Jeff Porcaro
The steady pulse behind Toto's formation and early sound.
Jeff Porcaro (drums) and David Paich (keyboards, vocals) had played together as session musicians on several albums and formed the band Toto. Jeff Porcaro is the son of session percussionist Joe Porcaro. He met David Paich while attending Grant High School, where they formed the band Rural Still Life. After Jeff Porcaro's death in 1992, he was replaced by Simon Phillips.
Quick Facts
- Role
- Drummer; Percussionist
- Affiliation
- Toto
- First appears
- 1977 (formation of Toto)
- Nationality
- American
- Key contribution
- Co-founder and drummer
- wrote 'Toto' on demo tapes
- played on debut album and Mi
Lore & Background
Jeff Porcaro and David Paich met at Grant High School and formed the band Rural Still Life. Years later, having played on many sessions together, the two began to seriously discuss the possibility of forming their own band. They brought in bassist and fellow session veteran David Hungate, with whom they had played in the backing bands for both Sonny & Cher and Scaggs. The duo asked fellow Grant High School students, guitarist Steve Lukather and Jeff Porcaro's brother Steve Porcaro (keyboards) to join the team. According to popular myth, at the first recording sessions, in order to distinguish their own demo tapes from other bands' in the studio, Jeff Porcaro wrote the word "Toto" on them. In the early 1980s, band members told the press that the band was named after Toto the dog from The Wizard of Oz.
Reader's Guide
Jeff Porcaro co-founded Toto in 1977 with David Paich after years of session work together. He played on the band's first album, Toto (1978), which featured the top 5 single "Hold the Line." Jeff Porcaro and Steve Lukather appeared on Michael Jackson's Thriller (1982) on multiple tracks, most notably on "Beat It" and the Jackson/Paul McCartney duet "The Girl Is Mine." After Jeff Porcaro's death in 1992, he was replaced by Simon Phillips. Steve Lukather remains the only original member who still records and tours with the band.
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