Page "The Doobie Brothers" Paragraph 15

Under contract to release another album in 1976, the Doobies were at a crossroads.

Their primary songwriter and singer remained unavailable, so they turned to McDonald and Porter for material to supplement that of Simmons.

The resulting LP, Takin ' It to the Streets, debuted a radical change in their sound.

Their electric-guitar-based rock and roll gave way to a more soft rock and blue-eyed soul sound, emphasizing keyboards and horns and subtler, more syncopated rhythms.

Baxter contributed jazz-inflected guitar stylings reminiscent of Steely Dan ( as he had played with that group ), along with more emphasis on compound chords and unusual, complex chords and sophisticated progressions with key changes and longer, more developed melody lines.

Above all, McDonald's voice became the band's new signature sound.

Takin ' It to the Streets featured McDonald's title track and " It Keeps You Runnin '," both hits.

(" It Keeps You Runnin '" would be covered by Carly Simon, appearing on her album Another Passenger, with the Doobies backing her ).

Bassist Porter wrote and sang a tribute to the absent Johnston, entitled " For Someone Special.

" A greatest hits compilation, Best of the Doobies, followed before year's end.

In 1996, the Recording Industry Association of America certified Best of the Doobies " Diamond " for sales in excess of 10 million units.