Longevity has its benefits, particularly when you have a band like The Doobie Brothers, who have continued to be creatively vibrant throughout a 55-year career. While there have been breaks over the decades, the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers are back on the road with new material they’ll be doling out alongside their classic cuts when they hit the Jones Beach stage on Aug. 10.
With 15 studio albums under their collective belt, the Doobies have avoided becoming a classic rock oldies band and have instead stayed relevant by releasing “Walk This Road,” the band’s most recent studio effort, back in June. Reuniting with John Shanks (Melissa Etheridge/Sheryl Crow), who had also produced the preceding “Liberté” back in 2021, the California outfit also marked a first in creating the first-ever studio album featuring the principals Tom Johnston, Patrick Simmons, John McFee and Michael McDonald. It was a richly rewarding experience for Simmons.
“Getting it done was our job and satisfying in that regard,” he said. “We enjoyed working on the songs and I think it came out good. We’ll see if other folks feel the same. But we had a good time doing it and are proud of it. We always try to do our best musically.”
Reuniting with McDonald for the band’s seminal 50th anniversary tour in 2021 was the spark that lit the fuse for the Doobies to carry that creative momentum into the studio. It was something all the band members were on board for, according to Simmons.
“We never pressure anyone to do anything because with our schedules being what they are, there’s often a lot to juggle,” he said. “Family comes first, so between that and everything else we’re involved with, that can sometimes be a challenge. But when we asked Mike how he felt about joining us in the studio, he was all in.”
Shanks provided the idea of how “Walk This Road” should reflect the journey. The Doobies have traveled. It’s a career that went through the ’70s sitcom “What’s Happening” and, most recently, found the band getting inducted into the Rock & Roll and Songwriters Hall of Fame. Not unlike The Band and Creedence Clearwater Revival, Simmons and company responded with 10 songs that reflect how much of a cornerstone of American roots the Doobie Brothers are. Highlights include songs with nods to the sounds of the Crescent City (the syncopated “The Kind That Lasts” and mid-tempo rocker “New Orleans”), Memphis soul (a horn-kissed “Call Me”) and protest-informed gospel (the Bonnie Raitt-like title cut featuring a guest turn by the ageless Mavis Staples). That love of delving into different musical styles made sense to Simmons, dating back to a childhood being taught the rudiments of playing by a babysitter who got him started playing piano at the tender age of 5.
“That’s my first recollection of music, enjoying it and beginning to understand that along with the feeling music can give,” he recalled. “It was the best.”
Simmons eventually pivoted from piano to guitar, where his original six-string idols were Elvis Presley, Ricky Nelson and Chuck Berry. For someone who is never far from a guitar, Simmons was more than happy to share other fret-benders who inspired him.
Not surprisingly, it’s a fairly diverse list.
Elvin Bishop (October 21, 1942 to present)
“I used to think it was all Michael Bloomfield, but I now realize it was Elvin Bishop who was also one of the great blues players. Michael was a great guitar player, but Elvin is as good as they come.”
Tommy Emmanuel (May 31, 1955 to present)
“He’s probably one of my favorite guitarists at the moment. He’s mostly an acoustic player, but he can play most anything. He’s a great picker, a great strummer, a great writer and a great technician. He’s the king of the melody. I love Tommy.”
Gary Moore (April 4, 1952 to February 6, 2011)
“Gary is one of my favorite blues players. I think he’s one of the great blues players of all time. He’s a great singer. I love his singing. I kind of put him and Stevie Ray Vaughan on the same pedestal. Those two guys, for me, are the greatest blues players. Hendrix is up there, of course. Again, I’m talking about blues players. B.B. King and Albert King. They’re all my favorite blues guys.”
Chet Atkins (June 20, 1924 to June 30, 2001)
“Chet Atkins is one of the great, underappreciated guitarists. Guitar players probably appreciate him. For me, he’s one of the great pickers of all time. Doc Watson I’d put in that place along with country guys like Don Rich, Glen Campbell and Roy Clark.”
The Doobie Brothers will be appearing on Aug. 10 at @ Northwell at Jones Beach Theater, 1000 Ocean Parkway, Wantagh. For more information, visit www.jonesbeach.com or call 800-745-3000.
