Toto’s Steve Lukather aka “Luke” and Joseph Williams will release individual solo albums on February 26, 2021 via The Players Club / Mascot Label Group. Both artists have made significant contributions to the other’s album. Lukather will release I Found The Sun Again and had previously shared the video for “Run To Me” featuring Ringo Starr, but Williams can now also reveal the first song from the album Denizen Tenant, “Never Saw You Coming.”
Talking about his new song, Williams shares, “’Never Saw You Coming’ is my first opportunity in ages to show my true sound. Although my album is an eclectic collection of songs, this one tells you what you need to know to get a real sense of the whole. You can see where I’m going vocally for sure. It all starts with ‘Never Saw You Coming,’ plus I thought it was time we had a cool sexy song about death! Enjoy…”
Steve Lukather’s solo album, I Found The Sun Again was co-produced by Ken Freeman, who also both engineered and mixed the new collection. The players feature many dignitaries that have been in Luke’s life for decades. Amongst those are drummer Greg Bissonette, keyboardist Jeff Babko, and bassists Jorgen Carlsson and John Pierce. Life-long friend and Toto band-mate David Paich performs piano and organ across the album, while Joseph Williams sang on multiple tracks alongside writing string and horn arrangements and tracking keys on “Run To Me,” which Paich and Williams co-wrote. Friend and band leader of the All-Starrs, Ringo Starr makes a special appearance on the recording and in the video. Other co-writers include Stan Lynch, Jeff Babko, and of course Joseph Williams.
Luke shares, “Never had so much fun recording in my life. Painless, fun and easy – and it just flowed.” The album features five new originals, and three covers personally selected by Luke. Those are Traffic’s “Low Spark of High Heeled Boys,” Joe Walsh’s “Welcome To The Club,” and Robin Trower’s “Bridge of Sighs.” Lukather offers in the liner notes, “ALL these tracks were cut LIVE – no clix – no fix – No rehearsal – one run thru – and record and the whole record was take 2. I did double a few guitar parts and ‘produced up’ a few tunes that are obvious but in the same time frame. I recorded the lead vocal right after we got the take same day. One song a day. Joe took it home and did some background vocals but that’s it. I wanted to make as honest a record as I could in 2020 with 1970’s inspiration, and recording values, and techniques with a modern sound. Ken did that!” A portion of the proceeds from this album will be directed to The Ed Asner Family Center for Autism. For more information please visit https://www.edasnerfamilycenter.org/ .
Joseph Williams’ Denizen Tenant was self-produced outside of “Black Dahlia” and “No Lessons” which were arranged and produced by Jay Gruska and mixed by Dave Way. The musicians and singers who made contributions in the studio reads like a who’s who of players that have been in the artist’s life over the past four decades. Amongst these contributors are band-mates from Toto David Paich and Steve Lukather. Simon Phillips, Leland Sklar, Lenny Castro, Nathan East, all of whom enjoyed tenures in Toto are also featured players on the album. Additional contributions include performances by Oscar Bugarin, Jay Gruska, Mike Landau, Barbara Gruska, Steve Overton, Dylan Ronan, Hannah Ruick, Steve Tavaloni, Weston Wilson, Ray Williams, and Mark T. Williams. The album was produced and mixed at Digbyroad Studios, Sherman Oaks, CA. Denizen Tenant features a dozen new recordings. Amongst these are a cover of The Beatles “If I Fell,” which Williams cites as the one specific song that taught him about the power of harmonies and vocal arrangements. On Peter Gabriel’s “Don’t Give Up,” a very special guest performance is featured in his daughter Hannah laying down a vocal track. You can see full liner notes here.
Toto will stage a global livestream event on November 21. For detail visit www.totoofficial.com or link.dice.fm/toto.
ABOUT STEVE LUKATHER
Over the course of five decades Steve Lukather has placed an indelible stamp on pop culture. Alongside his tenure as the only member of Toto to never take a hiatus from the band, he has performed on thousands of albums as a session musician. Amongst these musical contributions are some of the most successful, influential and enduring records of all-time including Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Additionally, he released a memoir titled The Gospel According To Luke which was a global best-seller. He continues to be Toto’s band leader, a member of Ringo’s All-Starr Band, and a solo artist performing with multiple ensembles which include Nerve Bundle and Toxic Monkey.
Toto has enjoyed a celebrated resurgence over the last several years tied to the band’s 40th Anniversary, wherein over a thirty-month period they performed for millions of fans across North America, Europe, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia. The band’s repertoire has been streamed over a billion times, while album sales exceed 40 million copies. Simply, Toto is one of the few 70’s bands that have endured the changing trends and styles, and 45 years in to a career enjoy a multi-generational fan base. For a complete discography, and more information click here: http://www.stevelukather.com/
ABOUT JOSEPH WILLIAMS
At age fifteen, Williams began his career as a radio and television commercial singer. Joseph also achieved success as a television and film composer in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. He fronted Toto as a lead vocalist from 1986 to 1988, and was featured on the albums Fahrenheit (1986) and The Seventh One (1988). He also appeared on the 2006 release Falling in Between, sharing lead vocals with Luke on “Bottom of Your Soul.” In 2010 he returned to the band, becoming front man and lead vocalist, a tenure that continues through today. He has released ten solo albums, and is an Emmy Award nominated film composer. His career as a session vocalist has placed his voice indelibly in pop culture through the dozens of performances in the medium of film, amongst which is his role as the adult Simba on The Lion King. Williams voice is featured on “Hakuna Matata” alongside “Can You Feel The Love Tonight.” He is the son of film composer John Williams and actress Barbera Ruick. For broader detail on his credits click here and here
