The Doobie Brothers aren't just coasting on their hit-filled past, they're heading up a new path. With Walk This Road, the legendary four-time Grammy-winning band returns with its core musical dream team of Patrick Simmons, Tom Johnston, John McFee, and the undeniable father of yacht rock, Michael McDonald. The 10-track album, produced by John Shanks, is a new beginning that leans into the band’s past but also sounds very much of the present day.

Recorded with the kind of freewheeling spirit that first defined their unique blend of rock, soul, and harmony-laden swagger, Walk This Road is proof of both their endurance and evolution. It’s a record shaped by individual perspectives, unified under the banner of that unmistakable Doobies sound, one that’s warm, road-tested, and flows with the ease of a group of guys playing under one groove.

“This record is about waking up,” says Simmons. “Waking up to the important things you’ve been missing.” That clarity runs through the album’s lyrics and vibe, whether it’s in the themes of recovery and redemption or the title track’s call for collective hope. Featuring a stirring guest turn from the great Mavis Staples, “Walk This Road” is a gospel-tinged meditation on moving forward - not as rock legends, but as human beings.

Longtime fans will find plenty of familiar joys to grab on to here… the flawless guitar interplay, airtight grooves, and those signature vocal harmonies that never go out of style. But there's also a sense of curiosity at work, maybe no surprise given the band's recent Nashville adventures, including 2014’s Southbound, their country-crossover album featuring stars like Zac Brown and Blake Shelton. That openness has long been the Doobies' not-so-secret weapon. From barroom rockers to yacht soul to Americana-infused ballads, they’ve been sampled, covered, and canonized. Still, they continue to write, record, and tour with the passion of a band chasing something new. Walk This Road might just be the sound of four old friends doing exactly that, chasing down truth and soul through melody. “It’s kind of odd when you see your songs in commercials and hear them in a store,” Simmons reflects, “but it’s cool. I hear B.B. King in the same places. We’re in good company.”

Formed in 1969, The Doobie Brothers have racked up over 40 million albums sold, 16 Top 40 hits, and timeless anthems like “Long Train Runnin’,” “What A Fool Believes,” and “Takin’ It to the Streets.” And yet, with Walk This Road, they sound more grounded than ever, like old friends getting together to have a good time and jam.