First Listen: Michael McDonald and Brian Owens create instant classic

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    (January 5, 2017) While I was born and raised in Michigan I spent a good deal of my childhood in Ferguson, Missouri. The small town outside of St. Louis that unfortunately became the center of a firestorm a couple years ago also served as the childhood home of two incredible singers: Michael McDonald and Brian Owens. McDonald exploded onto the scene forty years ago as a very soulful addition to the popular band The Doobie Brothers, and established himself as a singing and songwriting force -- and one of the great vocalists of his generation -- during his time in that group and in the years since. 

    (January 5, 2017) While I was born and raised in Michigan I spent a good deal of my childhood in Ferguson, Missouri. The small town outside of St. Louis that unfortunately became the center of a firestorm a couple years ago also served as the childhood home of two incredible singers: Michael McDonald and Brian Owens. McDonald exploded onto the scene forty years ago as a very soulful addition to the popular band The Doobie Brothers, and established himself as a singing and songwriting force -- and one of the great vocalists of his generation -- during his time in that group and in the years since. 

    It was three decades after McDonald's coming out that we discovered Brian Owens, who became a YouTube and televison sensation as one of the lead singers of Sidewinder, the Air Force band. He used that training ground to establish a career as a young singer with a surprising sensitivity to classic soul sounds, and the voice to go with it.

    A few years ago, the two Missouri natives became friends and soon Owens joined McDonald on tour. And the symbiosis between them made it just a matter of time before they recorded together. 

    "For You" is a brand new song that harkens to the timeless sound of our hometown of Detroit. The steady Motown beat, the rich instrumentation and metaphors galore support these two singers providing an instant classic song that should have SoulTrackers singing. It is the first single from Owens' Soul of Ferguson album, due on February 24. 

    Brian Owens says about McDonald's participation, "It took the song to a whole other level. For me, it's not just a song anymore. It's what our friendship represents. It's about what's possible. It's about what's needed, not only racially but inter-generationally. I couldn't survive without people in my life in my life like Michael, who are further along than I am and who are willing to invest their success in me. That's the highest compliment you can be paid."

    Check out Michael McDonald and Brian Owens doing their thing below. It is a fantastic way to start 2017.

    By Chris Rizik

    Brian Owens and the Deacons of Soul
    feat. Michael McDonald
    "For You"

    Click Here to pre-order "For You" at iTunes