Cornelius Bumpus earned his greatest recognition as the Doobie Brothers' saxophonist across three separate stints—1979-1982, 1989-1990, and 1995—joining the band after earlier work alongside Bobby Freeman and the re-formed Moby Grape. Following the Doobies' 1982 split, he launched his solo career that same year with the album A Clear View. Beacon arrived two years later, after which he resumed work primarily as a sideman and session player. Relocating from San Francisco to New York in 1986, Bumpus performed with a wide range of artists that included Boz Scaggs, fusion star Jeff Lorber, and country singer Lacy J. Dalton. He became a member of the reunited Steely Dan in 1993 and continued performing with the group into the new millennium. In 2000 he issued his debut smooth-jazz recording, Known Fact.
