Toto

Toto is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. It was formed in 1976 by Jeff Porcaro (drums) and David Paich (keyboards), joined by Steve Lukather (guitar), Steve Porcaro (keyboards), David Hungate (bass) and Bobby Kimball (vocals). After a promising start, the band achieved recognition in the 1980s with the album Toto IV. In 1982, Mike Porcaro replaced David Hungate on bass. In under ten years, Toto changed its lead vocalist several times, engaging Fergie Frederiksen, then Joseph Williams and Jean-Michel Byron. In August 1992, Toto faced the death of its co-founding member, Jeff Porcaro, who was replaced by Simon Phillips.

In the 2000s, the band underwent another change in its line-up with the return of Bobby Kimball on vocals, the departure of David Paich, who was replaced by Greg Phillinganes, and the forced departure of Mike Porcaro, who had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The line-up split briefly in 2008, before reforming in 2010 to support its bassist, whose treatment was becoming increasingly costly. The latter died of the disease in 2015. The same year, the band released the album Toto XIV, marking the return of Joseph Williams on vocals and David Hungate on bass. Meanwhile, Simon Phillips left the band, to be replaced by Keith Carlock and then by Shannon Forrest.

In 2018, the band celebrated forty years since its first studio album. A final international tour was scheduled until October 2019, when guitarist Steve Lukather announced the dissolution of the band in its last form following a legal dispute with the Porcaro family. After the Covid-19 pandemic, Steve Lukather and Joseph Williams revived the band's repertoire under the name The Dogz Of Oz, with new musicians.

Between 1978 and 2019, Toto recorded fourteen studio albums, which sold forty million copies, and six live albums. The band also won seven Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville. Toto's music evolved over its four decades of career. The band blended musical genres such as rock, pop and jazz fusion. Songs such as Hold the Line, Africa and Rosanna have become classics of the band and have contributed to its international renown.