The Doobie Brothers

How could a band whose 1978 hit single, 'What a Fool Believes,' is a soft-rock radio favorite count the Hell's Angels among its early fans? Perhaps The Doobie Brothers' mellow tunes played counterpoint to the heavy-metal fare, but the band successfully carved its niche in the 1970's with this enduring, laid-back, touch-of-soul sound. California quartet Tom Johnston, John Hartman, John Shogren, and Patrick Simmons adopted the slang term for marijuana as their moniker and released their first album in 1971. Tepid reception led to a personnel shake-up, Michael Hossack on drums and breakthrough album, "Toulouse Street" in 1972. "Takin' It to the Streets" in 1976 marked the band's jazzy-pop, light funk phase, peaking with "Minute By Minute" in '78. The band broke up after the 1983 "The Doobie Brothers Farewell Tour," reunited for a Hollywood Bowl appearance in 1987 and, two albums later, hit the oldies circuit. The Doobie Brothers persevere, turning out new albums and showing up on tour. The band continues to tweak the roster: "Sibling Rivalry", released in 2001, features originals Hossack, Johnston, and Simmons with John McFee on guitar and Keith Knudsen on drums.