NEWSMichael McDonald Discovers Nearly 60-Year-Old Son After DNA Test Reveals Family Secret
Michael McDonald reflected on discovering his nearly 60-year-old biological son.
Oct. 2 2026, Updated 2:44 a.m. ET
Michael McDonald discovered he had a son after a DNA test helped uncover a family connection neither father nor son had fully expected.
The Doobie Brothers singer, 74, recently learned that Michael Goessling is a 60-year-old St. Louis native who was adopted as an infant, is his biological son.
The two also discovered they share the same first name.
Goessling, who grew up knowing he was adopted, spoke about his childhood in a new interview.
He said, "Had a wonderful childhood. I could not pick two finer folks to raise me."
Michael Goessling Found His Biological Family Through DNA Testing
Michael McDonald's biological son Michael Goessling learned more about his biological family through a 23andMe DNA test.
Although Goessling was content with his upbringing, he remained curious about his biological roots.
A 23andMe test eventually helped him begin finding answers.
His first major connection came when he discovered a biological sibling online.
The discovery happened quickly.
"Within 36 hours, he got an email notifying him: Michael Goessling, half-brother, St. Louis," he said.
Goessling then met his biological mother in person before eventually speaking with McDonald by phone.
Michael McDonald discussed his St. Louis tour stop, leading Michael Goessling to realize their connection.
The connection to the famous musician was not immediately obvious.
During one conversation, McDonald mentioned an upcoming summer tour stop in St. Louis, which prompted Goessling to ask a question that changed everything.
"Are you Michael McDonald?" he said.
The singer confirmed his identity with a brief response: "Yeah, I’m afraid so."
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Michael McDonald Reflected on Finding His Son
Michael McDonald spoke about his connection with his biological son.
The father and son began getting to know each other after their unexpected connection. McDonald said the possibility of his son had stayed in his thoughts over the years.
Speaking with the news outlet over a FaceTime call, he opened up about what the reunion meant to him.
"We always talked about him. And it came down to our greatest fear was, how did life treat him? I always carried that guilt with me. But just to know that he was okay and that he had a good life, and a life certainly that I wouldn’t have been able to afford at the time, was a great reward. The real rock stars in this story are his adoptive parents," the keyboardist said.
He reportedly remained friends with Goessling’s biological mother.
The songwriter married Grammy-nominated musician Amy Holland in 1983. They have two children, Scarlett and Dylan, now in their 30s.
Michael McDonald Built a Career In Music
Michael McDonald built his music career with Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers before finding solo success.
McDonald was a teenager when Goessling was born.
He later established himself in the music industry, eventually joining Steely Dan as a backing vocalist and keyboardist before becoming closely associated with The Doobie Brothers.
During his career with the group, the 74-year-old wrote hit songs including "Takin’ It to the Streets" and "What a Fool Believes."
He also found success as a solo artist, releasing hits including "I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near)" in 1982, "No Lookin’ Back" in 1985 and "Take It to Heart" in 1990.
