Doobie Brothers

The Doobie Brothers will perform on Wednesday, Sept. 19th at 7:30 p.m. at the Puyallup Fair & Events Center. The concert, part of the Columbia Bank’s Puyallup Fair Concert Series will start selling tickets on Saturday, April 28 at 10 a.m. on the Fair website, www.thefair.com/concerts or by phone (888) 559-FAIR (3247), daily, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. PST. To save the convenience charges, purchase tickets in person at the Puyallup Fair & Events Center box office at 9th Avenue SW and Meridian Street on Saturdays,… Show more 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., and Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. All seats are reserved and include Fair gate admission.

Few groups have the notoriety of performing for 21 consecutive years. The Doobie Brothers is one of those elite bands. With hit songs, “Black Water,” “What a Fool Believes,” “Real Love,” and “Long Train Running” in their vast book of hits, over 35 million fans have clamored to hear them perform time and again.

With 16 albums under their belts, the latest release, World Gone Crazy is an analogy for the Doobie Brothers as a whole. The album has perfectly honored the band’s legacy with an offering that grows in unexpected new directions. While the band has had countless changes in personnel, it is comforting to know that founding members Tom Johnston and Pat Simmons are the writers and lead vocalists on this latest work of art.

The group started back in 1969 when drummer John Hartman arrived in California, and soon after was introduced to singer, guitarist and songwriter Tom Johnston. They called their fledgling group Pud, and worked with several artists to find the right mix. In 1970 they signed up with bass player Dave Shogren and singer, guitarist and songwriter Patrick Simmons, and The Doobie Brothers started performing all over Northern California. At the start, they had a strong following of Hells Angels chapter members, with a sound their audience loved.

In 1974 that sound changed to their trademark amalgam of R&B, country, bluegrass, hard rock, roadhouse boogie, fun and rock and roll. The release of The Captain and Me brought with it “Long Train Runnin’” and “China Grove.” The group’s first #1 hit, “Black Water” was a signature song of Simmons’ that same year when Vices was released.

In the spring of 1975 a singer, songwriter and keyboardist Michael McDonald joined the group, and became an important part of their sound. Takin’ It to the Streets had a softer rock and blue-eyed soul sound, emphasizing keyboards and horns and subtler, more syncopated rhythms. Their electric guitar-based rock and roll sound fell by the wayside. This new sound made them a crossover pop-R&B-rock sensation, which also put their name on the charts more frequently.

By 1978 their most successful album, Minute by Minute was released. It spent five weeks at the top of the music charts and was on heavy rotation on radio stations for two solid years. “What a Fool Believes,” written by McDonald and Kenny Loggins, was the band’s second No 1 single on the Billboard chart. In 1980 the song received a Grammy Award for Record of the Year, and The Doobie Brothers received another Grammy for Pop Vocal Performance by a Group.

The next decade brought more albums, including One Step Closer, which was certified Platinum, and produced the Top 10 hit, “Real Love.” Shortly after that the group elected to disband, and the Farewell Tour took place in 1982. After a five-year hibernation, the group reformed and successful reunions took place. Their popularity continues, with the group providing the half-time entertainment for the FedEx Orange Bowl football game on January 1, 2009. For further information, visit their official website at www.doobiebrothers.net.

More acts will be announced in the coming months for the Puyallup Fair 2012 Columbia Bank Concert Series. Visit the Fair website, www.thefair.com/concerts for updates, or sign up at www.thefair.com to receive email or text announcements prior to the concert on-sale dates.

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