List of Toto band members
Toto is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1977, the group's original lineup included lead vocalist Bobby Kimball, guitarist and vocalist Steve Lukather, keyboardist and vocalist David Paich, bassist David Hungate, keyboardist Steve Porcaro and drummer Jeff Porcaro. The current lineup features constant members Lukather and Paich, original member Steve Porcaro (who rejoined in 2010, after leaving in 1987), and lead vocalist Joseph Williams (who originally joined in 1986, and rejoined in 2010). The band also tours with several additional musicians, currently bassist Shem von Schroeck (since 2017), drummer Shannon Forrest (since 2014), percussionist Lenny Castro (since 2015, and originally from 1979 to 1987) and saxophonist Warren Ham (since 2017, and originally from 1986 to 1988).
History
Toto was formed in 1977 by vocalist Bobby Kimball, guitarist and vocalist Steve Lukather, keyboardist and vocalist David Paich, bassist David Hungate, keyboardist Steve Porcaro and drummer Jeff Porcaro.[1] Hungate left after the recording of the band's fourth album Toto IV in 1982, with Mike Porcaro (brother of Steve and Jeff) taking his place.[2] Kimball left two years later, with Lukather crediting his dismissal to increasing vocal problems stemming from his cocaine use.[3] He was replaced by Dennis "Fergie" Frederiksen, who performed on Isolation befortitle=Interview: Steve Lukather Recounts 35 Years of Toto History |last=Giles |first=Jeff |work=Ultimate Classic Rock |publisher=Loudwire |date=October 18, 2013 |accessdate=December 30, 2017 }}</ref> Byron remained for the album's promotional tour, but did not get on with the rest of the band and left shortly thereafter, with no new frontman brought in to take his place.[4] The band's constant drummer Jeff Porcaro died of a heart attack on August 5, 1992, later revealed to be caused by "hardening of the arteries" due to cocaine use.[5]
After briefly considering disbanding, Toto later replaced Porcaro with Simon Phillips and returned to touring.[6] The group continued as a four-piece throughout much of the 1990s, before reuniting with Kimball, Williams and Steve Porcaro in 1998 for a tour in promotion of the 20th anniversary compilation Toto XX: 1977–1997.[4][7] After the tour, Kimball remained with the band.[8] The group returned to a lineup with two keyboardists in 2005 with the addition of Greg Phillinganes, who had previously toured with the band in place of Paich.[9] Mike Porcaro was forced to retire in 2007 due to illness, with Leland Sklar filling in.[10] In June 2008, Lukather announced that he had left Toto, signalling the disbandment of the group. Writing on his website, he explained that the band members "had some differences in how business was being done".[11]
Less than two years after the band's breakup, it was announced in February 2010 that Toto would be reforming for a run of shows in benefit of Mike Porcaro, who had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.[12] Lukather, Paich and Phillips were joined by former members Joseph Williams and Steve Porcaro, and touring bassist Nathan East.[13] The group continued touring over the next few years, before Phillips left in January 2014 during the recording of Toto XIV and was replaced by Keith Carlock.[14] Original bassist David Hungate also returned for the album's touring cycle, with Shannon Forrest also taking over from Carlock.[15][16] The current lineup of Toto, due to tour in 2018, includes Joseph Williams, Steve Lukather, David Paich, Steve Porcaro, Shem von Schroeck, Shannon Forrest, Lenny Castro and Warren Ham.[17]
Toto has featured a wide range of additional musicians as part of its touring lineup. Notable past members of the band's touring lineup include guitarist and backing vocalist Tony Spinner (from 1999 to 2008),[18] keyboardist and backing vocalist John Jessel (from 1991 to 2004),[19] bassist Leland Sklar (from 2007 to 2008, and in 2016),[20][21] and backing vocalist Jenny Douglas-Foote (from 1990 to 1997, 2011 to 2012, and 2014 to 2016).[22] Many of these additional musicians have also contributed to Toto's studio albums, both during their tenures and as guest contributors.
