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Slacker sits down with Alec Baldwin to talk about his NEW movie The Boss Baby: Family Business Rated PG. In theaters and streaming on Peacock now.

If Yankee Stadium is “the house that Babe Ruth built,” Stax Records is “the house that Booker T, and the MG's built.” Integral to that potent combination is MG rhythm guitarist extraordinaire Steve Cropper. As a guitarist, A & R man, engineer, producer, songwriting partner of Otis Redding, Eddie Floyd and a dozen others and founding member of both Booker T. and the MG's and The Mar-Keys, Cropper was literally involved in virtually every record issued by Stax from the fall of 1961 through year end 1970.Such credits assure Cropper of an honored place in the soul music hall of fame. As co-writer of (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay, Knock On Wood and In The Midnight Hour, Cropper is in line for immortality. Born on October 21, 1941 on a farm near Dora, Missouri, Steve Cropper moved with his family to Memphis at the age of nine. In Missouri he had been exposed to a wealth of country music and little else. In his adopted home, his thirsty ears amply drank of the fountain of Gospel, R & B and nascent Rock and Roll that thundered over the airwaves of both black and white Memphis radio. Bit by the music bug, Cropper acquired his first mail order guitar at the age of 14. Personal guitar heroes included Tal Farlow, Chuck Berry, Jimmy Reed, Chet Atkins, Lowman Pauling of the Five Royales and Billy Butler of the Bill Doggett band.

Assistant Master Distiller Woodford Reserve Assistant Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall, CSS (Certified Specialist of Spirits) is the second generation of her family to work in the bourbon industry and one of the youngest female distillers in the United States. She followed in her mother's footsteps starting as a sensory expert and working in the quality department. McCall has a master's degree from the University of Louisville and has been a member of Brown-Forman's R&D Department since 2009. She works directly with Master Distiller Chris Morris and R&D on innovation and the development of new products within Woodford Reserve. Additionally, she interacts one-on-one with consumers through personal barrel selections and education on sensory methodology and works to define the quality sensory standard to which every batch of Woodford Reserve must comply. When Elizabeth is not using her expertise at the distillery, she is passionate about her family, horses and being involved in her community. She sits on the board of Louisville nonprofit Green Hill Therapy where her horse, Cody Ko, serves in the hippotherapy program. Elizabeth also enjoys spending quality time with her husband, Matt, and dog Beasley.

