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In the year 1969, vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Tom Johnston along with drummer John Hartman formed the core of what would become "The Doobie Brothers." Skip Spence of Moby Grape (formerly of "Jefferson Airplane") introduced them after Hartman arrived in California intending to meet Spence and be part of an unsuccessful Grape reunion.
Bandmates Johnston and Hartman called their new group "Pud" and experimented with different members (occasionally including Spence) and musical styles as they played around San Jose area.
In 1970, they teamed up with bassist Dave Shogren and vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Patrick Simmons. Simmons, who had some history as part of several local groups, and also did some time as a solo artist, was already an experienced fingerstyle player whose technique complemented Johnston's rhythmic R&B strumming. During an interview, Tom Johnston credited the band's eventual name to housemate Keith "Dyno" Rosen, who noticed the guys' fondness for "doobies." They agreed that the new name was an improvement over "Pud," for reasons that may or not be obvious.
"The Doobie Brothers" have sold over 22 million albums in the United States from the 1970's to the present. They were inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame during 2004.