Final lineup (until hiatus)
Official
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steve Lukather |
|
|
all Toto releases | |
| David Paich |
|
|
all Toto releases except Falling in Between Live (2007) | |
| Steve Porcaro |
|
|
| |
| Joseph Williams |
|
lead and backing vocals |
|
Touring
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lenny Castro |
|
|
||
| Warren Ham |
|
|
40 Tours Around the Sun (2019) | |
| Shannon Forrest | 2015–2019 | drums | ||
| Shem von Schroeck | 2017–2019 |
| ||
| Dominique "Xavier" Taplin | 2018–2019 |
|
none – filled in temporarily for David Paich |
Former members
Official
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeff Porcaro | 1977–1992 (until his death) |
|
| |
| Bobby Kimball |
|
lead and backing vocals |
| |
| David Hungate |
|
|
| |
| Mike Porcaro | 1982–2007 (died 2015) |
|
| |
| Fergie Frederiksen | 1984–1985 (died 2014) | lead and backing vocals |
| |
| Jean-Michel Byron | 1990 |
| ||
| Simon Phillips |
|
|
all Toto releases from Absolutely Live (1993) to 35th Anniversary: Live in Poland (2014), except Greatest Hits Live... and More (2002) | |
| Greg Phillinganes | 2005–2008 (touring substitute member for Paich from 2003–05 until his semi-retirement from the group in 2005) |
|
| |
| Keith Carlock | 2014–2015 |
|
Toto XIV (2015) |
Touring
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Kelly | 1979 |
|
| |
| Keith Landry | 1980 | none | ||
| Jon Smith | 1981–1982 |
|
Toto IV (1982) | |
| Timothy B. Schmit | backing vocals |
| ||
| James Newton Howard | 1982 | keyboards |
| |
| Paulette Brown-Castro | 1985–1987 (died 1998) | backing vocals | Fahrenheit (1986) | |
| Scott Page | 1985 |
|
none | |
| Ralph Rickert | 1986–1987 |
| ||
| Luis Conte | 1988 | percussion | Past to Present 1977–1990 (1990) | |
| Jenny Douglas-McRae |
|
backing vocals |
| |
| Chris Trujillo | 1990–1993 | percussion |
| |
| Jackie McGhee | 1990–1991 | backing vocals |
| |
| John Jessel | 1990–2003 |
|
| |
| Fred White | 1991 | backing vocals |
| |
| Denny Dias | guitar | none | ||
| John James | 1992–1997 | backing vocals |
| |
| Donna McDaniel | 1992–1994 | Kingdom of Desire (1992) | ||
| Gregg Bissonette | 1995 | drums | none – filled in temporarily for Simon Phillips | |
| Sofia Bender | 1996 | backing vocals | none – filled in temporarily for Jenny Douglas | |
| Tony Spinner | 1999–2008 |
|
| |
| Buddy Hyatt | 1999–2000 |
|
Livefields (1999) | |
| Jeff Babko | 2000 |
|
none – filled in temporarily for David Paich | |
| Jon Farriss | 2003 | drums | none – filled in temporarily for Simon Phillips | |
| Ricky Lawson | ||||
| Leland Sklar |
|
bass |
| |
| Mabvuto Carpenter | 2010–2016 | backing vocals |
| |
| Nathan East | 2010–2014 |
|
35th Anniversary: Live in Poland (2014) | |
| Jory Steinberg | 2010 | backing vocals | none | |
| Amy Keys | 2013–2014 |
| ||
| David Santos | 2015 | bass | none – filled in temporarily for David Hungate |
.jpg)
Member timelines
Official
Touring
Recording Timeline
| Role | Album | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toto (1978) |
Hydra (1919) |
Turn Back (1981) |
Toto IV (1982) |
Isolation (1984) |
Dune (1984) |
Fahrenheit (1986) |
The Seventh One (1988) |
Kingdom of Desire (1992) |
Tambu (1995) |
Toto XX (1998) |
Mindfields (1999) |
Through the Looking Glass (2002) |
Falling in Between (2006) |
Toto XIV (2015) |
Old Is New (2018) | |
| Lead Vocals | Bobby Kimball | Fergie Frederiksen | no-one | Joseph Williams | Steve Lukather | various singers | Bobby Kimball | Joseph Williams | ||||||||
| Guitar/vocals | Steve Lukather | |||||||||||||||
| Bass | David Hungate | Mike Porcaro | Mike Porcaro/David Hungate | Mike Porcaro | David Hungate | David Hungate/Mike Porcaro | ||||||||||
| Keyboards/vocals | David Paich | |||||||||||||||
