Steve Lukather is as versatile as he is controversial. Versatile, because he can handle almost every musical style. Within the band Toto, his hobby bands Los Lobotomys and Doves of Fire and the more than 1500 sessions he did with hundreds of (well known) artists, during the past 26 years.

Controversial, because a lot of music fans can’t easily understand how Lukather could attract attention to the high quality albums of Toto, Michael Jackson, Don Henley, The Tubes etc. and contribute at the same time to the sessions in the disco, middle of the road and country scenes of the 80’s.



The estimation for Lukather as a guitarist, vocalist, composer and producer is especially coming from fellow musicians and the steady clan of Toto and Lukather fans from all over the world. They probably do understand that Lukather is an oeuvre musician in the first place and not a temporarily hype. He’s also not a spectacular guitar renovator like Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck or Steve Vai, but a steady craftsman who’s still working on perfecting his own ‘sound’. At the same time thousands of guitarists consider Lukather as their master, as Lukather himself does with for example Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Larry Carlton, David Gilmour and The Beatles.

Lukather started his professional career as a guitarist and vocalist for Toto and as a session cat in Los Angeles in 1977. Toto’s first (self titled) album, with world wide hits like Hold the line and Georgy Porgy, became a hit right away. The years following were the most productive and successful, with two striking highlights: the six Grammy’s for the album Toto IV (with Rosanna and Africa) in 1982 and the contributions to the best sold rock album ever Thriller by Michael Jackson, also in 1982.

From the moment lead vocalist Bobby Kimball left the band (1982) the career of Toto was a difficult one. The sound of Toto changed more or less with every new lead singer and a lot of listeners had their problems with the musical developments of the band. Besides that the musical industry changed pretty radically, especially for session musicians (the invasion of the ‘machines’). In 1989 Lukather ended his unbridled session work and released his first solo album Lukather. From that moment he only participated in sessions appreciated, primarily with his musical friends.

The sudden death of Toto drummer and spiritual leader Jeff Porcaro in 1992, changed the lives of Lukather and his friends in the band. The last album with Jeff (Kingdom of desire) already showed that Toto was looking for a harder edged, less polished sound, more right from the heart. On the solo albums of Lukather (Candyman and Luke), the sessions with Lukather’s rock and fusion friends and the Toto albums Tambu, Mindfields and Live in Amsterdam this trend was continued. The intensive co-operation between Lukather and drummer Simon Phillips (the successor of Jeff with Toto) was an important catalyst.

And still Lukather is steadily working on his already impressive career. A Toto 25th Anniversary World Tour in 2002 and 2003, accompanied by the album Through the looking glass. A live dvd and cd with a blistering show recorded live in Amsterdam in February 2003. And a series of 58 concerts during the Night of the Proms (fall 2003) in Belgium, Holland and Germany.

During the last years Lukather also toured with Edgar Winter (Odd Couple Tour, 2000), Larry Carlton in 2000 and 2001 (the live album No substitutions got a Grammy in 2002) and El Grupo (2004-2005) and did a huge amount of sessions with artists like Derek Sherinian, David Garfield, Richard Marx, Doves of Fire, Boz Scaggs, Les Paul and INXS. Finally in October 2003 Lukather released his new album Santamental, with opinionated and spectacular interpretations of old and new Xmas classics. In 2005 he spent most of the time recording the new Toto cd Falling in between, to be released February 2006, followed by a major Toto world tour.

One word is counting here: passion!