Who is Michael McDonald? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Age: 71 Years, 71 Year Old Males

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Amy Holland (m. 1983)

Born Country: United States

Pop Singers Keyboardists

Ancestry: Irish American

U.S. State: Missouri

City: St. Louis, Missouri

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Childhood & Early Life

Michael McDonald was born in Ferguson, Missouri, into an Irish American Catholic family on February 12, 1952.

He attended McCluer High School where he performed in his first band ‘Mike and the Majestics’. He also played in other local groups, including Reebtoors, Jerry Jay and the Sheratons, and the Guild.

McDonald moved to Los Angeles in 1970 to pursue his career in music.

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Career

Michael McDonald initially wrote and sang songs for albums of other artists. In 1974, he was hired by Steely Dan as an in-studio member. He also worked as a keyboardist and background singer for the Steely Dan albums.

He also joined hands with the Doobie Brothers in April 1975. This band initially asked him to perform in place of their lead singer Tom Johnston who was ill at that time. However, the band members liked the work of McDonald so much that they asked him to join as a full-time member.

He worked for the band as the lead singer and song writer and took it to great heights, producing smash hits, such as the single ‘What a Fool Believes.’ This song also brought a Grammy Award for him.

He also collaborated with his contemporaries—Toto, Christopher Cross, Bonnie Raitt, Jack Jones, and Kenny Loggins—working as a keyboardist and session vocalist on their songs and albums.

After the separation from the Doobie Brothers in the early 1980s, Michael McDonald continued as a solo artist and released his first album ‘If That's What it Takes’ in 1982.

In 1983, his single done in partnership with James Ingram – ‘Yah Mo B There’ peaked at number 5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. This duet also won a prestigious Grammy Award for the duo.

In 1986, he performed a duet with Patti LaBelle titled ‘On My Own’ which grabbed the number 1 position on Billboard Hot 100. Later that year, McDonald worked as a backing vocalist for Toto's album ‘Fahrenheit.’

In 1987, he collaborated with the gospel music quartet ‘The Winans’ for their album titled ‘Love Has No Color’. A few years later, in 1990, he worked on his album ‘Take It to Heart’ which also featured Diane Warren as one of the songwriters.

In 1992, he teamed with Donald Fagen and Steely Dan's Walter Becker for a touring group, the New York Rock & Soul Revue.

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In 1995, he briefly rejoined the Doobie Brothers for an expedition. Three years later, he toured for Stevie Nicks.

Michael McDonald sang the backing vocals for the Warren Brothers' album ‘Beautiful Day in the Cold Cruel World’ in 1999. The same year, he also gave vocals for one of three tracks on Chicago XXVI: Live in Concert.

In 2000, Michael McDonald partnered with Jeff Bridges and Chris Pelonis and founded a record label “Ramp Records”. He toured with Boz Scaggs and Donald Fagan in 2010. He has even performed with Holy Ghost, the electronic group. He has also given his contributions to the television shows ‘American Idol’ and ‘30 Rock.’

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Major Works

Michael McDonald first worked as a replacement keyboard artist for the Doobie Brothers. The band was so impressed with him that it asked him to perform as the lead singer as well as song writer. He transformed the group’s music from funky rock to more of a jazzy R&B sound. He initially used his signature style for the Doobie Brothers and produced hits like ‘Taking It to the Streets’ and ‘What a Fool Believes.’

In 1982, he released his solo album – ‘If That's What It Takes.’ The album climbed to number 6 on the US Billboard 200 and number 10 on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

In 1983, he gave another Top 20 pop hit ‘Yah Mo B There’ (Grammy Award–winning) for which he worked in collaboration with James Ingram. The single reached number 19 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

In 1986, his single ‘On My Own’ done in partnership with Patti LaBelle shot to number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and also on the US Billboard Hot Black Singles.

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Awards & Achievements

Michael McDonald’s song, ‘What a Fool Believes,’ co-written with Kenny Loggins, won three Grammy Awards including “Song of the Year Award” in 1979.

His single with James Ingram, ‘Yah Mo B There,’ won the Grammy Award for “Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group” in 1984.

In 2011, Berklee College of Music awarded him the degree of Honorary Doctorate of Music.

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Personal Life & Legacy

Michael McDonald has been married to Amy Holland, a singer, since 1983. The couple has two children - Dylan (born in 1987) and Scarlett (born in 1991). The family moved to Santa Barbara in the 1990s.

He has spoken out on his struggles with alcoholism and his recovery from the same.

Humanitarian Works

The singer has also performed for various recovery organizations like Alcoholics Anonymous to support the cause of rehabilitation of alcoholics.

Trivia

He performed live at the Danish Music Awards via satellite with the music group Safri Duo.

McDonald is often mistaken for Council speaker of the Whittier City, Doobie McDonald.

When Michael McDonald and Patti LaBelle first recorded their song ‘On My Own’, both the artists didn’t actually meet. It was only after June 1986 that the artists finally met!

Michael McDonald Biography