Toto came together in 1977 when two accomplished studio musicians, David Paich (keyboards, vocals) and Jeff Porcaro (drums), decided to form their own band. Why only play on other people’s albums? Being in Los Angeles, Paich and Porcaro had access to many other talented musicians and soon recruited David Hungate (bass), Steve Lukather(guitar), Steve Porcaro (keyboards, vocals), and Bobby Kimball (vocals) to join them. They quickly went from being session players for other acts such as Steely Dan, Seals and Crofts, and Boz Scaggs, to taking center stage themselves.
Toto Takes Off
Within a year, Toto had released their self-titled debut album and scored their first hit, “Hold the Line,” which peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978. Four years later, the band enjoyed even greater success with their album, Toto IV. The first single, “Rosanna,” reached #2 on the U.S. chart. That was immediately followed by “Africa,” Toto’s first and only #1 hit on the Hot 100. This edition of the Throwback Threesome features the videos for all three of those songs.
Over the span of their lengthy career, Toto has released 14 studio albums and sold over 40 million records worldwide. The group has also won several Grammy Awards. Original members David Paich and Steve Lukather remain in the lineup and they still go out on the road. You can see Toto’s upcoming tour dates on the band’s website.
