Doobie Brothers, ‘Southbound’ — Album of the Month (November 2014)
The Boot's readers have voted the Doobie Brothers' 'Southbound' as November 2014's Album of the Month.
With 47 percent of the vote, the group's country tribute album beat out highly anticipated releases from Garth Brooks, Maddie and Tae, Neal McCoy, Trisha Yearwood and Zac Brown Band.
In their 40-plus-year career, the Doobie Brothers have sold more than 48 million albums and won four Grammy Awards. 'Southbound' features 12 of the band's iconic tunes, re-recorded by the band with Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, Zac Brown Band, Toby Keith, Chris Young, Charlie Worsham, Sara Evans, Jerrod Niemann, Tyler Farr, Casey James, Love and Theft, Vince Gill and Hunter Hayes. Former Doobie Brothers' vocalist Michael McDonald, who left the band in 1982 to focus on a solo career, also returned for the disc.
“It is so exciting to have Michael on this project,” David Huff, the album's producer, says. “He heard what we were doing and immediately wanted to be a part.”
The tribute album was also Huff's brain child. He approached the band with the idea and got the members on board.
“We had never thought of that ourselves. At the same time, we didn’t know there were people in the country genre that were fans of the band," band member Tom Johnston says. "So, it’s been an interesting project, and having heard the results, I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised.”
Country and rock fit well together, Johnston says, because of the former genre's rock tinges.
“Country has changed since the days of Hank Williams,” he says. “Truthfully, the traditional style of rock 'n' roll has kind of gone away. No one is representing it the way it used to be represented. Country music has sort of picked up the slack."
Sony Nashville's label head, Gary Overton, was also heavily involved in the project.
“The enduring appeal and influence of the Doobies runs deep," he says. "Artists have been telling me how excited they are to be a part of this project, and that alone speaks volumes about the amazing heritage of music that the Doobie Brothers have created."
Zac Brown says recording the band's 'Black Water' -- which hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 -- with the group was "a big honor."
"I hope that everyone enjoys our input,” he says. “It was really a lot of fun to record it. To get to record and to do things with the legends and with the people that are musical heroes, that’s the biggest honor as an artist.”
'Southbound' is set for release on Nov. 4. It is available for order here.
The Doobie Brothers, ‘Southbound’ Track Listing:
1. ‘Black Water’ with Zac Brown Band
2. ‘China Grove’ with Chris Young
3. ‘Jesus Is Just Alright’ with Casey James
4. ‘Listen to the Music’ with Blake Shelton, Hunter Hayes on guitar
5. ‘Long Train Runnin” with Toby Keith
6. ‘Nobody’ with Charlie Worsham
7. ‘Rockin’ Down the Highway’ with Brad Paisley
8. ‘South City Midnight Lady’ with Jerrod Niemann
9. ‘Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While)’ with Tyler Farr
10. ‘Takin’ It to the Streets’ with Love and Theft
11. ‘What a Fool Believes’ with Sara Evans
12. ‘You Belong to Me’ with Johnnyswim’s Amanda Sudano Ramirez, Vince Gill on guitar