Four-time Grammy winning band the Doobie Brothers with Michael McDonald are teaming up with country’s biggest stars including Toby Keith, Brad Paisley, Zac Brown Band, Sara Evans, Chris Young, Jerrod Niemann, Love and Theft, and more to be announced for an album of all-new recordings of the Doobie Brothers’ biggest hits.
Releasing later this year on Sony Music Nashville, the album was announced during Country Radio Seminar at Sony Music Nashville’s annual, invitation-only show aboard the General Jackson Showboat, which treated radio, media, and industry VIPs to a surprise performance by the Doobie Brothers collaborating with album stars Paisley, Evans, and Young.
The album has come together organically over the last few months with artists picking their favorite Doobie songs and recording them with the Doobies. Many of the artists have performed Doobie Brothers songs live in concert, and Sony Music Nashville label head Gary Overton’s first live concert was a Doobie Brothers show in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1972.
Overton shares, “Seeing the Doobie Brothers perform all those years ago was such a thrill for me. I loved their sound, and the enduring appeal and influence of the Doobies runs deep. Artists have been telling me how excited they are to be a part of this project, and that alone speaks volumes about the amazing heritage of music that the Doobie Brothers have created.”
The years have witnessed many changes in the Doobies, but the band’s most recent studio lineup harkens back to their earliest days. Simmons and Johnston continue to front the group. And multi-instrumentalist John McFee’s history with the Brothers dates back to 1978, after his stint with Southern Pacific. Michael McDonald returns to the Doobie Brothers for this project.