Bonnie Tyler, born Gaynor Hopkins, was brought up in Skewen, a small village near Swansea. She grew up to become one of Wales' best known performers, achieving chart success all over the world. She is recognised for her distinctive husky voice, and a long list of hit singles including Total Eclipse of the Heart, It's a Heartache, Holding Out for a Hero, Lost in France, More Than a Lover, Bitterblue and If I Sing You a Love Song. In her 50-year career, Bonnie has performed for audiences in countries across the world, and she has enjoyed critical acclaim for her recent albums Rocks and Honey and Between The Earth and the Stars. Her latest album The Best Is Yet to Come – due for release on 26 February 2021 – is a contemporary approach to the sounds and styles of 80s pop rock.   As a teenager, Bonnie was influenced by the biggest female voices of the 60s, especially Tina Turner and Janis Joplin. After spending several years performing in local pubs and clubs around South Wales, first with Bobbie Wayne & the Dixies and later with her own band, Imagination, Bonnie was discovered by talent scout Roger Bell in 1974. RCA Records launched Bonnie's recording career two years later with her debut single My! My! Honeycomb. Her breakthrough hit was Lost in France, written by her managers Ronnie Scott and Steve Wolfe. The single peaked at no. 9 in the UK, and spent six months in the German charts. After enjoying further success with subsequent singles More Than a Lover and Heaven, Bonnie finally broke into the Billboard charts with It's a Heartache, which reached no. 3 in the United States. Of the four albums that Bonnie recorded for RCA, Natural Force was the most successful, selling over half a million copies in the United States. Ready to embrace the new decade, Bonnie moved to CBS Records to work with Jim Steinman in the early 80s. Their fateful collaboration resulted in the groundbreaking international hit Total Eclipse of the Heart, a multi-platinum selling single that still enjoys cultural relevance in the 21st century. It is lifted from her fifth album, Faster Than the Speed of Night, which saw Tyler become to first British female artist to make her debut appearance on the UK Albums Chart at no. 1. During the 80s, she recorded several songs for movie soundtracks, including the UK no. 2 hit Holding Out for a Hero for Footloose, and the Grammy-nominated single Here She Comes for a restoration of Metropolis. Hide Your Heart became Bonnie's third album for CBS, produced by Desmond Child. It features several songs that became hits for other artists, including The Best for Tina Turner and Save Up All Your Tears for Cher. In the 90s, Bonnie signed with German label Hansa Records for three albums. The first, Bitterblue, rivaled the success of her career-defining album Faster Than the Speed of Night in some European countries, earning 4x Platinum status in Norway. Her follow-up albums Angel Heart and Silhouette in Red also became Platinum records in parts of Europe. Bonnie reunited with Jim Steinman in 1995 after signing with EastWest Records. She recorded epic cover versions of Making Love (Out of Nothing At All) and Two Out of Three Ain't Bad for her album Free Spirit, which featured the work of top producers including Humberto Gatica, Christopher Neil and David Foster. Her second record with EastWest, titled All in One Voice, arrived shortly before the new milennium. The celtic-influenced pop album was recorded in Dublin and Hamburg, and features a haunting cover of “I Put a Spell on You”, produced by Mike Batt.   In the early 2000s, Bonnie signed a one-off deal with EMI to record Heart Strings, an album of classic rock covers featuring her touring band and the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. Bonnie recorded her next two pop-rock albums, Simply Believe and Wings, with producers Jean Lahcene and Stuart Emerson. Bonnie received an ECHO Music Prize for ‘Best International Pop/Rock Female Artist' in 1994. She has also received three Goldene Europa awards, three Grammy and BRIT nominations, two AMA nominations and one ACM nomination. She is the recipient of an honorary degree from Swansea University,  and she was presented with a Gold Badge from BASCA (now The Ivors Academy) in 2013. Bonnie has represented the United Kingdom at two international music contests. In 1979, she won the Yamaha World Popular Song Festival with her song ‘Sitting On the Edge of the Ocean'. After competing in the Eurovision Song Contest with ‘Believe in Me' in 2013, Bonnie picked up two ESC Radio Awards for ‘Best Song' and ‘Best Singer'. Over and above the timeless tracks that made her a household name, Bonnie has proven her versatility by enjoying a bilingual number one album in France, and performing duets – past collaborators include Vince Gill, Cher, Fabio Jr., Shakin' Stevens and Todd Rundgren. In 2013, she released her country-influenced album Rocks and Honey, recorded at the legendary Blackbird Studios in Nashville with David Huff. In 2019, she released Between the Earth and the Stars, another contemporary record with nods to past moments from her 50-year career. She recorded it with David Mackay, who produced her first two albums back in the 70s. Songwriters include long-time collaborators Kevin Dunne, Brian Cadd and Stuart Emerson, with new contributions from Sir Barry Gibb and Amy Wadge. The album also boasts three exciting duets with Rod Stewart, Cliff Richard and Francis Rossi. Her follow-up album The Best Is Yet to Come will arrive in February 2021. The release was pushed back due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but now Bonnie feels ready to celebrate: “I hope these new songs will lift your spirits. I am so happy and proud of this new album. It simply rocks and brings a smile to my face every time I put it on. The moment we can get back on stage and see your smiling faces will be extra special. I promise the best IS yet to come.“

Named in honor of the nickname Freddie's grandad Booker gave him, Little Book is an annual whiskey series featuring new, unique blends—a first for the family. Uncut, unfiltered* and always one-of-a-kind, each limited  release offers Freddie the opportunity to follow his curiosity to create a new taste profile greater than the sum of its parts. From each spirits' mash bill and age to where they were stored in the rackhouse, there are a million decisions that go into the final blend. The possibilities are endless. Which is good. Because Freddie has no intention of stopping any time soon.

In a normal year, an anonymous, wealthy businessman posing as "Secret Santa" personally hands out hundreds of $100 bills to random strangers. But this year, the novel coronavirus called for a novel method to deliver gifts to selected essential workers across the nation.

