McDonald is a five-time Grammy winner. Simmons and Jerkins are both two-time Grammy winners. All three musicians have won record of the year — McDonald and Simmons as performers on The Doobie Brothers’ “What a Fool Believes”; Jerkins for co-producing Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me (Darkchild Mix),” the subtitle a nod to Jerkins’ nickname.

George Clinton and The Doobie Brothers are to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. On Wednesday, officials at the music organisation announced that the Give Up the Funk hitmaker and the Listen to the Music stars,

George Clinton, The Doobie Brothers, Ashley Gorley, Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, The Beach Boys’ Mike Love and Tony Macaulay make up the 2025 Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees.