With a career distinguished by five GRAMMY Awards, numerous chart-topping hits and collaborations with some of the most celebrated names in music, Michael McDonald remains one of the most enduring and influential figures in popular music.
A native of St. Louis, McDonald moved to Los Angeles in the early ’70s, quickly establishing himself as an in-demand studio musician before joining Steely Dan. In the mid-’70s, he became a pivotal member of the Doobie Brothers, helping to define the band’s iconic sound as a vocalist, keyboardist and songwriter. His contributions to timeless hits such as “Takin’ it to the Streets,” “It Keeps You Runnin,” “Minute by Minute” and the GRAMMY winning “What a Fool Believes” cemented his status as a musical powerhouse.
Launching a highly successful solo career throughout the ’80s and ’90s, McDonald delivered a string of hits including “I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near),” “Sweet Freedom,” “On My Own” with Patti LaBelle and the GRAMMY winning duet “Yah Mo B There” with James Ingram, in addition to co-writing Van Halen’s smash hit “I’ll Wait.”
In 2017, McDonald released Wide Open, his first album of all new original material in nearly a decade to widespread critical acclaim. In 2020, he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Doobie Brothers. McDonald will shortly be inducted in the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He continues to tour extensively worldwide, both as a solo artist and with the Doobie Brothers.