Groove Doctors 3 Prescribe Soulful Harmony with “Live And Let Live”
Some bands wear their influences like badges of honor. Groove Doctors 3 wear theirs like a technicolor lab coat — buttoned up with professionalism but bursting at the seams with style, swagger, and groove. Their latest single, “Live And Let Live,” the title track from their debut album, is a soulful, swirling throwback to a time when the message mattered as much as the music. It’s a rare moment of clarity in an overstimulated soundscape — a vintage-soaked plea for empathy dressed in wah-wah licks, gospel-hued harmonies, and feel-good philosophy.
Formed in East Lansing by four Michigan State University professors — yes, professors — Groove Doctors 3 are the most academically overqualified funk-fusion outfit in America. But don’t let the résumés fool you. Guitarist and frontman Michael Lawrence delivers his lines with preacher’s fire, while David Stowe’s drums and Glenn Chambers’ bass lock in like they’ve been gigging since Motown’s heyday. Keyboardist Dick Bourgault adds the magic dust — think swirling organ pads that nod to Booker T. and Garth Hudson in equal measure.
The song kicks off with a mellow, rootsy strut — wah-wah guitar setting the tone alongside a bed of hazy, psychedelia-tinged organ. There’s an unmistakable ‘60s soul vibe here — not in a kitschy or nostalgic way, but in the spirit of what Curtis Mayfield or early Marvin Gaye might’ve laid down had they teamed up with Steely Dan for a session on compassion. It’s modern message music with analog soul.
Lyrically, “Live And Let Live” is both balm and battle cry. Lines like “Neighbors helping neighbors is the mark of cool / Treat ‘em like yourself, yeah the Golden Rule” may sound simple, but in a world of algorithm-fed cynicism, that simplicity cuts like truth. The chorus — a mantra of “Live and let live / Love and let love / Learn and let learn, laugh & let laugh” — is sung with layered harmonies that shimmer with communal joy. It feels like a campfire song for grownups who remember Woodstock but still believe change is possible.
What’s perhaps most striking is how “Live And Let Live” bridges genres with effortless grace. You’ll hear hints of Memphis soul, jazz-funk, Laurel Canyon folk-rock, even the subtle push-and-pull of classic R&B. But instead of sounding like a melting pot, it sounds like a well-seasoned gumbo: distinct flavors, simmered into something deeply nourishing.
Groove Doctors 3 aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel — they’re just making sure it keeps turning in the right direction. With “Live And Let Live,” they’ve crafted a song that’s as intellectually grounded as it is emotionally uplifting. It’s music with a message, groove with gravitas — and in 2025, that’s a prescription we all need.
A warm, wise, and wonderfully groovy anthem for empathy and everyday revolution.
RIYL: Curtis Mayfield, Stevie Wonder, The Band, Al Green, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings
https://groovedoctors3.com/
