDonald Biography

Michael McDonald is known for his soulful voice and his contributions to the Doobie Brothers during their most successful recording period. His style brought the band the hits “Taking it to the Streets” and “What a Fool Believes,” but by 1982 Michael McDonald was ready for a solo career.

If That’s What it Takes, Michael McDonald’s debut, was released in 1982.  The hit single “I Keep Forgetting,” which found itself on the R&B Top Ten, also helped to bring the album to number six. A year later, McDonald had another hit with “Yah Mo B There,” his duet with James Ingram. No Lookin’ Back followed in 1985, and his 1986 duet with Patti Labelle, “On My Own” rose to number one. “Sweet Freedom,” featured in the film Running Scared, also found a home on the Top Ten. By this time, Michael Bolton was firmly established as one of the most prominent solo pop performers of the 1980’s, and his career has lasted ever since.

In the new millennium, Michael McDonald continues to perform and record. He sang “ America the Beautiful” at the 2008 Democratic National Convention, followed by the album Oh Happy Day in 2009.The Voice of Michael McDonald, a compilation of his own hits and hits from the Doobie Brothers, was released in 2010. Later that same year, McDonald toured with Boz Scaggs and Donald Fagen, performing together as The Dukes of September Rhythm Revue. Their shows include a sampling of soul, R&B songs, and classic rock from the repertoire of all three musicians.

Most recently, Michael McDonald re-teamed with the Doobie Brothers on the band’s album World Gone Crazy, for the track "Don't Say Goodbye.” His latest album, Wide Open, arrived in 2017. He also appeared as a feature artist on the Thundercat single, “Show You the Way,” later performing the song live on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.