What a Fool Believes: A Memoir

Ok, so I've been a fan of MM since I first heard "Taking it to the streets..." when I was in college in the winter of 1975 and thought "That's the Doobies??? Where's Tom and Pat? ...That was almost 50 years ago. What DID hit me was that voice and that song...and I never looked back. I love his music and always have...he could sing a phone book and I'd call it a hit...so there's that... I was blown away by that voice (and still am).... That said, this book is a must-read for anyone who is a fan or an amateur musician like me, who always wondered "What's it like to climb to that level in the music business and how does it affect your "normal" life. His modesty, combined with a wicked mid-western dry wit and excellent story-telling makes this a MUST read....His story is heartwarming and something younger musicians can learn a lot from, i.e. He frequently describes his lucky breaks but the truth is, despite his self-professed shortcomings...as the saying goes, "Luck favors the prepared"....and he worked his ass off, whether he admits it or not. He is also painfully honest about the the challenges he's overcome and the losses he's dealt with which is extremely heartwarming and relatable. I am so glad I read this book, and glad he and Paul Reiser (an excellent author/actor/musician himself) put it together and published it. It's such a gift. Buy it. Read it. and you will not be sorry you did. Thanks Mike.

Member of the Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan? Must be something to learn hear. A typical uninspired student in St. Louis gets in to music like so many others BUT, he was one of the few that found an escape. Asked to come to Los Angeles he quickly finds out it's not easy and heads for home only to get back out for one more try. But this time he grinds in the studio and playing at local bars meeting others in the industry who begin to see how good he is and eventually, he gets his shot. It never ceases to amaze me how these guys get very wealthy but really starve for quite some time to just make it. That's a passion that most people like me don't have instead choosing the business or some other career and the 40+ hour week. But Michael does make it and provides great facts of his journey. What sets this book/life apart is his early introduction to a lady he produces for who eventually becomes his lifelong love. That's not common of actors/entertainers and certainly not common with musicians who travel constantly. Michael breaks the mold and a lot of the book covers his private life from LA to Santa Barbara to Nashville and back. But through it all is the musical talent and the undeniable voice that gets him heard and allows him to do many co-records with other famous entertainers who enjoy his unique delivery. A book well-worth reading.

Back in 1978 the very first rock concert that I attended was The Doobie Brothers on the “Living On The Fault Line” tour at Wings Stadium in Kalamazoo Michigan. The lineup featured a young Michael McDonald and the show was great. McDonald would eventually lead the band down a road towards a more soul / r&b sound and away from the band’s rock roots. Although they became even more popular it was not a direction that I personally liked and the McDonald era albums tend to be my least favorite from the band. I also never warmed much to his solo career even though it seemed like he was everywhere for a time. Even though a lot of his music was not in my wheelhouse, I found this to be a very interesting book. Growing up in Fergusion Missouri, McDonald took an interesting road to Los Angeles playing in various bands before coming under the radar of Walter Becker and Donald Fagen of Steely Dan with whom he played on several big albums. That connection eventually led him to the Doobie Brothers where he finally was able to make a living and eventually become a superstar. McDonald struggled in poverty for many years playing in bars and any pickup bands he could find. He meets the woman who would eventually become his wife early in his life, but they do not get together for good until he had been around the horn for a while. McDonald suffered from self-doubt and a lack of confidence even after he had made it big in the industry. I was also not aware of his struggles with drugs and alcohol which he eventually conquered, but was a major factor in his life for many years. Today, he and his Doobies band mates tour together and his solo work has become a big part of the Yacht Rock phenomenon, something no one saw coming. Overall, I enjoyed this book, even though I am not a huge fan of most of his music. McDonald has played with many people over the years and this is a good musical memoir. Recommended.

Great book for a fan of Michael Mc Donald’s voice!

Always loved Michael McDonald. Good read if you’re interested in him and some tidbitsthat I didn’t know.

I saw an article about the audio book "What a Fool Believes" on AP News and decided to give it a try. It was a complete joy. Michael McDonald's descriptions of his time line and stories are so vivid I felt like I was there. Maybe I found it very relatable because I was a wannabe musician in my younger days. There's a lot of great behind the scenes trivia with the Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan as well as other major musicians and performers. I really appreciated his honesty and humility in presenting the happy and sad stories and events in his life. Every once in a while he would speak about vocal or keyboard techniques that he picked up along the way - which for a musician is a real bonus. There's a brief but very enjoyable podcast-like interview/dialog between Michael McDonald and is co-writer Paul Reiser at the end. Man I loved this audio book.

I am a big Michael McDonald fan. That being said, I can't recommend this book. It is 85% navel gazing, 15% music discussion. If you want to hear about Michael's intimate insecurities, then this is your book. Even in the midst of his discussion of his Doobie Brothers years, his insecurities were mostly discussed, and Doobie history hardly was touched on. So, of you want to see a behind the scenes expose of his music career, don't buy this book. If you want a wall to wall expose of his phobias, feelings, and insecurities, then buy it. It felt like a waste of money and time to me. The only lesson I learned was, again, fame, talent and money doesn't buy happiness.

Since his Steely Dan days I have been a Michael McDonald fan. That distinctive voice is incomparable. What struck me about the story of his career is that it all seemed to happen serendipitously. He met this person, and they knew this person and next thing you know he playing and touring with Steely Dan or the Doobies. I'm not taking anything away from his obvious God given talent. The other thing the book itself is very well written. I have read a number of rock & roll biographies/autobiographies, and the writing varies from good to awful. I also just watched the Yacht Rock documentary and apparently Michael is the so called king of yacht rock. I'm not sure if that is meant to be a good thing or not. I will say this, the music, bands, and songs they highlighted are some of the best songs ever written, and performed by some of the best musicians in the business.