It is a sad day indeed as the co-founder and original drummer for the Doobie Brothers, John Hartman has passed away. He was 72 years old. The band further announced the devastating news of Hartman’s death on their official social media pages while calling Hartman a “wild spirit, great spirit and showman. Fellow band members and fans have mourned the death of the artist.
As the heartfelt post stated, Hartman is remembered as a close friend for many years and an intricate part of the band’s personality. The Virginia native earned two stints with the rock band from the early 1970s to the early 1990s as he initially formed the band after meeting frontman Tom Johnston and later finger-picking guitarist Pat Simmons in Northern California back in 1969.
John Hartman Initially Formed the Band
The band went on to release their self-titled debut album in 1971 which did not make a big impression on the charts, however, their second studio album, “Toulouse Street,” became a massive hit amongst music lovers as it included songs like instant fan favourite tracks like “Listen to the Music” and “Jesus is Just Alright.” not only that but the album went on to peak at No. 21 on the Billboard 200 charts back in 1972. Take a look at the farewell note posted on Twitter by the band.
— The Doobie Brothers (@TheDoobieBros) September 22, 2022
However, in 1979, after the band released as many as eight studio albums, Hartman left the band before the release of their ninth album, “One Step Closer,” after what was reported to be a tense Japanese your. Harman later admitted in an interview that everything was falling apart.
Hartman later returned ten years later in 1989 for the album “Cycles” and 1991’s “Brotherhood”. However, the reunion was rather brief as he again left the group again in 1992. Again In 2020, Hartman along with the other surviving members of the band, Jeff ‘Skunk’ Baxter, Michael Hossack, Tom Johnston, Keith Knudsen, Michael McDonald, John McFee, Tiran Porter and Patrick Simmons were honoured as they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It has been later reported that the artist was actually looking out for a change of career.
