Kenny Loggins "This Is It"

SIGN OF THE TIMES:

"This Is It" from Kenny Loggins charted on the Hot Soul Singles Chart in 1979. The chart has been renamed several times since then but, next time you think Soul music, try to remember the smooth Yacht Rock sounds of Loggins and Michael McDonald.

Carly Simon "You Belong to Me"

The other song from Carly Simon whose title starts with "You" is the 1978 hit "You Belong to Me". Throughout the years, numerous other artists remade the soft rock gem including Jennifer Lopez, Anita Baker and Chaka Khan. Chaka enlisted help from the smoothest voice in the land: Michael McDonald to sing the tune with her in her 2007 album Funk This. McDonald also charted a live version of the song while with the Doobie Brothers in 1983.

Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald "On My Own"

"On My Own" provides another example of a duet performed by two artists who were not in the same room together. Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald separately recorded their tracks for the chart-topping duet and the accompanying music video. These actions appear justified given the title of the song is "On My Own"...

Kenny Loggins "Heart to Heart"

Not to be confused with the early-'80s amateur detective television show Hart to Hart, Kenny Loggins' "Heart to Heart" was a soft rock hit on the radio in 1982. As with most of Loggins' early smooth gems, he recruited his buddy Michael McDonald for backup vocals and David Sanborn for the requisite '80s sax solo.

Aretha Franklin & Michael McDonald "Ever Changing Times"

Looking back at the musical legends lost in 2018 include the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. Her first hit ("Respect") happened in 1967 and, during her illustrious career, she managed to rack up 18 Grammy Awards. Her voice synonymous with the #METOO movement decades before it even began. Another tidbit about Aretha is she performed at the inaugurations of three US Presidents: Carter, Clinton and Obama. After announcing her retirement in 2017, she died of pancreatic cancer on August 16, 2018.

James Ingram & Michael McDonald "Ya Mo B There"

"Nothing against him [Michael McDonald], but if I hear 'Yah Mo B There' one more time, I'm gonna 'yah mo' burn this place to the ground!"

-Taken from The 40-Year-Old Virgin

Doobie Brothers "Real Love"

The funniest scene from the 1984 movie "Romancing the Stone" is when Michael Douglas' character seeks shelter from the rain on an abandoned airplane in the jungle and begins reading an old newspaper he found on the plane.

Jack Colton: God dammit man, the Doobie Brothers broke up! Shit! When did that happen?
Joan Wilder: How long have you been down here?
Jack Colton: Aww man. Forever. I don’t know.

Doobie Brothers "What A Fool Believes"

BELIEVE IT OR NOT?

Michael Jackson once boasted to his pal Elizabeth Taylor that he provided backing vocals for the Doobie Brother's Minute By Minute album--specifically for the title track as well as the album's biggest hit: "What A Fool Believes". Members of the Doobie Brothers dispute this story.

Christopher Cross "All Right"

SCTV famously spoofed Michael McDonald (played by Rick Moranis) driving across Los Angeles in order to make it to a sound studio to record background vocals on Christopher Crosses "Ride Like The Wind". It's funny because it's true. McDonald again appeared on Crosses 1983 hit "All Right".

The Doobie Brothers "Black Water"

"Old black water, keep on rollin'
Mississippi moon, won't you keep shinin' on me"

Michael McDonald "No Lookin' Back"

Michael McDonald teamed up with fellow Yacht Rocker Kenny Loggins (as well as Ed Sanford) to write "No Lookin' Back".  There's really not much left to say about this tune.

Nicolette Larson - "Let Me Go, Love"

The buttery smooth voice of Michael McDonald supports Nicolette Larson in the 1979 dentist office favorite, "Let Me Go, Love".  While the song isn't considered a duet, one listen to the tune and you'll agree McDonald does more than just provide backing vocals -- in fact, some have argued that his voice overshadowed hers.

Michael McDonald - "Sweet Freedom"

My Dad's surprise 50th birthday featured some band that (for whatever reason) let my brother's friend Jeff sing a song.  Jeff is a man of many impressions including an elderly African American man and former Doobie Brothers' singer Michael McDonald.  So, Jeff sang a Michael McDonald tune with the band.  I never asked my Dad how he felt about that...

Michael McDonald - "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"

Michael McDonald did a series of television commercial for MCI's "The Neighborhood" phone calling promotion that featured him singing the Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell hit "Ain't No Mountain High Enough".  Within a matter of years, MCI was gone.  Michael McDonald continues touring and recently toured with acts such as Boz Scaggs and Toto.

Teddy Pendergrass - "Love T.K.O."

While Teddy Pendergrass is best known for the 1980 soulful ballad "Love T.K.O.", David Oliver actually recorded and released it the same year.  Numerous Adult Contemporary artists have also covered the tune including Hall & Oates, Michael McDonald, Boz Scaggs, and Bette Midler.

Toto - "I'll Be Over You"

When it's 1980-something and you needed some backing vocals to your Adult Contemporary song, who ya gonna call?  MICHAEL McDONALD!  Patti LaBelle, Kenny Loggins, and even James Ingram (Mr. Ya Mo Be There) picked up the phone and dialed Mr. Michael McDonald when their song needed some smooth vocals.  Thankfully, someone passed Michael's phone number to Toto and they speed dialed him in 1986 for some help on "I'll Be Over You".  Obviously, the song shot to #1 and became their second #1 Adult Contemporary hit.

Christopher Cross - "Ride Like The Wind"

I missed Will Ferrell as Ron Burgundy performing "Ride Like the Wind" with Christopher Cross on Jimmy Kimmel Live.  This song exemplified 1980's Adult Contemporary music.  Thanks for keeping it alive, Ron!

Rod Stewart - "The Motown Song"

So many songs on Adult Contemporary radio stations take their cues from Motown.  Some artists simply covered Motown standards while artists such as Hall & Oates, Paul Young, and Michael McDonald all dipped their toes in the Motown sound with a genre known as "Blue-Eyed Soul".  In the case of Rod Stewart, he actually borrowed a couple of The Temptations for song properly entitled "The Motown Song".  The result: soccer moms across America rejoiced and proudly sang along while driving their kids to school in their Ford Tauruses.

Michael McDonald - "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)"

With smooth vocals and a killer bass line, "I Keep Forgettin" was a song begging to be sampled.  Michael McDonald scored his first solo hit with this tune with his first post-Doobie Brothers effort.  The song peaked at #4 on the pop charts in 1982.  Then in 1994, Warren G. picked up where Michael left off and took the song to #1 with "Regulate", a song that sampled McDonald's gem.  The backup vocals on "I Keep Forgettin" are actually those of McDonald's sister.