Michael McDonald

From the Album:  "Soul Speak"

Michael McDonald

Michael McDonald (born February 12, 1952, in St. Louis, Missouri), is an American R&B/Soul singer (sometimes described as a "blue-eyed soul" singer) and songwriter,  known for his trademark smooth, husky baritone voice.  He is perhaps best known for his work as a member of the Doobie Brothers, performing and recording with Steely Dan, and for several hits as a solo artist and in collaboration with others.

Early years

McDonald played in several local bands (such as Mike and the Majestics, Jerry Jay and the Sheratons, the Reebtoors, and The Guild) while attending McCluer High School in his hometown of Ferguson, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis.

He was 'discovered' while playing with a group called Blue and consequently moved to Los Angeles in 1970. He first gained wide attention as an adjunct member of the group Steely Dan, providing back-up vocals on tracks for 1975's Katy Lied. He would return on subsequent albums including 1976's The Royal Scam and have his unique phrasing featured on "Peg" on the 1977 album Aja. His talent on the keyboards was also showcased during this time. Michael continued to do background vocals for Steely Dan up to their 1980 release, Gaucho. He also was a member of the original Steely Dan touring band playing keyboards/piano and singing backup in the short time they toured in the early '70s. He was deeply inspired when he went to his first music concert in 1968, seeing The Doors.

Doobie Brothers

McDonald was recruited by hit-making band The Doobie Brothers in April 1975 when lead singer Tommy Johnston became ill during a national tour. His time with the band proved so successful that they decided to retain him as a full time member.

As a member of the Doobies, he recorded some of his most memorable songs, such as "Takin' It to the Streets", "Little Darling", "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 1980 Grammy Award for Song of the Year). At the same time he appeared as a session singer and piano player for artists like Jack Jones, Bonnie Raitt and O.C Smith.


Solo career

After the Doobies' first farewell tour, in 1982 he put some of his earlier songs on an album entitled That Was Then The Early Years which has not yet been released on CD.

"I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)", a duet with his sister Maureen, appeared on his debut album If That's What It Takes. Also on the album was "I Gotta Try" co-written with Kenny Loggins who recorded the song as well. 

His second album No Lookin' Back had a few hit tunes, including the title song, another collaboration with Kenny Loggins, along with Ed Sanford. The track had originally appeared on Loggins' Vox Humana album earlier that year.

"Sweet Freedom", the theme to the 1986 MGM film Running Scared was also featured on a Greatest Hits collection (which was actually titled after this single) that same year "Yah Mo B There", a duet with James Ingram which won a 1985 Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals "On My Own", a 1986 duet with Patti Labelle which reached #1 on the U.S. charts. Apparently McDonald and LaBelle sang it without speaking to one another. 

McDonald also collaborated with Toto, singing harmony on Toto's 1986 hit, "I'll Be Over You." McDonald has produced and/or appeared on albums recorded by many other artists, including his singer wife Amy Holland and Grammy winners Kenny Loggins ("This is It", I Gotta Try") and Christopher Cross ("Ride Like the Wind"). He sang back up vocals for Bonnie Raitt's 1977 album, Sweet Forgiveness, on the songs "Gamblin Man", "Runaway", "Sweet Forgiveness", and "Two Lives". McDonald is also a co-founder of the small independent recording label Ramp Records, with studio designer Chris Pelonis and actor Jeff Bridges. His 1990 album Take It To Heart featured a minor hit with the title song co-written by Diane Warren. The following year he joined the New York Rock and Soul Revue put together by Steely Dan's Donald Fagen

McDonald has reunited as a guest performer with the Doobies several times since their initial dissolution in 1982 (the 1996 double live album Rockin' Down the Highway: The Wildlife Concert features him on three of his classic tunes), but he continues his solo career with a series of tribute albums to the Motown sound. The best example of this is his 2003 Motown Records album Motown which earned McDonald two Grammy nominations. He also sang "Eyes of a Child" (written by Trey Parker), over the the ending credits for the 1999 animated film South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. Despite the loss of friends like Toto's Jeff Porcaro, several of the Doobies and his longtime bandmate Chuck Sabatino who passed away in 1996 he continued to record.

In 2003, McDonald was featured in an ad campaign for MCI.

In 2003 McDonald received a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame.

McDonald joined Steely Dan on tour during the summer of 2006 for the first time since 1974 in a live setting, opening their concerts with his own set, and then joining them for the latter half of the Steely Dan set.

Michael is currently releasing a new album on the Motown label entitled "Soul Speak" with a release date of March 11, 2008. Three singles simultaneously released from this CD have already accomplished the rare feat of charting on Billboard at the same time. "Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher" debuting on Adult Contemporary at 21, "Love TKO" 39 on Adult R&B and "Walk On By" at 28 on Hot Contemporary Jazz Songs.

On February 17, 2008, McDonald performed "Takin' It To The Streets" during the pre-race show for the 50th Daytona 500, while race cars from the 80's drove around the track. His tour for "Soul Speak" started with a two night stand at the New York City's Blue Note where he played a number of unreleased Motown covers [1].

Discography

Albums

1982 If That's What It Takes #6 US (Gold) 
1985 No Lookin' Back #45 US 
1990 Take It to Heart #110 US 
1993 Blink of an Eye 
1997 Blue Obsession 
2001 In the Spirit: A Christmas Album 
2003 Motown #14 US (Platinum) 
2004 Motown Two #9 US (Gold) 
2005 Through the Many Winters (Gold) 
2005 The Ultimate Collection 
2008 Soul Speak14 tracks

1. I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) 04:05

 2. Living for the City 05:00 

3. Love T.K.O. 05:01 

4. Walk on By 02:46 

5. Still Not Over You(Getting Over Me) 03:57 

6. For Once in My Life 03:39 

7. Into the Mystic 04:12 

8. Hallelujah 05:01 

9. Enemy Within 04:06 

10. (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher 03:04 

11. Only God Can Help Me Now 05:02 

12. Baby Can I Change My Mind 03:42 

13. Redemption Song 03:59 

14. You Don't Know Me 03:12

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