Michael McDonald Details Explosive Confrontation With Ray Charles
Michael McDonald has appeared back on an unpleasant confrontation with Ray Charles, describing it as “one of the worst moments” in his existence.
It was the year 2000 and McDonald was getting honored by NAMM with a tribute concert. As the singer recalled throughout a present visual appeal on the Broken Report podcast, the event’s proceeds went to “a software that tries to look for to hold tunes courses in the general public schools alive by donating devices and texts.”
Quite a couple of luminaries ended up booked to carry out at the reside functionality, collectively with McDonald’s former band, the Doobie Brothers, Boz Scaggs, Kenny Loggins and Steve Winwood. Also on the bill, a single specific of McDonald’s idols, Ray Charles.
Read Additional: Michael McDonald Reveals Unsuccessful Endeavor at Drug Working
“Nobody acquired paid out,” the singer recalled. “Everybody agreed that as very long as the money is all heading to charity … we are all great. And seemingly Ray experienced not gotten that memo.”
Why Did Ray Charles Yell at Michael McDonald?
Hrs prior to the clearly show, McDonald was summoned to Charles’ trailer.
“His street supervisor came to me,” the rocker famous. “And his road supervisor was like out of a Lon Chaney film or something. He experienced the cane, and he just looked like some form of a mobster determine. And he claims, ‘The boss wishes to chat to you.’”
When McDonald 1st approached Charles, the songs legend was friendly, initially creating compact chat about the music ‘Hey Woman,’ which he was set to carry out for the duration of the concert. Nonetheless, the discussion immediately took a convert.
Examine Additional: Doobie Brothers Albums Rated Worst to Best
“He goes, ‘Listen, you bought to give me some thing,’” McDonald remembered, adding that he immediately realized Charles was chatting about funds. “I claimed, ‘You know, I would pay out you out of my possess pocket. I might be happy to. My only trouble is that I’ve variety of set it to absolutely everyone, gave absolutely everyone my term that all the funds from this point [is] going to go to this charity. And if I compensated anyone, no subject how eager I am to do that, I would be breaking my phrase to every person else.”
‘I You should really not Give a F— About Your Solemn Oath!’
Soon soon after outlining that the request skilled set him in a “weird spot,” McDonald was confronted by Charles. “I’m an aged guy, God damn it,” the singer declared. “I will not enjoy this shit [for free].”
McDonald additional described that he had presented a “solemn oath” that the dollars would go to charity, only to have Charles firmly answer: “I never give a fuck about your solemn oath!”
At some point, McDonald was in a position to retreat to the backstage space, wherever he was lastly in a position to chuckle a tiny about the ordeal. “Boy, if my friends in Ferguson could see me now. Ray Charles, chewing my ass out,” McDonald explained to himself. In the cease, Charles performed the gig with out extra incident.
