Robert Jay LaKind (November 3, 1945 – December 24, 1992) was an American

conga The conga, also known as tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed drum from Cuba. Congas are staved like barrels and classified into three types: quinto (lead drum, highest), tres dos or tres golpes (middle), and tumba or salidor (lowest). ...

player, vocalist, songwriter and occasional backup drummer with

The Doobie Brothers The Doobie Brothers are an American rock band formed in 1970 in San Jose, California, known for their flexibility in performing across numerous genres and their vocal harmonies. Active for five decades, with their greatest success in the 1970s, ...

. Originally a lighting roadie for the band, he was invited to join as a sideman for studio sessions after band members noticed his talent when LaKind goofed around on the congas after a concert. LaKind was from

Teaneck, New Jersey Teaneck () is a Township (New Jersey), township in Bergen County, New Jersey, Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is a bedroom community in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States census, 2010 U.S. census, th ...

and graduated from

Teaneck High School , motto_translation = To enrich the mind and improve the character , fundingtype = Public , schooltype = high school , grades = 9– 12 , district = Teaneck Public Schools , enrollment = 1,239 (as of 2021–22) , faculty = ...

, Class of 1963. He attended the

University of Kentucky The University of Kentucky (UK, UKY, or U of K) is a Public University, public Land-grant University, land-grant research university in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 1865 by John Bryan Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentu ...

and was a member of

Sigma Nu Sigma Nu () is an undergraduate Fraternities and sororities in North America, college fraternity founded at the Virginia Military Institute on January 1, 1869. The fraternity was founded by James Frank Hopkins, Greenfield Quarles and James McIlva ...

fraternity, the Animal House of the university's fraternities during the 1960s. Also a member of Sigma Nu during this time was basketball player and future coach, Pat Riley. LaKind was a session man with the Doobie Brothers from 1976 and joined them onstage as well. When the band appeared as guest stars on ''

What's Happening!! ''What's Happening!!'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on ABC from August 5, 1976, until April 28, 1979, premiering as a summer series. Due to other shows being cancelled across the network, and good ratings and reviews from ...

'' in early 1978, he was portrayed as a full member. However, he was not actually credited as such on an album until the

Farewell Tour A concert tour (or simply tour) is a series of concerts by an artist or group of artists in different cities, countries or locations. Often concert tours are named to differentiate different tours by the same artist and to associate a specific to ...

album in 1983. When the band reformed in 1988, he rejoined and was featured on the album '' Cycles'', but he was soon forced into retirement by illness. During the Doobie Brothers hiatus, and with some overlap, between approximately 1985 to 1991, he was also a member of local Santa Monica Afro-Cuban band, The Bonedaddys. He played congas and other percussion and recorded at least two albums with them: "A-Koo-De-A" (1988) and "Worldbeatniks" (1991). LaKind's former bandmates performed two benefit concerts in 1992 to raise money for a trust fund set up for LaKind's two sons, Nicky and Cutter. He died from

colon cancer Colorectal cancer (CRC), also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer, is the development of cancer from the colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine). Signs and symptoms may include blood in the stool, a change in bowel mo ...

on December 24 that year, at age 47.

References

1945 births 1992 deaths American rock drummers People from Teaneck, New Jersey The Doobie Brothers members University of Kentucky alumni American rock percussionists Deaths from colorectal cancer Deaths from cancer in California 20th-century American singers Conga players 20th-century American drummers American male drummers 20th-century American male singers {{US-rock-drummer-stub