Nearly 60 years after his adoption, man learns Grammy Award-winning musician Michael McDonald is his biological father

ST. LOUIS (KMOV/Gray News) - A man who was placed for adoption as a baby nearly 60 years ago learned that his father is five-time Grammy Award winner Michael McDonald.

Michael Goessling said he always knew he was adopted and had a “wonderful childhood.”

“I could not pick two finer folks to raise me,” he said.

Goessling always wondered about his biological parents and said the mystery began unraveling after one of McDonald’s children took a 23andMe DNA test.

“Within 36 hours, he got an email notifying him, ‘Michael Gossling, half brother, St. Louis,’” Goessling said. “And that’s how this all began.”

On his 58th birthday, Goessling met his birth mother in person. Later, he spoke with his biological father over the phone. Goessling asked what he did for a living, and his biological father mentioned he was a musician preparing to tour through St. Louis that summer.

“And I said, ‘Are you Michael McDonald?’” Goessling said. “And he said, ‘Yeah, I’m afraid so.’”

Goessling’s biological mother and McDonald were 14 years old when Goessling was conceived.

McDonald is a singer-songwriter and Doobie Brothers member known for songs including “What a Fool Believes” and “I Keep Forgettin.’”

The fact that Goessling and McDonald share the same first name is purely coincidental.

McDonald and Goessling’s biological mother have remained close friends over the years.

McDonald described the emotional weight of not knowing what happened to his son.

“We always talked about him. And it always came down to our greatest fear was, how did life treat him?” McDonald said. “I always carried that guilt with me. But just to know that he was OK and that he had a good life, and a life certainly that I wouldn’t have been able to afford him at that time, was a great reward. The real rock stars in this story are his adoptive parents.”

Goessling and McDonald have since met in person.

“When he first saw me, he put his arms out, gave me a big old bear hug and told me he loved me, and I told him the same,” Goessling said.

The reunion also made McDonald a grandfather.

“Yeah, I’m still wrapping my head around that,” McDonald said with a laugh. “My daughter-in-law is just the daughter-in-law you’d hope for. And the kids are two of the greatest kids you’d ever meet. I’m just so proud of them.”