Keith Knudsen

Keith Knudsen (18 February 1948 — 8 February 2005) was a U.S. rock drummer, vocalist and songwriter.

Career

Knudsen (pronounced 'K-noodsen') was born in Le Mars, Iowa His dad, Charles Knudsen, now lives in Kingsly, Iowa.

He began drumming while in high school.After short stints playing in a club band and the Blind Joe Mendlebaum Blues Band, he became the drummer for the organist/vocalist Lee Michaels. His big break came in 1974 when he was invited to join The Doobie Brothers, replacing the departing Michael Hossack. He made his recording debut with the Doobies on "What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits" in 1974, performing backing vocals over instrumental tracks that included Hossack.

He did not get behind the drum stool in the recording studio until "Stampede" in 1975. Knudsen was co-drummer with John Hartman and later Chet McCracken until the Doobies disbanded in 1982. His contribution to the group's vocal harmonies in the studio and in concert was as crucial as his drumming.

After 1982, he and fellow Doobie John McFee formed the country rock band Southern Pacific. The group was successful in the country charts but disbanded in the early 1990s. By now, the two men had formed a writing partnership and one of their songs even featured on the Doobies reunion album "Cycles" in 1989.

Knudsen organized a one-off Doobies reunion in 1987 to raise funds for the National Veterans Foundation. After Southern Pacific folded, both he and McFee rejoined the Doobie Brothers on a full-time basis in 1993. Ironically, Knudsen found himself drumming alongside Michael Hossack, whom he had replaced all those years ago. Of the multiple pairings of Doobie Brothers drummers over the decades, Knudsen's time-keeping partnership with Hossack lasted the longest.

He featured prominently as a songwriter on the album "Sibling Rivalry" (2000), which is so far only the band's third studio album since reuniting. The album features two lead vocals by Knudsen. (Much earlier, and very different sounding, Knudsen lead vocals can be heard on the "Farewell Tour" album and video.) He also featured on the albums "" (1996), and "Live at Wolf Trap" (2004).

Knudsen lost his life to chronic pneumonia in 2005.

Albums

with the Doobie Brothers

*"What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits" (1974) (US #4)
*"Stampede" (1975) (US #4)
*"Takin' It to the Streets" (1976) (US #8)
*"Livin' on the Fault Line" (1977) (US #10)
*"Minute by Minute" (1978) (US #1)
*"One Step Closer" (1980) (US #3)
*"Farewell Tour" [Live] (1983) (US #79)
*"" [Live] (1996)
*"Best of the Doobie Brothers Live" [Live] (1999) (single CD of Wildlife Concert tunes)
*"Sibling Rivalry" (2000)
*"Divided Highway" (2003) (consisting of tunes from Cycles and Brotherhood)
*"Live at Wolf Trap" [Live] (2004)

with Southern Pacific

*"Southern Pacific" (1985)
*"Killbilly Hill" (1986)
*"Zuma" (1988)
*"County Line" (1989)

References

*Goldsmith, Thomas. (1998). "Southern Pacific". In "The Encyclopedia of Country Music". Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 497-498. (Kundsen birthday shown as October 18, 1952.)

External links

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