In Collaboration With Iconic Rock Band Collective Soul and VolunteerMatch, CUMULUS MEDIA Unveils PROJECT SHINE Nationwide Appeal to Volunteerism Launches Today Across 422 U.S. Radio Stations and Westwood One Network CUMULUS MEDIA today announces the launch of PROJECT SHINE, a cross-platform charitable initiative, serving as a nationwide call to local volunteerism through partner VolunteerMatch, the world's largest volunteer engagement network. PROJECT SHINE will be promoted on the company's 422 radio stations and websites across 87 U.S. markets and through CUMULUS MEDIA's Westwood One, the largest audio network in the U.S., with creative promos framed by a new version of iconic rock band Collective Soul's hit “Shine”, re-recorded exclusively for PROJECT SHINE. PROJECT SHINE encourages Cumulus' hundreds of millions of listeners to visit local station websites to instantly connect with VolunteerMatch's powerful search engine and database and find local volunteer opportunities. The campaign was produced by Cumulus, with support from production company Benztown and McVay Media. PROJECT SHINE is an evergreen campaign that will inspire local acts of service and human connection in a world that has seen its share of challenges. VolunteerMatch serves over 130,000 participating nonprofits, 150 network partners, and 1.3 million annual website visitors. There are currently 3.2 million volunteers needed by non-profits organizations on VolunteerMatch -- with over 700,000 of those openings for virtual volunteers, and many postings for safely-distanced activities. Brian Philips, EVP, Content & Audience, CUMULUS MEDIA, said: “PROJECT SHINE serves as a conduit for human connection. We make it easy for good people to connect with great causes through VolunteerMatch. In every town, in every corner of America, some darkness subsides, and a new ray of light appears. Through service, we help ourselves and the whole world is better for it.” Philips noted: “We thank our friend Ed Roland and Collective Soul, whose timeless song “Shine” was the inspiration for this project. Ed's exciting new version elevates PROJECT SHINE and brings fresh light to a nation in need.” Ed Roland, Founder and Lead Vocalist, Collective Soul, commented: “When I was 12 years old, my father told me that one day, there will be no city lines, no county lines, no state lines, or even country lines – there will only be humankind. VolunteerMatch is a program that connects all of us to work together and make a positive impact for the greater good. I want to thank Brian Philips and everyone at Cumulus for allowing us to be a part of PROJECT SHINE. Together we can make a difference.“ Laura Plato, Chief Solutions Officer, VolunteerMatch, remarked: “VolunteerMatch is honored to join forces with CUMULUS MEDIA to help everyone find a way to lend a hand in their local community -- and virtually across America – through PROJECT SHINE. We're huge believers in the power of both volunteer service and music to uplift, inspire, and heal. And we're excited to see volunteers unite in support of our nation's nonprofits.” Visit: https://www.cumulusmedia.com/shine/ to connect to a nonprofit you love through PROJECT SHINE

Marcus Scribneris an American actor. He is best known for starring as Andre Johnson Jr. on the ABC sitcom Black-ish and voicing the character Bow in the critically acclaimed Netflix animated series She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.Scribner was born and raised in Los Angeles. His name is derived from Roman and Greek mythology, like those of his father Troy and sister Athena. Scribner also has a dog named Zeus whom he adopted as a puppy to commemorate his first professional acting job.[3] Similar to his character on Black-ish, his father is black while his mother is biracial (black and white).[4] His father's family is from Los Angeles while his maternal grandmother is from England.[5][6] Scribner attended an Elementary School where most of the kids were Jewish.[4] He began studying acting at age seven.[7] At the time he was very shy and didn't have any hobbies. In addition to sports, Scribner took an acting class and immediately fell in love with it. From that point, Scribner took acting classes on the weekends.[8] Scribner later admitted that at the time, he was afraid of getting injured.[5] Despite that, he enjoys sports such as basketball and lacrosse and also loves video games.[9] When he was in kindergarten, Scribner hit his head on concrete while playing basketball and had to get five staples.[10] Scribner started playing the clarinet in fifth grade.[11] Though Scribner started at public high school in 2014, by early 2015, he was enrolled in home school to accommodate his work schedule

