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In today's episode I talk with Michael McDonald, a true musical luminary whose soulful voice and exceptional keyboard skills have made an undeniable impact on popular music. From his groundbreaking work with the Doobie Brothers to his brilliant solo career to his significant contributions as a background vocalist for artists like Steely Dan and Christopher Cross, McDonald's journey is rich with melody and innovation. Join me as we delve into the stories behind his iconic career.

Yacht Rock: A Boatload Of Not-So-Guilty Pleasures The idea of yacht rock conjures up a particular lifestyle, but beneath the surface lies a treasure trove of sophisticated hits that continue to resonate. Published on September 22, 2023By Paul Sexton Artwork: UMGArtwork: UMG Even some of those who signed up to the subgenre subtleties of what became known as yacht rock may consider it to be a time-locked phenomenon. Certainly, its chief protagonists first cast their subtle soft-rock sophistication in the 70s and 80s, but its melodic echoes can still be heard all these decades later. Perhaps unusually, the phrase itself...

David Muse, best-known as the long-tenured multi-instrumentalist in Firefall, has died at the age of 73. “It is with a heavy heart that we must announce that our friend and loved one, David Muse, has lost his ongoing battle with cancer,” noted a message on the band’s official Facebook page. “David passed peacefully at home on Saturday morning with his wife Patty at his side. While we are heartbroken, we take solace in the knowledge that he is no longer in pain. His love and wonderful memories will stay with us forever and he will never be forgotten.” Muse was...

ATM's seem to have gotten very sophisticated since I first started using them back in the early 1980s. Back then, ATMs were a simple affair, you stuck in your card, punched in a four digit code, and out came a little bit of cash depending on the numbers you punched in. It seemed a magical thing at the time. I would rarely take out more than $40. Back in those days, it was a lot of cash to have in your wallet at one time, at least for me. On rare occasions when I took out more, I would furtively...

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s I worked in the music industry, doing marketing for record labels including Sony, Universal and Interscope Geffen A&M. My love for all things smooth, granted as a birthright to all born within the Santa Cruz county lines, never waned. I was often teased for being an aficionado of the soft-rock genre by colleagues at the office and bands I toured with. It was completely uncool to admit to being a fan of glossily produced songs in the era of indie rock, grunge and riot grrrls.

If Michael McDonald had followed his gut instinct, he may never have written the 1978 Doobie Brothers hit “What a Fool Believes.” The song, which he created with Kenny Loggins, topped the chart the following year and went on to win two Grammys, but as McDonald told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe recently, he almost abandoned the rough version. “The first verse was something I jotted down on an envelope … on a flight from New York back to L.A,” he said. “It just kind of popped in my head … and the piano verse was basically something that I’d been...

So there are not many women in the world of Yacht Rock. Sure, you hear plenty of women doing backing vocals on Yacht Rock tracks but very rarely, if ever, do they take the lead vocal. Not sure why that is. I mean women can be just as smooth and breezy as any man singing a Yacht Rock song. Case in point is Midnight At The Oasis - a smash hit from back in 1973 - by a woman named Maria Muldaur. I don't care what people say but this tune is a cornerstone of the Yacht Rock canon. I...

All it took was hearing the opening strains of Christopher Cross’ profound, “Sailing” online at SiriusXM’s new Yacht Rock channel online before bookmarking it on the computer. It was already locked in on the car radio. The station programming two-week trial began Aug, 21 at 5:00 p.m. ET on SiriusXM Channel 31. The good news is that it is a featured channel all the way through Labor Day weekend. The bad news is that, currently, that’s when it ends, too. If you love the music of Christopher Cross, Toto, Boz Scaggs, Steely Dan, Michael McDonald, Player, and more, this is...