Yes, it all started in 1970. Drummer John Hartman and singer/songwriter Tom Johnston teamed up with singer, guitarist, and songwriter Patrick Simmons and bass guitarist Dave Shogren in San Jose, California. That would be the start of The Doobie Brothers. How did they come up with such an unusual name? Musician Keith “Dyno” Rosen came up with the name after the band had difficulty coming up with one on their own. According to Tom Johnston, Rosen said, “Why don’t you call yourself the Doobie Brothers because you’re always smoking pot?” Hartman has said he wasn’t involved with choosing the name, and didn’t know that “doobie” meant a marijuana joint until Rosen told him. Everyone in the band agreed that “Doobie Brothers” was a “dumb” or “stupid” name. Simmons has said the band intended to use the name only for a few early performances until they came up with something better, but they never did.
Today we celebrate with the Doobies’ for two reasons: the group has performed and recorded together for fifty years, and this year they have been inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. Both milestones are great accomplishments for any musician or group. However, the musicians and fans have different views of such accolades. With this post we will work to discuss both viewpoints. As usual we will continue looking back at the Doobie Brothers beginning and rise to fame together.
The Doobie Brothers improved their playing by performing live all over Northern California in 1970. They attracted a particularly strong following among local chapters of the Hells Angels and got a recurring gig at one of the bikers’ favorite venues, the Chateau Liberté in the Santa Cruz mountains, playing there through the summer of 1970 (although some of these concerts did not include all band members and were of an impromptu nature). A set of demos showcased fuzz-toned dual lead electric guitars, three-part harmonies and Hartman’s drumming, earned the group a contract at Warner Bros. Records in 1971.
The biker following explained a lot about the Doobie Brothers look and persona. Their image was reflective of their fan base. The Doobies’ had the look and feel of a Southern Rock outfit. However, they were a group from California. The group’s 1971 self-titled debut album departed significantly from that biker image and their live sound of the period. The album, which failed to chart, emphasized acoustic guitars and reflected country influences.
Also in 1971, the group toyed with the idea of adding a second drummer, supplementing Hartman’s drumming on some of their shows with that of United States Navy veteran Michael Hossack while still touring behind their first album. In October 1971, the band recorded several songs for their second album with Shogren on bass, guitar, and background vocals. During the album’s recording, Shogren left after disagreements with the group’s new producer, Ted Templeman. Shogren was replaced in December 1971 with singer, songwriter and bass guitarist Tiran Porter, while Hossack was added to the lineup at the same time as a regular.
These were very important changes in my opinion. Ted Templeman was responsible for helping the Doobie Brothers find that unique sound that contributed to some big, early hits. Porter brought a funkier bass style and added his husky baritone to the voices of Johnston and Simmons, resulting in a rich three-part blend.
The band’s second album, Toulouse Street (which contained the hits “Listen to the Music” and “Jesus Is Just Alright”), brought their breakthrough success after its release in July 1972. That sound, those songs, the Doobie Brothers arrived now and were ready to give the world something special. Most could feel the emergence of something great. A string of hits followed, including Johnston’s “Long Train Runnin'” and “China Grove”, from the 1973 album The Captain and Me. Other noteworthy songs on the album were Simmons’ country-ish ode “South City Midnight Lady” and the explosive, hard rocking raveup “Without You”.
More changes were on the horizon and they also would add to the Doobie sound. In the midst of recording sessions for their next album, 1974’s What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits, and rehearsals for a 1973 fall tour, Hossack abruptly departed the band, citing burnout from constant touring. Drummer, songwriter and vocalist Keith Knudsen was recruited promptly in September 1973 and left with the Doobies on a major tour a few weeks later. Steely Dan co-lead guitarist Jeff “Skunk” Baxter joined the Doobie Brothers as third lead guitarist in the middle of their current tour. Vices included the band’s first No. 1 single, Simmons’ signature tune “Black Water”. It topped the charts in March 1975 and eventually propelled the album to multi-platinum status. If you didn’t know the Doobie Brothers before this point, you most likely were aware of them after “Black Water”.
By the end of 1974, Tom Johnston’s health was suffering from the rigors of the road. At the start of the Spring 1975 promotional tour for Stampede, Johnston’s condition was so precarious that he required emergency hospitalization for a bleeding ulcer. With Johnston convalescing and the tour already underway, Baxter proposed recruiting a fellow Steely Dan alum to fill the hole: singer, songwriter and keyboardist Michael McDonald. The change that rounded the overall sound of the Doobie Brothers for years to come, fans were divided about the band’s direction at this point.
Their primary songwriter and singer remained unavailable, so they turned to McDonald and Porter for material to supplement that of Simmons. The resulting LP, Takin’ It to the Streets, debuted a radical change in their sound. Their electric-guitar-based rock and roll gave way to a more soft rock and blue-eyed soul sound, emphasizing keyboards and horns and subtler, more syncopated rhythms. Baxter contributed jazz-inflected guitar stylings reminiscent of Steely Dan, along with unusual, complex harmony and longer, more developed melody. Above all, McDonald’s voice became the band’s new signature sound.
Many times I had discussions with musicians about the Doobie Brothers and most divide their accomplishments as pre-Michael McDonald, and post-Michael McDonald. Many preferred the rock feel of the Doobies’ with Tom Johnston taking the lead. However, McDonald opened the Doobie Brothers to a whole new, much larger fan base. However, in my opinion they are still very connected. I happen to like the music coming from both periods. I think the band members agree.
After almost a decade on the road, and with seven albums under their belts, the Doobies’ career soared with the success of their next album, 1978’s Minute by Minute. It spent five weeks atop the charts and dominated several radio formats for the better part of two years. McDonald’s song “What a Fool Believes”, written with Kenny Loggins, was the band’s second No. 1 single and earned the songwriting duo a Grammy Award for Record of the Year. The album won a Grammy for Pop Vocal Performance by a Group and was nominated for Album of the Year. Both “What a Fool Believes” and the title track were nominated for Song of the Year, with “What a Fool Believes” winning the award.
The band went through several more personnel changes, as John Hartman, Jeff Baxter, departed while Chet McCracken, John McFee and one of my favorites, the late great Cornelius Bumpus joined the band. I have written before that I believe the Doobie Brothers, at the time of their 1982 farewell tour, were arguably one of the greatest bands of all time. There were some fantastic, historic shows during that tour, but it would not be the end.
With the demand still fresh for Doobie Brothers music and shows, there were many tours with old members joining the band when available, nevertheless the shows still remained quite entertaining.
In preparation for this post, I was able to listen to an interview with late drummer Keith Knudsen’s daughter commenting about the bands hall of fame induction. She confirmed something that I already knew about the Doobie Brothers. They were never award seeking musicians, though she was sure they would appreciate the honor, the band members were some of the most humble people you would find in the music industry. She never thought of her father as a rock star, and he certainly never viewed himself that way. In fact, she explained the group were family-oriented and close to each other. They still are like her uncles.
While congratulations are in order, what we are witnessing is a band of musicians getting ready to go on tour and record new music. Just like they did years ago. I don’t think it will ever end. Long live the Doobie Brothers.
I believe most people who grew up listening to the Doobies, go to their shows to sing along with the seemingly hundreds of hits songs and at this point, are somewhat disappointed when they only hear a small assortment of what made the Doobies the Doobie Brothers !
While some of their newer songs might catch on, What got them there is why people still go to their concerts and they want to hear all those hits songs. P L E A S E. KNOW WHAT YOUR FANS WANT TO HEAR AND STILL GIVE IT TO THEM.