Jane Lynch                 This achingly funny character actress honed her comedic skills touring with the famed Second City troupe and playing the matriarch in the early '90s cult stage hit The Real Live Brady Bunch, which also helped launch Andy Richter. For the rest of the decade, Lynch racked up an impressive array of TV guest spots, mostly on sitcoms (Married... with Children, 3rd Rock from the Sun, NewsRadio) that showcased her dry delivery. But it was her riotous turn as a lesbian dog trainer in Christopher Guest's 2000 mockumentary Best in Show that launched her movie career. Not only did she go on to appear in small but memorable roles in a string of popular comedies (The 40 Year Old Virgin, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby), she enjoyed a creative collaboration with Guest, who used her to great effect in his subsequent films (a porn star turned folk singer in A Mighty Wind, a condescending entertainment reporter in For Your Consideration). However, Lynch landed her biggest role to date on the small screen, as the scheming cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester on Glee, where she got to show off her singing and dancing talents to great effect. Fast Facts Played Carol Brady on stage in 1991's The Real Live Brady Bunch, in which actual episodes of the popular series were reenacted. Has appeared in many TV commercials, one of them directed by Christopher Guest, who later cast her in 2000's Best in Show. Performed her own singing and played guitar in Guest's 2003 folk-music spoof A Mighty Wind. Scripted and starred in the acclaimed play Oh Sister, My Sister at the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center in 2004. Was unable to return to the second season of Party Down because of her work on Glee.

By Martine Ehrenclou The Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band release their first live DVD, ‘Straight To You Live,' on November 27, 2020 via Provogue/Mascot Label Group. The live set is available on DVD +CD, Blu-Ray +CD, 2LP vinyl and digitally. This review is based on the DVD. And what a live concert film it is. You can't go wrong with the Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, with five-time Grammy nominated blues/rock guitarist, singer and songwriter Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Noah Hunt on vocals and guitar, Chris Layton on drums, Joe Krown on keyboards, Scott Nelson on bass, Joe Sublett on sax, and Mark Pender on trumpet. Filmed at the Leverkusen Jazzstage in Germany during the Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band tour to support their latest album, The Traveler (2019), thankfully this concert was captured on film before the tour was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. For those starved for live blues/rock music, especially Kenny Wayne Shepherd music, grab this straight away. Straight To You Live is a must see. It's about as live as you can get and its filmed beautifully, crisp and clear, with great sound and multiple camera angles so you really feel like you are there. The seven-piece band takes the stage, most dressed in all black, including Kenny Wayne Shepherd with Stratocaster in hand. They kick off the show with “Woman Like You,” a high-energy rocker from The Traveler. Vocalist Noah Hunt with his rich, soulful voice, blasts off the song. With swagger and confidence, Shepherd heads into the first killer guitar solo of the night, muscular vibrato combined with soulful, virtuosic skills. The stage is set up in minimalistic fashion with a few tall, steel, open structures with neon blue tube lights snaking up the rails. Just enough atmosphere, along with interesting lighting, as a backdrop for a dynamic artist who comes alive on stage with his guitar. The band is in peak form. Without a second to spare, Shepherd and the band launch into “Mr. Soul” (Buffalo Springfield), a rocking number with Hunt on main vocal duties and Shepherd on guitar and backing vocals. Horns play a significant part of this song and in the entire show, expertly played and in just the right places. The band is tight. Shepherd plays blistering guitar solos on every song, and for guitar fans, blues/rock fans, this is a feast. Straight To You Live is an experience on every sensory level. After “Long Time Running” where Hunt's full-bodied vocals shine, Shepherd introduces the band and asks the audience, “How's everybody doing tonight?” An extended version of “I Want You” finds Shepherd on lead vocals, his voice is in fine form, stronger than ever. This blues rocker is a standout and he and the band relax into the groove. Shepherd, playing a different Strat now, sinks into an impressive and soulful guitar solo, followed by interludes of organ, sax and trumpet. The band is rocking. And the crowd goes wild, whistling, clapping, hollering. Photo: Ryan SwanichIf you haven't seen Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band perform live, you're in for a treat with Straight To You Live as it showcases Shepherd's passion and energy on stage, his synergy with Hunt, and their interplay, the band's tremendous performance.

