Michael McDonald

Michael McDonald, full name Michael H. McDonald, is an American singer born on February 12, 1952, in St. Louis, Missouri. He is known for his characteristic smoky baritone voice, often described as “blue-eyed soul.” His music career began in local bands while he was still in high school.

After playing with the band Blue, he moved to Los Angeles in 1970. He first gained recognition as a backing vocalist and keyboardist for Steely Dan, collaborating on their albums until the release of *Gaucho* in 1980. In April 1975, he joined The Doobie Brothers when lead singer Tom Johnston fell ill on tour.

With the Doobie Brothers, he recorded several notable tracks such as Takin' It To The Streets, Minute By Minute, and What A Fool Believes. The latter won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 1980.

After the Doobie Brothers’ first farewell tour, Michael McDonald embarked on a successful solo career. Among his hits are I Keep Forgettin' (later sampled by Warren G), Sweet Freedom (theme song for the 1986 film *Running Scared*), and the duet On My Own with Patti LaBelle, which reached number one on the US charts in 1986. He also won a Grammy in 1985 for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group for Yah Mo B There, recorded with James Ingram.

He produced and collaborated on albums for various artists, including his wife Amy Holland and Christopher Cross. He is also a co-founder of the independent label Ramp Records with studio designer Chris Pelonis and actor Jeff Bridges. His album *Soul Speak* was released in 2008.

There is also a namesake American singer-songwriter, Michael McDonald, based in Helsinki, Finland, who has played with the local bands Montevideo and Treeball.