That ’70s Show: Doobie Brothers to play Sangamon Auditorium tonight

The Doobie Brothers’ total worth is greater than the sum of the band’s parts.

The group, which performs tonight at Sangamon Auditorium, has had sounds ranging from laid-back country-rock to funky-electric R&B.

That owes primarily to three distinct leaders during the band’s 1970s heyday.

Formed as a Northern California bar band, the Doobie Brothers first found wide success with its second album, “Toulouse Street” (1972).

At the time, the group was under the leadership of founding member Tom Johnston.

In the early years, it scored hits with “Listen to the Music,” “Jesus Is Just Alright,” “Long Train Runnin’” and “China Grove.”

The laid-back vibe and catchy hooks of these songs are backed by acoustic guitars and — in the case of “Listen to the Music” — a banjo.

It’s all right there in the group’s name, which its website defines as “a kind of pasture grass.” The “Rolling Stone Album Guide” has another toke — oops, that was supposed to be “take” — saying the group was “named after the ... end of a joint.”

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Article by Brian Mackey
The State Journal-Register
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