| Synthesizers | Steve Porcaro | Steve Porcaro/John Jessel | David Paich | Steve Porcaro | no-one | Greg Phillinganes | Steve Porcaro | |||||||||
| Drums | Jeff Porcaro | Simon Phillips | Jeff Porcaro | Simon Phillips | Keith Carlock | Jeff Porcaro/Vinnie Colaiuta | ||||||||||
Lineups
| Period | Personnel | Releases | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official members | Touring members | ||
| 1977–1982 |
|
|
|
| 1982–1984 |
|
|
none |
| 1984–1985 |
|
|
|
| 1985–1987 |
|
|
|
| 1987–1988 |
|
|
|
| 1988–1989 |
|
none | none |
| 1989 |
|
| |
| 1990 |
|
| |
| 1990–1992 |
|
|
|
| 1992–1998 |
|
|
|
| 1998–2005 |
|
|
|
| 2005–2007 |
|
|
|
| 2007–2008 |
|
|
|
| Band inactive June 2008 – February 2010 | |||
| February 2010 – January 2014 |
|
|
|
| January – March 2014 |
|
|
|
| March 2014 – September 2015 |
|
|
|
| September 2015 – October 2019 |
|
|
|
| Band inactive October 2019 – present | |||
References
- ^ Ruhlmann, William. "Toto: Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
- ^ Suchow, Rick (October 7, 2015). "David Hungate: Toto Recall". Bass Player. NewBay Media. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
- ^ Elliott, Paul (October 15, 2016). "The Secret History Of Toto". Classic Rock. TeamRock. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
- ^ a b Giles, Jeff (October 18, 2013). "Interview: Steve Lukather Recounts 35 Years of Toto History". Ultimate Classic Rock. Loudwire. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
- ^ Tamaki, Julie (September 4, 1992). "Drummer's Death Linked to Cocaine, Coroner Says: Autopsy: Report finds no evidence to support earlier belief that Toto's Jeff Porcaro died of an allergic reaction to a pesticide". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
- ^ DeRiso, Nick (August 5, 2017). "25 Years Ago: Jeff Porcaro's Sudden Death Changes Toto Forever". Ultimate Classic Rock. Loudwire. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
- ^ Courter, Barry (June 1, 2017). "Toto keeps rockin' and rollin' along". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
- ^ Hernandez, Alan Carlos (July 16, 2017). "Sunday Interview: The Voice of Toto, Bobby Kimball". Herald de Paris et Cie. Archived from the original on March 21, 2019. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
- ^ "Band History (Part 6)". Toto. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
- ^ Chiu, David (March 15, 2015). "Toto Bassist Mike Porcaro Dead at 59". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
- ^ "Steve Lukather - The end of Toto". Steve Lukather. June 8, 2008. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
- ^ Kemp, Stuart (March 27, 2013). "Toto to Go on 35th Anniversary European Tour". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
- ^ "Band History (Part 7)". Toto. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
- ^ "The making of the new Toto XIV album". Steve Lukather. March 3, 2015. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
- ^ "Steve Lukather about some personnel moves for Toto". Steve Lukather. March 29, 2014. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
- ^ Giles, Jeff (May 13, 2014). "Steve Lukather Talks New Toto Album: 'I Think This Is Gonna Surprise People'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Loudwire. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
- ^ "40 Trips around the sun world tour". Steve Lukather. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
- ^ "Tony Spinner". Toto. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
- ^ "Jessel, John (JJ)". Toto. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
- ^ "Leland Sklar". Toto. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
- ^ Johnson, Kevin (September 30, 2015). "David Hungate Leaves Toto, Leland Sklar Steps In". No Treble. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
- ^ "Jenny Douglas". Toto. Retrieved December 30, 2017.