Drummer And Cofounder Of The Doobie Brothers Dies At 72

Open TV

The rock band The Doobie Brothers never would have existed if it hadn’t been for co-founder and drummer John Hartman. According to the band’s website, “It all began in 1969, when a drummer named John Hartman arrived in Northern California.” Skip Spence from the band Moby Grape introduced Hartman to guitarist and singer/songwriter Tom Johnston. After that, Hartman and Johnston started performing together at bars in the San Francisco bay area. It wasn’t long before singer/guitarist Pat Simmons joined them, and The Doobie Brothers officially formed.

Now, at age 72, Hartman has died. The Doobie Brothers announced the sad news on both Instagram and Twitter. The band wrote, “Today we are thinking of John Hartman, or Little John to us. John was a wild spirit, great drummer, and showman during his time in the Doobies. He was also a close friend for many years and an intricate part of the band personality! We send condolences to all his loved ones at this difficult time. Rest In Peace John.”

The band did not share an exact date of Hartman’s death or an exact location where he died. They also did not share a cause of death.

While Hartman was one of the original band members and the original drummer in The Doobie Brothers, he was not the only drummer. From 1971 on, the band had two drummers until Hartman decided to leave the band in 1979. He didn’t leave for long. He came back in 1989 for the reunion album “Cycles,” and he stayed with the band until 1992 when he officially retired.

In 2020, Hartman was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with other members of The Doobie Brothers.

Hartman’s family has yet to release a statement regarding his death or a memorial service, but friends and fans have shared the sad news and expressed condolences on social media.