One Step Closer is the ninth studio album by American rock band the Doobie Brothers. The album was released on September 17, 1980, by Warner Bros. Records. The album included the hit "Real Love", which reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. This album was the band's last studio album to be released before their initial 1982 breakup and last to feature Michael McDonald until 2014's Southbound. It is also their first studio album to feature John McFee as a member of the band.
Track listing
Personnel
The Doobie Brothers
- Patrick Simmons – guitars, lead and backing vocals
- John McFee – guitars, backing vocals
- Michael McDonald – keyboards, synthesizers, lead and backing vocals
- Cornelius Bumpus – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, organ, lead and backing vocals
- Tiran Porter – bass
- Keith Knudsen – drums, backing vocals
- Chet McCracken – drums, vibraphone, marimbas
Additional personnel
- Bobby LaKind – congas, bongos, backing vocals
- Nicolette Larson – backing vocals on "Real Love", "Dedicate This Heart", and "Just In Time"
- Patrick Henderson – keyboards on "Real Love", "One By One", and "Keep This Train A-Rollin'"
- Lee Thornburg – trumpet on "South Bay Strut" and "Keep This Train A-Rollin'", flugelhorn for "Dedicate This Heart"
- Chris Thompson – backing vocals on "No Stoppin' Us Now"
- Ted Templeman – tambourine, cowbell, maracas, backing vocals on "One Step Closer"
- Jerome Jumonville – tenor saxophone, horn arrangements on "Keep This Train A-Rollin'"
- Joel Peskin – baritone saxophone on "Keep This Train A-Rollin'"
- Bill Armstrong – trumpet on "Keep This Train A-Rollin'"
- Jimmie Haskell – string arrangements on "Real Love" and "South Bay Strut"
Production
thumb|right|Trade ad for the album, 1981
- Producer – Ted Templeman
- Production Assistant – Joan Parker
- Production Coordination – Susyn Schope
- Engineer – James Isaacson
- Second Engineer – Gene Meros
- Mastering – Kent Duncan and Tim Dennan at Kendun Recorders (Burbank, CA).
- Photography – Norman Seeff
- Art Direction and Design – Jim Welch
Charts
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
!Chart (1980–81)
!Peak<br>position
|-
!scope="row"|Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)
|style="text-align:center"|18
|-
!scope="row"|Canadian Albums (RPM)
|style="text-align:center"|18
|-
|-
|-
|-
!scope="row"|UK Albums (OCC)
|style="text-align:center"|53
|-
!scope="row"|US Billboard 200
|style="text-align:center"|3
|}