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Doobie Brothers (band)

“Ultimate Classic Rock” (April 18, 2014) (archived)

Rumor has it that Michael Jackson secretly recorded background vocals for the Doobie Brothers‘ hit ‘Minute by Minute’ record. But as the band’s Patrick Simmons reminded us during a recent conversation with Ultimate Classic Rock, rumors aren’t always true.

Simmons refuted the rumor point blank when asked about it, explaining, “No, it’s not. He was kidding around while someone had a video camera going. I don’t know if he ever told her the truth.”

However, as Simmons went on to tell us, a Doobies/MJ team-up actually could have happened during the ‘Minute by Minute’ sessions, if only the band had thought to ask. “He was a good guy — he was always hanging around a lot, and he did come into the studio for our rehearsals once in awhile,” he recalled. “I wish we had called him in for that, and I know he would have done it in a second, but I don’t think it ever entered our heads to invite him. I don’t know why — I guess because we were a band and we wanted to do everything ourselves.”

For anyone who took the rumor at face value, it might make you feel better to know that even if Jackson’s voice isn’t present in the mix for ‘Minute by Minute,’ that doesn’t mean they never performed together. As Simmons explains, “He did come and sing backgrounds with us on several occasions at shows.’