Steve Lukather aka “Luke” and Joseph Williams will release individual solo albums on February 26, 2021 via The Players Club / Mascot Label Group. Both artists have made significant contributions to the other's album. Earlier this year, the label presented “Run To Me” from Luke's forthcoming release I Found The Sun Again, which can be screened here: https://youtu.be/mvbHYmh7VYY. Today, the first reveal from Williams' album titled Denizen Tenant has hit streaming platforms globally. To hear the song, and view the video produced by the artist himself for “Never Saw You Coming” click here: https://youtu.be/FTJ5KHcnWiM Williams shares, “'Never Saw You Coming' is my first opportunity in ages to show my true sound.  Although my album is an eclectic collection of songs, this one tells you what you need to know to get a real sense of the whole. You can see where I'm going vocally for sure. It all starts with ‘Never Saw You Coming,' plus I thought it was time we had a cool sexy song about death! Enjoy…” Steve Lukather's solo album titled I Found The Sun Again was co-produced by Ken Freeman, who also both engineered and mixed the new collection of repertoire. The players feature many dignitaries that have been in Luke's life for decades. Amongst those are drummer Greg Bissonette, keyboardist Jeff Babko, and bassists Jorgen Carlsson and John Pierce. Life-long friend and Toto band-mate David Paich performs piano and organ across the album, while Joseph Williams sang on multiple tracks alongside writing string and horn arrangements and tracking keys on the aforementioned “Run To Me.” Both Paich and Williams co-wrote that specific composition, while friend and band leader of the All-Starrs, Ringo Starr makes a special appearance on the recording and in the video. Other co-writers include Stan Lynch, Jeff Babko, and of course Joseph Williams. Luke shares, “Never had so much fun recording in my life. Painless, fun and easy - and it just flowed.” The repertoire features five new original compositions, and three covers personally selected by Luke. Those are Traffic's “Low Spark of High Heeled Boys,” Joe Walsh's “Welcome To The Club,” and Robin Trower's “Bridge of Sighs.” Lukather offers in the liner notes, “ALL these tracks were cut LIVE - no clix - no fix - No rehearsal - one run thru - and record and the whole record was take 2. I did double a few guitar parts and ‘produced up' a few tunes that are obvious but in the same time frame. I recorded the lead vocal right after we got the take same day. One song a day. Joe took it home and did some BG vocals but that's it. I wanted to make as honest a record as I could in 2020 with 1970's inspiration, and recording values, and techniques with a modern sound. Ken did that!” A portion of the proceeds from this album will be directed to The Ed Asner Family Center for Autism. For more information please visit https://www.edasnerfamilycenter.org/.

Tom PaoliniTom Paolini came to the garment business with the powerful combination of his family's pedigree in the clothing industry and his experience working in business development and sales management for multiple Fortune 500 companies. He has focused on building a clothing brand that stands for quality and customer service and bringing enjoyment back to the experience of fine tailored clothing.​His sister company, The Style League, was founded in early 2009 and has created custom suits and shirts for clientele across the United States and Canada ever since. The Style League has outfitted an impressive crowd, such as established, influential businessmen; young, up-and-coming leaders; and coaches and athletes from the NCAA, NFL, NHL, NBA and MLS–including co-designing and making the team suits for Sporting Kansas City.​Notable achievements and associations​ Custom Tailors & Designers Association (CTDA)–Member Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce–Member Centurions Leadership Program (KC Chamber of Commerce)–Graduate, 2008 Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership FastTrac Program–Graduate, 2009

Your seasoned guide in all things turkey has arrived! This year one of our Turkey Talk-Line™ experts, Jan Allen, teamed up with a lifestyle influencer, Rosalynn Daniels. Together, they'll share all kinds of juicy tips to make your Thanksgiving all kinds of good. Not everyone can video chat with the Talk-Line, but Rosalynn connected with Jan, who is working the Talk-Line from home for the first time this year.

"Talk to Mick Box (and if you get the opportunity then do so, because he'll certainly talk back) and he'll reflect back on the history of Heep with a glint in his eye and a smile on his face (after selling millions of records he's entitled to), and like any seasoned traveller who's just returned from a momentous journey he'll, along with Lee Kerslake, Trevor Bolder and indeed, Ken Hensley, recall the highs and lows, ups and downs, with genuine affection. And you know what? They won't have regretted a single minute of it. They've had their share of 'appy days alright, but they're not over yet, that's for sure".

