The Doobie Brothers News

Keith Knudsen, longtime drummer for jukebox-filling 1970s band the Doobie Brothers, died Tuesday at age 56 after a battle with pneumonia.

He died at a hospital outside San Francisco, where he spent more than a month fighting the disease, band manager Bruce Cohn told the Associated Press.

Knudsen was known for his jazz-influenced drumming that was an integral part of the Doobie Brothers' unique sound throughout their career. The band has sold more than 60 million albums worldwide.

He replaced original drummer Michael Hossack in 1974, anchoring such mega-hits as "Takin' It to the Streets" and "Black Water."

"He's going to be missed," band founder Tom Johnston told the Associated Press. "We're going to miss him on drums. I'm going to miss him as a buddy."

Knudsen stuck with the band through their "farewell tour" in 1982. During the '80s, he and fellow Doobie John McFee formed the country rock group Southern Pacific, which released four albums and had several hits, including a cover of Bruce Springsteen 's "Pink Cadillac" in 1986.

Knudsen was back behind the Doobie drum kit in 1993 and continued to play with the band up until he fell ill.

Cohn told the AP he had visited Knudsen last weekend at Kentfield, an inpatient facility in Marin County that specializes in complex medical conditions for those recovering from surgery or illness. Cohn said Knudsen "was in good spirits" at the time. "He was weak, but he was okay."

Johnston said Knudsen had never completely recovered from a bout of cancer in 1995.

"It left him weak, Johston told the AP, "and I don't think he ever fully regained all his strength."