Mike Porcaro
Encyclopedia
Mike Porcaro is best noted as the bass
player in the Grammy Award
winning band
, Toto
.
He is the middle brother of Toto members Jeff Porcaro
and Steve Porcaro
. Their father is jazz
drummer
/percussionist, Joe Porcaro
.
); replacing David Hungate
, who departed for a session
career in Nashville
. According to Toto guitarist
Steve Lukather
, Porcaro would have been an original member of the band, but the record label
wanted to retain the successful chemistry of the line-up from Boz Scaggs
' critically acclaimed Silk Degrees
album
(as Hungate, Lukather and other members of Toto were Scaggs' backing band at the time). He quickly replaced Hungate on bass for the album's music video
s and subsequent tour.
Porcaro also played cello
on the song
"Good for You" on Toto IV, as well as "After You've Gone" on the 1999 album Mindfields
.
for the remainder of the tour and Toto disbanded in 2008. On February 26, 2010, it was announced via official press release that Mike Porcaro was suffering from ALS
and that former band members of Toto, including Steve Porcaro, would do a short tour through Europe in support of him in the summer of 2010. The regrouped Toto continue to tour and perform for Mike's benefit in 2011. Nathan East
was the guest bassplayer for both the 2010 and 2011 tour.
, Status Graphite basses, Fbass, Sugi and Hofner bass guitars.
He has also influenced In Flames
' bassist
, Peter Iwers
.
Along with Toto, Mike has played numerous sessions in Los Angeles, and toured with Michael Franks
on his very first tour. He appears in the video for the song "JoJo" by Boz Scaggs
.
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
player in the Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
winning band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
, Toto
Toto (band)
Toto is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1977. The group currently consists of Joseph Williams , David Paich , Steve Porcaro , Steve Lukather , Mike Porcaro , and Simon Phillips . Toto is known for a musical style that combines elements of pop, rock, soul, funk, progressive rock, hard...
.
He is the middle brother of Toto members Jeff Porcaro
Jeff Porcaro
Jeffrey Thomas "Jeff" Porcaro was an American session drummer and a founding member of the Grammy Award winning band Toto. Porcaro was one of the most recorded drummers in history, working on hundreds of albums and thousands of sessions...
and Steve Porcaro
Steve Porcaro
Steven Maxwell "Steve" Porcaro is an American keyboardist and composer, who was an original member of the rock/pop band Toto....
. Their father is jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
/percussionist, Joe Porcaro
Joe Porcaro
Joseph Porcaro is an American jazz drummer, percussionist and educator....
.
Toto
He played bass on a few unofficial sessions with the band since their early days in the late 1970s, but was not made an official member until 1982 (shortly after the release of Toto IVToto IV
Toto IV is the fourth studio album by American band Toto released in 1982 .The album received six Grammy Awards including Record of the Year for "Rosanna", Album of the Year for Toto IV and Producer of the Year for the band. It reached number four on the Billboard Pop Albums chart shortly after its...
); replacing David Hungate
David Hungate
David Hungate is a bass player noted as a member of Los Angeles pop-rock band Toto from 1977-1982. Boz Scaggs's Silk Degrees album of 1976 included Hungate and several other future members of Toto...
, who departed for a session
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
career in Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. According to Toto guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Steve Lukather
Steve Lukather
Steve "Luke" Lukather is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, arranger, and record producer best known for his work with the rock band Toto. Lukather has played with many artists, released several solo albums, and worked as a composer, arranger, and session guitarist on more than 1,500 albums...
, Porcaro would have been an original member of the band, but the record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
wanted to retain the successful chemistry of the line-up from Boz Scaggs
Boz Scaggs
William Royce "Boz" Scaggs is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. He gained fame in the 1970s with several Top 20 hit singles in the United States, along with the #2 album, Silk Degrees. Scaggs continues to write, record music and tour.-Early life and career:Scaggs was born in Canton,...
' critically acclaimed Silk Degrees
Silk Degrees
Silk Degrees is the seventh album by Boz Scaggs, released on the Columbia Records label in 1976. The album reached #2 on the U.S. pop albums chart.-Reception:The album marked Scaggs' commercial zenith, mainly spearheaded by the R&B/Soul hit "Lowdown"...
album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
(as Hungate, Lukather and other members of Toto were Scaggs' backing band at the time). He quickly replaced Hungate on bass for the album's music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
s and subsequent tour.
Porcaro also played cello
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
on the song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
"Good for You" on Toto IV, as well as "After You've Gone" on the 1999 album Mindfields
Mindfields
Mindfields is the 10th studio album by the American rock band Toto. It was released on November 16, 1999. Mindfields saw the return of vocalist Bobby Kimball, who departed the band following the 1982 album Toto IV.-Reception:...
.
Sickness
Porcaro stopped performing with Toto in 2007 after a growing numbness in his fingers that made it increasingly difficult for him to play. He was replaced by Leland SklarLeland Sklar
Leland "Lee" Bruce Sklar is an American musician, singer-songwriter and film score composer. A prominent bass guitarist, Sklar has contributed to thousands of albums as a session musician...
for the remainder of the tour and Toto disbanded in 2008. On February 26, 2010, it was announced via official press release that Mike Porcaro was suffering from ALS
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , also referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a form of motor neuron disease caused by the degeneration of upper and lower neurons, located in the ventral horn of the spinal cord and the cortical neurons that provide their efferent input...
and that former band members of Toto, including Steve Porcaro, would do a short tour through Europe in support of him in the summer of 2010. The regrouped Toto continue to tour and perform for Mike's benefit in 2011. Nathan East
Nathan East
Nathan Harrell East is a jazz, R&B and rock bass player and vocalist. East holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from the University of California, San Diego...
was the guest bassplayer for both the 2010 and 2011 tour.
Bass playing
Porcaro endorses PeaveyPeavey Guitars
Peavey Guitars are electric, acoustic, and electric bass guitars branded by Peavey Electronics, a recognized pioneer in musical instrument manufacturing.-Guitars:*Axcelerator Series**Axcelerator...
, Status Graphite basses, Fbass, Sugi and Hofner bass guitars.
He has also influenced In Flames
In Flames
In Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1990. Since the band's inception in 1993, they have released ten studio albums and one live DVD...
' bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
, Peter Iwers
Peter Iwers
Peter Iwers is the current bass player of the Swedish band In Flames. He has played in In Flames along with Daniel Svensson since their 1999 album Colony, replacing Johan Larsson....
.
Along with Toto, Mike has played numerous sessions in Los Angeles, and toured with Michael Franks
Michael Franks
Michael Franks is a smooth jazz singer and songwriter from the United States. He has recorded with a variety of well-known artists, such as Patti Austin, Brenda Russell, Art Garfunkel, and David Sanborn...
on his very first tour. He appears in the video for the song "JoJo" by Boz Scaggs
Boz Scaggs
William Royce "Boz" Scaggs is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. He gained fame in the 1970s with several Top 20 hit singles in the United States, along with the #2 album, Silk Degrees. Scaggs continues to write, record music and tour.-Early life and career:Scaggs was born in Canton,...
.