Rock Report: Michael McDonald Set For One Off Doobies Gig

Michael McDonald will make his first appearance with the Doobie Brothers in six years on October 6th, during the annual B.R. Cohn Charity in Glen Ellen, California. The event, which is run by the band's manager B.R. Cohn, "bundles a music festival, gala charity auction dinner and a celebrity golf classic into one fantastic weekend at the B.R. Cohn Winery" and will be held in memory of late-Doobie Brothers' drummer Michael Hossak, and benefit assorted local charities.

Among the other acts on the bill for the two day festival are Kenny Loggins, Dave Mason, Buddy Guy, War, the Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, and Doobie guitarist Pat Simmons' son, Pat Simmons, Jr.

Michael McDonald looks back fondly to his time as a Doobie Brother, but admitted to us, as any band will tell you, things got sticky from time to time: "I think at one point (laughs) Pat (Simmons) and I even threw furniture at each other. It never lasted more than a day if we ever got, y'know, into an argument about anything. I'm exaggerating with the furniture, but we would get into, y'know, power struggles as a band and looking' back on all of it, it's like when you're really getting overheated with your kid 'cause he isn't doin' his math homework and you realize 20 years from now, what is this gonna matter? Somehow, miraculously enough we all kept the perspective that we were friends first."
FASTS FACTS

Doobie Brothers drummer Michael Hossack died on March 12th, 2012 at his home in Dubois, Wyoming at age 65, following a battle with cancer. Hossack, who enjoyed two stints with the band -- originally from 1971 to 1973, and again from their 1987 through 2010, when he first took leave due to his cancer battle. In 2001, Hossack was also forced to take a break following a motorcycle accident.
Hossack's drum and percussion work was featured on such Doobies classics as "Jesus Is Just Alright," "Listen To The Music," "Rockin' Down The Highway," "Long Train Runnin'" and "China Grove."

SIDE NOTES

Michael McDonald, who hasn't been a full-time member of the Doobies Brothers since the band's initial 1987 mini-reunion tour, appears on the recent Doobies album, World Gone Crazy, singing backup on the song "Don't Say Goodbye."

Out now on CD/DVD is The Doobie Brothers Live At The Greek Theatre 1982. The concert, recorded during the band's farewell tour, featured the final Doobies touring lineup of Pat Simmons, Michael McDonald, Keith Knudson, John McFee, Cornelius Bumpus, Chet McCracken, bassist Willie Weeks, and Bob LaKind. Joining the band were then-former Doobies John Hartman, Tiran Porter, Michael Hossack -- as well as former guitarist and leader Tom Johnston.

The show marked the band's final show for five years, and the material was originally released in 1983 as the album, Farewell Tour.

The CD tracklisting to The Doobie Brothers Live At The Greek Theatre 1982 is: "Listen To The Music, "Sweet Maxine," "Rockin' Down The Highway," "You Belong To Me," "Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me)," "Long Train Runnin'," "Black Water," "Minute By Minute," "Slat Key Soquel Rag," "Out On The Streets," "What A Fool Believes," "Jesus Is Just Alright," "Takin' It To The Streets," "China Grove," "Listen To The Music," "Little Darling (I Need You)," "One Step Closer," "Dependin' On You," and "Real Love."