David Paich

David Frank Paich (born June 25, 1954) is an American keyboardist, singer, and songwriter, best known as the co-founder, principal songwriter, keyboardist, and secondary vocalist of the rock band Toto since 1977. He wrote or co-wrote much of Toto's original material, including the band's three most popular songs: "Hold the Line", "Rosanna", and "Africa". With Toto, Paich has contributed to 17 albums and sold over 40 million records. He and guitarist and singer Steve Lukather are the only members to appear on every studio album (Steve Porcaro contributed to every studio album as well, but was not an official member of the band from 1987 to 2010).

In addition, Paich has worked as a songwriter, session musician, and producer with a host of artists including Boz Scaggs, Cheryl Lynn, George Benson, Helen Reddy, Andy Williams, and Michael Jackson.

A prolific writer of chart-performing songs (13 Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100), Paich wrote or co-wrote such tracks as "Miss Sun" (1980), "Got To Be Real" (1978), "Georgy Porgy" (1978), "99" (1979), "Lowdown" (1976), "What Can I Say" (1976), "Lido Shuffle" (1976), "Lady Love Me (One More Time)" (George Benson), "Hold the Line" (1978), "It's Over" (1976), "Rosanna", "Hydra", and "Pamela". He also performed lead vocals on the Toto hits "Africa", "Holyanna", and "Stranger in Town".

Paich remained with Toto from the beginning of the band in 1977 until 2004, then performed on only a few shows until their disbandment in 2008. Session keyboardist Greg Phillinganes joined Toto in 2003 as an additional keyboardist for both studio projects and tour dates. In 2010, Paich resumed performing with Toto, and until mid-2018 was one of the band's keyboard players, alongside fellow original member Steve Porcaro.

With Toto in between legs of its 2018 40 Trips Around the Sun (40th anniversary) tour, the band announced via its official website on July 20, 2018, that Paich "will not be performing on the band's planned North American tour . The recent European appearances took a toll on his personal well-being… He plans on focusing on his health, and looks forward to returning to the road when ready to do so." Guitarist Steve Lukather later stated that Paich's absence stemmed partially from an apparent seizure he suffered on the bus during the band's early 2018 European tour.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.