Something kept Michael McDonald from telling his story publicly – himself. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, who has won multiple Grammy Awards, never thought he was winning a Grammy.
McDonald, a member of Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers who became a rare soul solo artist with hits like “On My Own” and “Sweet Freedom,” believes he is one of the few in rock history I believed he was just a small player.
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“I was scared, ‘How much of a story is this going to take?’ My experience is that you’re almost living vicariously through other people’s accomplishments,” MacDonald said in an interview.
At the urging of his friend, actor and comedian Paul Reiser, MacDonald finally decided to make his story his own this spring with his raw and humble memoir, What a Fool Believes, released May 21. became.
This is a portrait of a remarkable singer-songwriter who has seen the highs and lows of her career, battled alcoholism and self-doubt, endured popularity and ridicule, and rejuvenated herself.
Michael McDonald of the Doobie Brothers poses for a portrait at a showbiz studio in Los Angeles on August 17, 2021. MacDonald has a new memoir titled “What a Fool Believes.” (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
“I think we both realized that this is actually just a story about how random life can be, no matter how much we think we plan. , no matter how far you think there is a direction you want to go in,” he said. . “What we really need to do is be prepared for life to change little by little and to go with the flow.”
Reiser said in a separate interview that the book grew out of conversations between the two, and that he asked many questions, mostly about MacDonald’s life. “It’s completely selfish. I just wanted to read it,” Riser said.
“Everyone is in awe of his voice. Everyone loves the music he makes. But I don’t think anyone knows anything about him,” he added. “He just floats around on a frequency that doesn’t get a lot of attention.”
The book begins in 1971 with the author in the county jail, hungover. McDonald, 19, was arrested after falling asleep in a pancake house after a 48-hour binge on cocaine and Jack Daniels. That’s an omen.
It then chronicles McDonald’s journey from his impoverished roots in St. Louis, Missouri, to touring the world with two classic rock outfits, despite his “propensity for making bad choices.”
From his first band, playing at picnics and civic events with a homemade guitar at the age of 12, MacDonald moved on to local professional band Jerry Jay and the Sheratons, and then touring band The Delrays. participated in. At age 18, RCA Records gave him $3,000 to fly him to Los Angeles, but his debut album was scrapped and he was removed from the label. “My burgeoning star came crashing down to earth,” he wrote.
He drove back to California a few months later, this time with a more solid offer for a session job. “He was determined not to return to St. Louis until he had something to show for his efforts,” he wrote.
His career skyrocketed after he was asked to perform backing vocals and keys for Steely Dan. His unique, soulful voice graced memorable songs on Steely His Dan’s classic albums, including “Katy Lied,” “The Royal Scam,” “Aja,” and “Gaucho.” (He sings in the background of “Peg.”)
When Steely Dan stopped touring, McDonald jumped ship to another ’70s icon, the Doobie Brothers. In 1975, on the eve of the release of their fifth album, original lead singer Tom Johnston was hospitalized and was unable to tour. The band added McDonald to the lineup to replace him and gave him 48 hours to learn the entire set.
McDonald was asked to permanently join the Doobies and was paid a weekly salary of $1,500 and a $100 per diem. Their change in direction from country rock and blues boogie to a smoother, more soulful sound will likely divide opinion.
“There is no denying that there was an atmosphere of infighting within our ranks, and I intend to be the first to claim some responsibility in that department,” McDonald wrote.
McDonald’s isn’t shy about showing the ugly parts of his life, from his crab eating habits when he was young to his acid reflux when he was older. He has admitted to showing up drunk to a rehabilitation support group two days in a row, one time wearing a bathrobe with a joint in his mouth and a salad bowl full of charms on his chest. There was also a time when I was exposed.
“If you’re going to tell a story, you should tell the whole story,” he said in an interview. “We all reach our destination in spite of ourselves, and I think that’s what this story is about.”
Musicians who read this book will receive lessons in tour etiquette and songwriting, including very specific details such as the chromatically descending II-V chord progression.
Fans will also get stories about playing basketball with James Taylor and good advice on opening for Cher. “Generally speaking, if you see a guy in a Cher wig and gown standing in a chair pointing his finger, it’s time to go.” “
In addition to his solo albums, McDonald has also sung on songs by Elton John, Luther Vandross, Kenny Loggins, and Christopher Cross (on Cross’s “Ride Like the Wind,” McDonald sings “Such a long way to (He’s singing “Go!”) He won a Grammy Award. He gave a nod to “Sweet Freedom” from the movie Running Scared, teamed with James Ingram on “Yah Mo B There” and Patti LaBelle on “On My Own.”
Eventually, McDonald became the butt of jokes because of his tendency to appear on other artists’ songs. “No one wanted to hear another Michael McDonald background vocal. I may have dipped into that well somewhere between 50 and 1000 times more often,” he wrote.
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Redemption occurred in the 2000s when McDonald’s began issuing Motown cover albums to positive reviews. He has recorded with Solange Knowles and Grizzly Bear, and appeared at the 2017 Coachella festival with jazz-funk bassist Thundercat.
MacDonald, 72, said writing the book gave her an opportunity to look back and let go of resentment toward people she had long perceived as getting in her way. “I probably owe those guys more than I have any reason to hold a grudge,” he says.
