Michael McDonald

During a career spanning 40 years, American singer, songwriter and keyboard player Michael McDonald has accrued six Grammy Awards and been nominated for a further eight. After a brief spell working as a vocalist with acclaimed New York jazz rock band Steely Dan, McDonald headed west and joined the The Doobie Brothers.

Initially he was just a temporary replacement for vocalist Tom Johnston but McDonald fitted in so well he was retained full time and sang on some of the band's biggest hits such as 'Takin' It to the Streets' and 'What a Fool Believes'. McDonald co-wrote 'What a Fool Believes' with Kenny Loggins and it earned the songwriting duo a number one and a subsequent Grammy Award in 1979.

After The Doobie Brothers' farewell tour in 1982, McDonald embarked on a solo career and went from strength to strength with a series of hit singles both as a solo artist and as a songwriter collaborating with artists such as Van Halen, Aretha Franklin, Toto and Patti LaBelle. In 2010 he formed the supergroup The Dukes of September with Donald Fagen and Boz Scaggs who tour and play songs from the members' former careers. In 2014 he reunited with The Doobie Brothers for a 40th anniversary album which featured guest artists performing with them on some of their greatest hits. That same year he co-headlined a US tour with Toto.

In 2017, McDonald and Loggins featured on bassist Thundercat's track 'Show You the Way' taken from his album 'Drunk'. On the back of his renewed success, he released his first album of new material in 17 years, 'Wide Open'.