The story of how Julian Van Winkle III, the caretaker of the most coveted cult Kentucky Bourbon whiskey in the world, fought to protect his family's heritage and preserve the taste of his forebears, in a world where authenticity, like his product, is in very short supply.As a journalist said of Pappy Van Winkle, "You could call it bourbon, or you could call it a $5,000 bottle of liquified, barrel-aged unobtanium." Julian Van Winkle, the third-generation head of his family's business, is now thought of as something like the Buddha of Bourbon - Booze Yoda, as Wright Thompson calls him. He is swarmed wherever he goes, and people stand in long lines to get him to sign their bottles of Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve, the whiskey he created to honor his grandfather, the founder of the family concern. A bottle of the 23-year-old Pappy starts at $3000 on the internet. As Julian is the first to say, things have gone completely nuts.Forty years ago, Julian would have laughed in astonishment if you'd told him what lay ahead. He'd just stepped in to try to save the business after his father had died, partly of heartbreak, having been forced to sell the old distillery in a brutal downturn in the market for whiskey. Julian's grandfather had presided over a magical kingdom of craft and connoisseurship, a genteel outfit whose family ethos generated good will throughout Kentucky and far beyond. There's always a certain amount of romance to the marketing of spirits, but Pappy's mission statement captured something real: "We make fine bourbon - at a profit if we can, at a loss if we must, but always fine bourbon." But now the business had hit the wilderness years, and Julian could only hang on for dear life, stubbornly committed to preserving his namesake's legacy or going down with the ship. Then something like a miracle happened: it turned out that hundreds of very special barrels of whiskey from the Van Winkle family distillery had been saved by the multinational conglomerate that bought it. With no idea what they had, they offered to sell it to Julian, who scrambled to beg and borrow the funds. Now he could bottle a whiskey whose taste captured his family's legacy. The result would immediately be hailed as the greatest whiskey in the world - and would soon be the hardest to find.But now, those old barrels were used up, and Julian Van Winkle faced the challenge of his lifetime: how to preserve the taste of Pappy, the taste of his family's heritage, in a new age? The amazing Wright Thompson was invited to be his wingman as he set about to try. The result is an extraordinary testimony to the challenge of living up to your legacy and the rewards that come from knowing and honoring your people and your craft. Wright learned those lessons from Julian as they applied to the honest work of making a great bourbon whiskey in Kentucky, but he couldn't help applying them to his own craft, writing, and his upbringing in Mississippi, as he and his wife contemplated the birth of their first child. May we all be lucky enough to find some of ourselves, as Wright Thompson did, in Julian Van Winkle, and in Pappyland.

Dennis Quaid dropped out of college to pursue an acting career. After his breakout role in 1979's Breaking Away, he never looked back, starring in a wide variety of films ranging from huge hits (1983's The Right Stuff) to disappointments (1983's Jaws 3-D). Quaid found renewed success in the 1990s with such films as Any Given Sunday, Frequency and Far from Heaven, for which he was named Best Supporting Actor by the New York Film Critics Circle. Dennis William Quaid was born on April 9, 1954, in Houston, Texas. After following in the footsteps of his older brother Randy Quaid (also an accomplished actor) to the University of Houston, Quaid dropped out in 1974, and moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career.  Movies 'Breaking Away' and 'The Right Stuff' Quaid landed a bit role in Jonathan Demme's Crazy Mama (1975) but made his first substantial big-screen appearance in the 1978 film September 30, 1955. Quaid's breakthrough role came in the acclaimed film Breaking Away (1979), which won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

Born out of Northern California's chaotic, late-1960s musical stew, The Doobie Brothers' rugged, real and authentic approach to rock and roll made them biker bar stalwarts. But their self-titled debut album in '71 went beyond just leather and motorcycles, revealing even more musical layers; sweet three-part harmonies and rootsy, introspective, acoustic flavors. The Doobie Brothers' legacy has been built upon not just hit records, but also an unrivaled commitment to musical integrity and a steadfast allegiance to their enthusiastic fan base. The bands ability to evolve in a constantly changing industry and connections to generations of listening audiences is a testament to their craft. It all began in 1969, when a drummer named John Hartman arrived in Northern California. He was there to meet Skip Spence from the band Moby Grape and become part of a supposed band reunion that never quite got off the ground. But it wasn't all for naught. Spence (who had also played in the Jefferson Airplane) introduced Hartman to his friend Tom Johnston, a local singer/songwriter/guitarist -and they connected. Hartman and Johnston began playing local Bay Area bars. They soon met singer/guitarist Pat Simmons, whose finger-style playing richly complimented Johnston's R&B strumming-style, and the foundation for The Doobie Brothers was set. While their debut album in 1971 did not chart, just a year a later, their second record, Toulouse Street, became a breakout sensation. Producer Ted Templeman helped the band craft a sound that was organic, yet radio friendly, and brought in Little Feat keyboardist Bill Payne to add unique musical textures.