Lawrence Lanahan

With his husky, soulful baritone, Michael McDonald became one of the most distinctive and popular vocalists to emerge from the laid-back California pop/rock scene of the late '70s. After singing backup on several Steely Dan albums in the mid-'70s, McDonald joined the Doobie Brothers in 1977. He was largely responsible for moving the group away from boogie rock and toward polished, jazzy blue-eyed soul. Prior to the Doobies' farewell tour in 1982, he sang harmony on several hit singles, including tracks by Donna Summer, Toto, Kenny Loggins, and Christopher Cross. As it turned out, his solo work was a cross between the Doobie Brothers' white-bread soul and Cross' adult contemporary ballads. In 1983, he had a Top 20 pop hit with "Yah Mo B There," which won a Grammy. The following year, his duet with Patti LaBelle, "On My Own," shot to No. 1 and "Sweet Freedom," his theme for the Billy Crystal/Gregory Hines comedy Running Scared, climbed into the Top 10. Thanks to a telephone advertisement featuring his version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," McDonald's album Motown renewed his popularity. He followed it with Motown Two in 2004. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide