The Doobie Brothers

San Jose to the Warner years

The Doobie Brothers formed in San Jose in 1970 around Tom Johnston and the drummer John Hartman, with Patrick Simmons joining that year; the name was reportedly suggested by their friend Keith Rosen. They signed to Warner Bros. and released a debut in April 1971 that did not chart. Tiran Porter replaced bassist Dave Shogren in December 1971, a second drummer, Michael Hossack, was replaced by Keith Knudsen in September 1973, and Bill Payne contributed keyboards from 1972. Toulouse Street (1972) was the breakthrough, The Captain and Me (1973) brought "Long Train Runnin'" and "China Grove", and "Black Water" from What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits (1974) was their first number one in March 1975. Jeff Skunk Baxter joined as a third guitarist in 1974.

Michael McDonald joined in 1975, and the band moved toward a keyboard-led blue-eyed soul sound on Takin' It to the Streets (1976), Livin' on the Fault Line (1977) and Minute by Minute (1978). Johnston left in 1977; Hartman and Baxter left in 1979, with Chet McCracken and John McFee replacing them. One Step Closer (1980) underperformed, and Simmons left in 1981 as the band disbanded; the farewell was at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley on September 11, 1982. A 1987 benefit concert for veterans, organized by Knudsen, became a 12-city tour and then a permanent reformation by 1989; Cycles (1989) and Brotherhood (1991) came out on Capitol, which dropped them in 1991. They reformed again in 1993 and have toured continuously.

Later albums are Sibling Rivalry (2000 or 2001), World Gone Crazy (2010), Southbound (2014, with country guests), Liberte (2021) and Walk This Road (2025, their first new album with McDonald in over 40 years). John Cowan joined on bass in 2010, McDonald returned full-time in 2019, and Payne left in November 2021 to focus on Little Feat. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020 and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004. Wikipedia counts over 40 million records sold, six top-10 albums and 16 Hot 100 top-40 hits; Best of the Doobies (1976) was certified Diamond in 1996. The official site promotes the 2026 Walk This Road tour and a July 10 Rhino 50th anniversary of Takin' It to the Streets.