Patrick Simmons

Patrick Simmons (born October 19, 1948) is an American musician best known as a founding member of the rock band The Doobie Brothers, with whom he was inducted as into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020. He is the only member of the band to appear on every release.

Early life Born in Aberdeen, Washington, Simmons was raised in San Jose, California, where his father was a high school educator. He attended Leigh High School in San Jose, California, followed by San José State University where he was a member of the Theta Xi fraternity and lived for many years in Santa Cruz County, California.

Career

The Doobie Brothers

In 1970, a California-based power trio consisting of Tom Johnston, Dave Shogren and John Hartman teamed up with Simmons to form a group together. They would call themselves "The Doobie Brothers", after their friend Keith "Dyno" Rosen, who either lived with or next to the band told them: "Why don't you call yourself the Doobie Brothers because you're always smoking pot?" thumb Simmons (far left) and the Doobie Brothers performing on the television show "TopPop" in 1974. leftSimmons wrote and sang many songs for the Doobie Brothers, including lead vocal on "South City Midnight Lady", as well as "Dependin' On You", "Echoes of Love", "Wheels of Fortune" and "Black Water", the group's first #1 record.

The group's 1978 studio album, Minute by Minute, reached number one for five weeks, and won the band a Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group, while the single "What A Fool Believes" from the album won three Grammys itself. The Doobie Brothers disbanded in 1982, with Simmons' decision to leave the group, as the last original member at the time, after Dave Shogren left in 1971, Tom Johnston in 1977, and John Hartman in 1979. The Doobie Brothers reformed again in 1987, and the band are still touring, as of 2024, being led by Simmons and Johnston.thumb Simmons with The Doobie Brothers in 2006The group has sold more than 40 million albums worldwide. The Doobie Brothers were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on November 7, 2020.

In June 2025, Simmons, Johnston and Michael McDonald were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame as members of The Doobie Brothers, the ceremony was hosted by Garth Brooks.

Solo In 1983, Simmons released his debut solo album, Arcade, on Elektra Records. It yielded his only top 40 hit, "So Wrong", which peaked at #30 on the Billboard Hot 100. "So Wrong" was also a surprise hit on the US dance/disco chart, peaking at #8. The album was reissued on compact disc in Japan in the early 1990s and again in 2007, by the label Wounded Bird Records.

Simmons also formed the band Skin Suit during this period. In 1998, Simmons released a second solo album titled Take Me to the Highway.

With Tom Johnston, Simmons wrote Long Train Runnin': Our Story of The Doobie Brothers (2022).

Personal life He met his wife Cristine Sommer in 1989 in Sturgis, South Dakota at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. They moved to Mendocino County, California in 1990 after the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989 and now live in Maui, Hawaii. They have three children and three grandchildren. Simmons has stated previously that he is a Democrat.

In 1981 he opened a vintage motorcycle shop with author William J. Craddock.

Simmons and his wife are both avid cyclists and members of Antique Motorcycle Club of America. They both enjoy riding antique motorcycles, participating in the 2014 Motorcycle Cannonball Endurance Ride. They participated in the 2016 Motorcycle Cannonball, riding from Atlantic City, New Jersey to San Diego, California.

Songs written by Simmons Apart from "I Got You" and "So Wrong", these songs were all written for The Doobie Brothers.

"Evil Woman" – 1973 "South City Midnight Lady" – 1973 "Black Water" – 1974

1995

Solo singles Year Label!! A-side B-side!! US !! NLD

"Don't Make Me Do It" Time Loves a Hero – Little Feat – Peformer – 1977 Energy – The Pointer Sisters – Composer – 1978 Nicolette – Nicolette Larson – Performer – 1978 Waiting for Columbus – Little Feat – Performer – 1978 Lauren Wood – Lauren Wood – Performer – 1979 Victim of Love –Elton John – Performer – 1979 Whistling in the Dark – Max Carl – Performer – 1979 In Harmony – Sesame Street – Performer – 1980 Radioland – Nicolette Larson – Performer – 1980 Steel Feels Good – Tom Johnston – Performer – 1981 Industry Standard – The Dregs – Performer – 1982 One More Mile – Jim Messina – Composer – 1983 The Jitters – The Jitters – Composer – 1987 Lambada: Erotic Dance Explosion – Concord – Composer – 1989 Live or Else – The Necros – Composer – 1989 Tres Palabras – Larry Vuckovich – Composer – 1989 Let's Swamp Awhile – Smokehouse – Composer – 1991 Rain Tree Crow – Rain Tree Crow – Composer – 1991 Peaceful Easy Feeling – Mark Burchfield – Composer – 1993 Bermuda Triangle – Al Yankee – Assistant engineer – 1995 Valley Style – Kaʻau Crater Boys – Composer – 1995 Piano Dreams – Robert LeClair – Composer – 1998 Live at the Britt Festival – Michael Nesmith – Composer – 1999 From Out of the Blue – The Sky Kings – Performer/Composer – 2000 Warsaw Jazz Jamboree – Stéphane Grappelli – Composer – 2000 Gioia2 – Lives of a Cell – Composer – 2002 Cant Stop Running – Todd Rundgren – Composer – 2002 Cooling the Mark – General Rudie – Composer – 2003 Live from New York to Tokyo – Ray Brown – Composer – 2003 Sacred – Los Lonely Boys – Composer – 2006 Baby Goes Southern Rock – Baby Goes – Composer – 2007 Dregs – Dixie Dregs – Guest artist – 2007 Pure Imagination – Cathy Kreger – Composer – 2007 Love Games – Dynamics – Composer – 2008 Save Me, San Francisco – Train – Composer – 2009 Simple Truth – Gail Swanson – Guest artist – 2009 Subways – The Avalanches – Composer – 2016 Wildflower – The Avalanches – Composer – 2016 Oh, Vita! – Jovanotti – Composer – 2017