The Doobie Brothers are featured on the latest episode of NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers squeezed their full eight-man touring lineup into the small Tiny Desk office space at NPR’s headquarters in New York City for the performance.
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The Doobies played a four-song set that featured three of their biggest hits, plus a song from their latest studio album, 2025’s Walk This Road. The performance was recorded in August during the group’s summer tour in support of Walk This Road.
The set kicked off with an inspired rendition of the band’s soulful 1976 hit “Takin’ It to the Streets,” featuring Michael McDonald on lead vocals and keyboards. After finishing the tune, the unseen audience applauded loudly, prompting co-founding singer/guitarist Tom Johnston to comment, “Wow, you guys are overwhelming. That’s amazing. Hell, it’s not like this at gigs. We just played [at the Jones Beach amphitheater in Wantagh, New York] last night, and you’re all outdoing them. It’s pretty cool.”
Next up was the Doobies’ chart-topping 1974 hit “Black Water,” sung by co-founding singer/guitarist Pat Simmons. For the performance, McDonald played mandolin then switched back to keyboards, while longtime member John McFee handled the roots-rock tune’s iconic fiddle parts. Simmons got the crowd to sing and clap along at the end section of the tune.
Pat then introduced the next song, a tune from Walk This Road called “Angels & Mercy.” “We’re gonna try doing a new song for you, which is normally loud and crazy, but we’re gonna try doing it bluegrass style, I guess,” he noted.
McDonald was back on mandolin and McFee on fiddle for this tune.
The Finale of The Doobie Brothers’ Tiny Desk Performance
Simmons then introduced the final song, saying, “Here’s the first successful, I don’t know, our first hit single here we’re gonna play for you.” Simmons and Johnston proceeded to invite the audience to sing along as the band kicked into the enduring 1972 classic “Listen to the Music,” which was written and sung by Tom.
During the breakdown section, the crowd enthusiastically clapped and sang the chorus.
As the concert came to an end, the audience cheered wildly. Johnston remarked, “Thank you so much. You people are unbelievable.”
More About The Doobie Brothers
In addition to McDonald, Simmons, Johnston, and McFee, the Doobie Brothers lineup featured bassist John Cowan, sax player Marc Russo, drummer Ed Toth, and former Allman Brothers Band percussionist Marc Quiñones.
The band has just one more concert left on its 2025 tour schedule, a December 5 show in Lincoln, California.
The Doobie Brothers have had an eventful year. Walk This Road, which was released in June, is the first album of new original songs by the band to feature McDonald since 1980’s One Step Closer.
Also in June, McDonald, Simmons, and Johnston were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
(Photo by Grace Raver/Courtesy of NPR)
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