Toto Rock band Country: USA

Toto: A Biography

Toto is a rock band that was founded in 1978 by David Paich, Steve Lukather, Bobby Kimball, Steve Porcaro, David Hungate, and Jeff Porcaro.

David Paich, born on June 21, 1954, in Los Angeles, is the son of arranger Marty Paich. Steve Porcaro and Jeff Porcaro, born on September 2, 1957, in Connecticut, and on April 1, 1954, in Hartford respectively, are the sons of percussionist Joe Porcaro. The band members met in the seventies while studying in high school and spent their free time together in studio sessions. In 1976, Paich, Hungate, and Jeff Porcaro participated in the recording of Boz Scaggs' album "Silk Degrees," where they also contributed as songwriters. The album achieved tremendous success in the pop-rock genre.

In 1978, Paich and Jeff Porcaro decided to form a band called "Rural Still Life" and invited their former classmates to join. With the addition of Kimball, the band changed its name to "Toto" and released their self-titled debut album in October 1978. The album became a huge success, selling over two million copies and reaching the top ten charts. The single "Hold the Line" also reached the American Top 10, and the band received a Grammy award for "Best New Artist."

The following releases, "Hydra" and "Turn Back," had less success than their debut album. However, "Toto IV," released in April 1982, surpassed all expectations. The album went multi-platinum and remained in the top ten charts for a long time. The song "Africa" reached the top spot on the charts, while "Rosanna" and "I Won't Hold You Back" made it to the Top 10. By the end of 1982, Toto had won six Grammy awards in various categories.

Despite their success, Bobby Kimball and David Hungate decided to leave the band. They were replaced by Mike Porcaro, another sibling of the Porcaro brothers, and vocalist Dennis "Fergie" Frederiksen respectively. However, Frederiksen's tenure with Toto was short-lived, as he only recorded one album with the band, "Isolation." The album achieved gold status but fell short compared to its predecessor. Frederiksen left, and he was replaced by Joseph Williams, the son of renowned composer John Williams.

In 1988, after the release of the album "The Seventh One," Joseph Williams also left the band. The remaining members of Toto took a break, with Lukather pursuing a solo career and Paich focusing on composing music for films. In 1990, the band reunited with new vocalist Jean-Michel Byron and released a compilation album titled "Past to Present." However, Byron was not a perfect fit, and Lukather took over as the lead vocalist.

In 1992, Jeff Porcaro tragically passed away from a heart attack, and the band finished their album "Kingdom of Desire" with Simon Phillips on drums. By that time, Toto had become more popular in Europe and Japan than in their home country. Lukather continued to release solo albums alongside his work with the band.

In 1999, Bobby Kimball returned to Toto after a 15-year absence, and together, they released the album "Mindfields."