• Feb 12, 1952
• Michael McDonald is a talented piano player and guitarist, but he's best known as a singer. In addition to his own songs and those he sang with the Doobie Brothers, he's been a backup vocalist on hundreds of songs. Here are a few:
  
  "Ride Like The Wind" by Christopher Cross
  "This Is It" by Kenny Loggins
  "I'll Be Over You" by Toto
• His voice is both distinctive and ubiquitous - you probably know a guy who does an impression of him. The TV series Family Guy had some fun with this in the 2019 episode "Yacht Rocky" where Peter hires him to sing back everything he says, which is cool at first but gets annoying. That's not McDonald's voice in the episode but one of the many people who try to imitate him.
• McDonald married the singer Amy Holland, who had a minor hit in 1980 with "How Do I Survive," in 1983. He produced her first two albums, which were released in 1980 and 1983. Their marriage stood the test of time and resulted in two children, Dylan and Scarlett.
• His big break came in 1974 when he got a gig touring with Steely Dan, which happened to be his favorite band at the time, as a backup singer and keyboard player. He sang backup on their albums Katy Lied (1975) and The Royal Scam (1976) as well as the 1977 track "Peg."
  
  McDonald got the gig through Jeff Porcaro, who did some drumming for Steely Dan and later joined Toto.
• McDonald joined The Doobie Brothers in 1975 when their original lead singer, Tom Johnston, fell ill in 1975. McDonald was with the band until their breakup in 1982. With Johnston they were more of a pure rock band; McDonald moved them in more of a mellow soul direction with songs like "Takin' It To the Streets" and "What A Fool Believes."
  
  McDonald returned to the band for various reunions and joined them when they were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2020.
• McDonald battled alcohol and drug addiction (mostly cocaine) for much of his life, starting in the early '70s. In the mid-'80s he claimed to be recovered, but in his 2024 memoir What A Fool Believes, he admitted that he didn't get sober for good until the late '90s.
• He grew up in Ferguson, Missouri, near St. Louis. When he was little, McDonald's father used to take him to bars with pianos. Michael would sit on the piano and sing while his dad played, giving him his start in music. He played in various bands as a teenager before moving to Los Angeles, where he took lots of musical odd jobs before hooking on with Steely Dan.
• As a kid, he played banjo and trombone in addition to guitar and piano.

Comments

More Songfacts:

Work From HomeFifth Harmony

Fifth Harmony was going to call their song "Work," but they changed it to "Work from Home" when Rihanna released a song with that title.

Video Killed The Radio StarBuggles

"Video Killed The Radio Star" by Buggles was the first video to air on MTV when the network started broadcasting on August 1, 1981.

The Jean GenieDavid Bowie

The band Simple Minds took their name from the line "He's so simple minded he can't drive his module" in David Bowie's "The Jean Genie."

In The Air TonightPhil Collins

"In The Air Tonight" by Phil Collins was revived when it was used in the first episode of Miami Vice, three years after it was released.

Don't Let The Sun Go Down On MeElton John

Recording "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me," Elton John was frustrated and sang the line "don't discard me" with an exaggerated American accent, which is why is sounds strange.

Jailhouse RockElvis Presley

The name "Schoolhouse Rock," which was a series of educational cartoons, was a play on "Jailhouse Rock," the title of an Elvis Presley song.

Editor's Picks

Leslie West of MountainSongwriter Interviews

From the cowbell on "Mississippi Queen" to recording with The Who when they got the wrong Felix, stories from one of rock's master craftsmen.

Curt Kirkwood of Meat PuppetsSongwriter Interviews

The (Meat)puppetmaster takes us through songs like "Lake Of Fire" and "Backwater," and talks about performing with Kurt Cobain on MTV Unplugged.

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' AlbumsSong Writing

With the rise of Kindie rock, more musicians are embracing their inner child with tunes for tots - here, we look at pop stars who recorded kids' albums.

Chris ReaSongwriter Interviews

It took him seven years to recover from his American hit "Fool (If You Think It's Over)," but Chris Rea became one of the top singer-songwriters in his native UK.

Millie JacksonSongwriter Interviews

Outrageously gifted and just plain outrageous, Millie is an R&B and Rap innovator.

LecraeSongwriter Interviews

The Christian rapper talks about where his trip to Haiti and his history of addiction fit into his songs.