Photo:Roy Rochlin/Getty; Frazer Harrison/Getty
Roy Rochlin/Getty; Frazer Harrison/Getty
Michael McDonald is sharing his story, and not without some help.The legendary musician, 71, recentlyshared the cover of his forthcoming memoirexclusively with PEOPLE.What a Fool Believes, out next year from Dey Street Books, will detail McDonald’s life and career as a music legend. Covering his childhood in Missouri to his years with iconic bands like Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers, along with his successful R&B solo career, the book will provide an intimate look into the life of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member.“We’ve worked really hard on this thing,” McDonald tells PEOPLE. “I can’t help but think that Paul’s worked harder than I have on this. But it’s been a long, long journey.”
Dey Street Books
McDonald and Reiser began work on the memoir at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. Reiser says that their interview process was easy because the two had no expectations and didn’t talk about events in chronological order, instead letting the stories come naturally.
Paul Reiser.Dmitry Bocharov
Dmitry Bocharov
“It’s funny because, Mike would tell a story and he’d go, “You know, that reminds me…” and then all these stories would come up, many of which would probably not [have] been unearthed if we didn’t have all this time and chat and interest,” Reiser says. “He goes, ‘I don’t know if this is important.’ I go, ‘Just tell me,’ and it was invariably really funny or interesting or moving.”
Michael McDonald.Timothy White
Timothy White
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Despite his initial hesitation, and now seeing how “the story has emerged” for him, McDonald says working with Reiser allowed the project to come to full completion.“It was one of those things that I know I never would’ve finished,” he says. “But it reminded me of a hike I took in the Boy Scouts when my buddy, Danny Hanley, was the only reason I finished the hike. He walked the last five miles backwards, egging me on. Staggered like a zombie to the finish line. So it’s kind of metaphoric for my relationship with Paul.”What a Fool Believeswill be published on May 21, 2024.
source: people.com
