Michael McDonald can come off as a guilty pleasure, principally because his voice was so often caught in a web of too-slick production. Not here.

When Tom Johnston’s health faltered, producer Ted Templeman initially approached Patrick Simmons about fronting the Doobie Brothers. Simmons had another idea.

Most fans of the Doobie Brothers seem to have allegiances to particular periods in the band’s 45-year history — with the most common divide being Tom Johnston vs. Michael McDonald. You May Also Like: Doobie Brothers – ‘Livin’ on the Fault Line’ (1977): On Second Thought Doobie Brothers’ “Angels ofRead More

Donald Fagen, Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs brought a tractor-trailer’s worth of hits — both as solo artists and with Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers, respectively — to this setlist. More important, however, was their simpatico sense of musical camaraderie. You May Also Like: Michael McDonald, “Find It InRead More

Let the Music Play is subtitled “The Story of the Doobie Brothers,” and in keeping traces their oft-told journey from boogie-rock band to sleek soul-popsters and back. Most interesting of all, however, might be this DVD’s 48 minutes of rare live performances. You May Also Like: Doobie Brothers’ “Angels ofRead More