John McFee
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John McFee, (born November 18, 1953), is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. One of his first exploits was playing pedal steel guitar on Van Morrison's Tupelo Honey. He played with Huey Lewis in Clover and also worked with Elvis Costello, but is probably best known for his work with the Doobie Brothers.
He joined the Doobies in 1979, replacing the departing pedal steel guitarist Jeff Baxter. McFee featured on the Doobie's ninth studio album One Step Closer. Although he was not hired to do a lead vocal, he co-wrote the title track with Doobies drummer Keith Knudsen and the legendary Carly Simon as well as the instrumental "South Bay Strut" with co-drummer Chet McCracken.
After the Doobies disbanded in 1982, McFee and Knudsen formed the country-rock group Southern Pacific, which also included ex-Creedence Clearwater Revival bassist Stu Cook. Though McFee and Knudsen were committed to Southern Pacific, they co-wrote the song "Time Is Here And Gone" on the Doobies' 1989 reunion album Cycles with late Doobies percussionist Bobby LaKind.
By 1993, both men had rejoined the Doobie Brothers. So far, barring live albums, the only fruit of this line-up has been 2000's Sibling Rivalry. McFee's lead vocals were finally heard on a tune he co-wrote called "Angels of Madness."
John McFee's long-term partnership with Keith Knudsen was sadly terminated by Knudsen's death from chronic pneumonia in 2005.
John and his wife Marcy live near Santa Barbara, California.[1]
[edit] Discography
[edit] with The Doobie Brothers
- One Step Closer (1980) (US #3)
- Farewell Tour [Live] (1983) (US #79)
- Rockin' Down the Highway: The Wildlife Concert [Live] (1996)
- Best of the Doobie Brothers Live [Live] (1999) (single CD of Wildlife Concert tunes)
- Sibling Rivalry (2000)
- Live at Wolf Trap [Live] (2004)
