John Hartman was born in Falls Church, Virginia on March 18, 1950.

He played on the reunion albums Cycles (1989) and Brotherhood (1991) as well as the accompanying promotional tours.

However, following a 1992 alumni reunion for the benefit of terminally ill percussionist Bobby LaKind, Hartman retired permanently from the band.

In 2020, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Doobie Brothers.

[3] Because of the delayed announcement, Hartman's death was widely misreported as occurring in 2022.