During their early career, The Doobie Brothers explored various styles and influences, including rock, R&B, southern rock, country, and folk, but above all, their sound was defined by powerful guitars, the common denominator of their unmistakable style. This was spearheaded by the duo of Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons, two formidable guitarists distinguished by their impetuous style, backed by an effective rhythm section. During this initial period, they produced successful albums of tremendous rock, such as "The Captain and Me" (1973) and "Stampede" (1975). After the latter, one of their key figures, Johnston, began to lose prominence to the new singer, Michael McDonald, who became a fundamental part of the band's stylistic shift towards a more commercial direction. From their very first album with the new singer, the band moved towards more sophisticated sounds, closely aligned with jazz and soul, with touches of funk. By then, the band's lineup was very different from its original early days. In addition to McDonald, guitarist Jeff "Skink" Baxter had joined, accompanying Simmons and Johnston. Like the singer, both came from Steely Dan. The new rhythm section consisted of drummer John Hartman and bassist Keith Knudsen. This new lineup released the brilliant "Takin' It To The Streets" (1976), which already contained the elements that would later make them even more successful, and which continued with the even more jazz-influenced "Livin' On The Fault Line" a year later. But it wasn't until 1978 with the monumental "Minute By Minute", on which Tom Johnston no longer participated, that The Doobie Brothers radically changed their style, adopting a sound completely infused with soul, funk, and rhythm and blues, where keyboards took center stage at the expense of guitars, resulting in a truly spectacular sound. Rich vocal harmonies, witty and sharp lyrics, and catchy melodies dominate most of the tracks, as demonstrated by the melodic and irresistible "What A Fool Believes", a number one hit on the charts, the jazzy "Minute By Minute", and the infectious "Open Your Eyes" and "How Do The Fools Survive". However, they didn't abandon their rock roots with the glorious "Don't Stop To Watch The Wheels", while the remaining tracks maintained a high standard, such as the instrumental country song "Streamer Lane Breakdown" and the festive "Dependin' On You".
This radical change in style earned The Doobie Brothers their first number one album, a triple platinum record for its enormous sales, and three Grammy Awards.
