Credit: Timothy WhiteFormer Doobie Brothers frontman Michael McDonald has taken it to the studio and recorded his first new album in almost a decade — Wide Open, which is due out September 15.
The record, which follows McDonald’s 2008 covers collection Soul Speak and is his first album of new original tunes since 2000’s Blue Obsession, features guest appearances by ex-Allman Brothers Band guitarist Warren Haynes, jazz-rock guitar whiz Robben Ford, and acclaimed jazz musicians Branford Marsalis and Marcus Miller.
McDonald recorded Wide Open in the Nashville studio he owns with veteran session drummer Shannon Forrest, who currently plays with Toto. He collaborated with Forrest on the record, which also features the talents of a variety of Nashville session musicians.
“This record is a different kind of record for me. It’s a very eclectic record; there’s no real fixed genre to it,” McDonald explained in a recent interview with Noisey. “It’s got kind of a weird, multi-textural feeling to it. Some of [the songs] are kind of rock, some of them are R&B things you would normally expect. It’s a very wide open kind of concept record.”
Michael has a variety of 2017 tour dates lined up in support of Wide Open. His schedule runs from a June 10 show in Lincoln, California, all the way through a November 17 concert in Los Angeles.
In addition, a special performance by McDonald celebrating the release of Wide Open will air as an episode of the PBS series Soundstage this fall.
Here are all of McDonald’s confirmed 2017 U.S. shows:
6/10 — Lincoln, CA, Thunder Valley Casino
6/12 — Sugar Land, TX, Smart Financial Centre
6/14 — San Antonio, TX, Tobin Center for the Performing Arts
6/16 — Thackerville, OK, WinStar World Casino
6/17 — Kansas City, MO, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
6/18 — Des Moines, IA, Hoyt Sherman Place
6/20 — Moline, IL, iWireless Center
6/23 — Aspen, CO, Jazz Aspen Snowmass – 6/Experience
6/25 — Denver, CO, Hudson Gardens & Event Center
6/27 — Highland Park, IL, Ravinia Festival
6/28 — Interlochen, MI, Interlochen Center for the Arts
6/30 — Lenox, MA, Tanglewood Music Festival
7/1 — Cohasset, MA, South Shore Music Circus
7/2 — Gilford, NH, Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion
7/7 — Hyannis, MA, Cape Cod Melody Tent
7/8 — Atlantic City, NJ, Tropicana Hotel & Casino
7/9 — Ridgefield, CT, Ridgefield Playhouse
7/12 — Dayton, OH, Fraze Pavilion
7/14 — Mequon, WI, Gathering on the Green
8/6 — Costa Mesa, CA, OC Fair & Event Center
8/8 — Saratoga, CA, Mountain Winery
8/10 — Woodinville, WA, Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery
8/11 — Spokane, WA, Northern Quest Resort & Casino
8/12 — Goldendale, WA, Maryhill Winery Amphitheater
8/15 — Livermore, CA, Wente Vineyards
8/16 — Paso Robles, CA, Vina Robles Amphitheatre
8/18 — Reno, NV, Carson Valley Inn Casino – TJ’s Corral
8/19 — West Wendover, NV, Peppermill Concert Hall
8/20 — Steamboat Springs, CO, Strings Music Festival
9/15 — Del Mar, CA, Kaaboo Festival
10/13 — Northfield, OH, Hard Rock Live
10/15 — New London, CT, Garde Arts Center
10/19 — New York, NY, Carnegie Hall
10/21 — Clearwater, FL, Clearwater Jazz Holiday at Coachman Park
10/22 — Atlanta, GA, Atlanta Symphony Hall
10/24 — Durham, NC, Durham Performing Arts Center
10/28 — Washington, DC, Warner Theatre
10/30 — Nashville, TN, Ryman Auditorium
11/2 — Minneapolis, MN, State Theatre
11/3 — St. Louis, MO, Peabody Opera House
11/4 — Memphis, TN, Orpheum Theatre
11/16 — Oakland, CA, Fox Theater
11/17 — Los Angeles, CA, Orpheum Theatre
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