Toto
Toto was an American rock band founded in 1977 by some of the most popular and experienced session musicians of the era. The band enjoyed great commercial success in the 1980s, beginning with the band’s self-titled debut, released during 1978. Continuing with 1982’s critically acclaimed and commercially successful Toto IV, Toto became one of the best selling music groups of their era. They are known for such hit singles as “Hold the Line”, “Rosanna”, “Africa”, and “Stranger in Town”. Although their popularity in the United States diminished in the 1990s and 2000s, they continued to tour and sell out arenas, clubs, and theaters internationally.
Toto was known for their technical skill in the studio, as well as a musical style that combines elements of pop, rock, soul, funk, progressive rock, hard rock, R&B, and jazz. Although they were regularly associated with the soft rock genre, this broad array of musical styles helped them appeal to a variety of musicians and non-musician listeners.
The band released 17 albums and have sold over 30 million records to date. Their 18th album Falling In Between Live, was released in August 2007. It was recorded in March 2007 in Paris. As a result of guitarist Steve Lukather s departure from the band, which he agreed with the other members, Toto broke up after the last leg of their 2008 tour.
Once again without a lead vocalist, guitarist Steve Lukather stepped up to the microphone and became the new front man, and the band recorded Kingdom of Desire which was released on Columbia Records in most parts of the world and on Clive Davis’ label Relativity Records in the United States. Tragedy then struck, however, just before the record’s release when drummer Jeff Porcaro died. On August 5, 1992, Jeff suffered an allergic reaction from a pesticide he was using in his garden. Facing the prospect of a tour without Jeff, Toto almost broke up. However, Jeff Porcaro’s family insisted the band continue on. Englishman Simon Phillips was the only drummer ever contacted to replace Jeff Porcaro, since the band knew that Porcaro liked Phillips, and because Lukather had worked with Simon on a previous tour with Santana and Jeff Beck in Japan in 1986. Phillips joined the band and they went on the tour which they dedicated to Jeff’s memory. In 1993, they released a live album called Absolutely Live. From 1991 on, Steve Lukather would handle a majority of the vocals (until Bobby Kimball’s return in 1998) but some older songs originally sung by Kimball, Fergie Frederiksen and Joseph Williams were put in the setlist and sung by the new backup singers: Fred White (who was replaced by John James in 1992), Jackie McGee (who’d joined for the 1990 tour and was replaced by Donna McDaniel in 1992) and Jenny Douglas-McRae (who’d also come aboard in 1990). John sang “Stop Loving You” and Bobby’s part on “Rosanna”. Donna sang “Home Of The Brave” and “Angel Don’t Cry”, and Jenny sang “Hold The Line”.
