Steve Porcaro

Steven Maxwell Porcaro (born September 2, 1957) is an American synth programmer, keyboardist, songwriter, film & television composer, and founding member of the rock band Toto, which he founded with his brother, drummer Jeff Porcaro, and later included their brother Mike Porcaro on bass. He has won three Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year for "Rosanna" and Album of the Year for Toto IV, and three nominations. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the Porcaro brothers were in constant demand as session musicians, appearing on records for artists including Steely Dan, Don Henley, Chicago, Earth, Wind & Fire, Boz Scaggs, Seals and Croft, Warren Zevon, Paul Simon, Yes, and Pink Floyd. He was also a member of Chris Squire's short-lived band, The Chris Squire Experiment, in 1992. Early life Porcaro was born in Connecticut. Like his brothers Jeff and Mike Porcaro, Steve started out as a drummer under the tutelage of his father, legendary jazz drummer and educator Joe Porcaro, who played with Frank Sinatra, Stan Getz, Rosemary Clooney, Marvin Gaye, and Madonna and played on hundreds of TV and film scores including: The Wild Bunch, Edward Scissorhands, Dances With Wolves and I Dream of Jeannie. Joe went on to create The Percussion Institute of Technology and later the drum department at the Los Angeles Music Academy. In 1967, his father bought him an organ made by Rheem. Later his father took him to the Guitar Center to trade in the keyboard for a Farfisa with a Leslie 147 and preamp, which Porcaro called his "first real rig". Career Porcaro's career as a touring musician began at the age of 17, playing with Gary Wright on the 1975–76 tour in support of his album, The Dream Weaver. The following year, he joined Boz Scaggs' Silk Degrees tour, along with his brothers Jeff and Mike, as well as future Toto bandmates David Paich, Steve Lukather and Lenny Castro. In 1978, Columbia Records released Toto's self-titled debut.