Mike Porcaro facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mike Porcaro
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Porcaro in 2005
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Michael Joseph Porcaro |
| Born | May 29, 1955 South Windsor, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Died | March 15, 2015 (aged 59) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres |
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| Occupations | Bassist |
| Years active | 1971–2007 |
Michael Joseph Porcaro (born May 29, 1955 – died March 15, 2015) was an American bass player. He was best known for his amazing work with the famous rock band Toto. Mike stopped touring in 2007 because he was diagnosed with a serious illness called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
He was the middle brother of two other members of Toto, Jeff Porcaro and Steve Porcaro. Their father, Joe Porcaro, was a talented jazz drummer and percussionist.
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Mike Porcaro's Early Life
Mike Porcaro was the second of the three Porcaro brothers. Their father taught all three boys how to play drums at his drum shop every weekend. Jeff, his older brother, once said that Mike was actually a better drummer than him before Mike decided to switch to playing the bass guitar. Steve, the youngest brother, later learned to play the piano.
When the brothers took guitar lessons, Mike quickly became very good at it. Jeff, however, gave up after just three lessons! Since the family only had one drum kit and one bass guitar, Mike was given the bass to play. Mike Porcaro was also a follower of the Baháʼí Faith. His family came from Italy.
Mike Porcaro's Music Career
Mike Porcaro started his music journey in high school bands. One of these bands included his brother Jeff Porcaro and other musicians who would later form Toto. In the mid to late 1970s, Mike worked as a session bass player. This means he played bass for many different musicians and bands in recording studios.
In 1982, Mike joined Toto, replacing their original bass player, David Hungate. This happened shortly after Toto finished recording their album Toto IV. Mike actually played the cello on one song for that album. He then appeared in the band's music videos and performed with them on their world tour. Mike stayed with Toto until 2007.
Besides playing with Toto, Mike also played in many recording sessions in Los Angeles. He toured with artists like Michael Franks, Seals and Crofts, Larry Carlton, and Boz Scaggs. You can even see him in the music video for Boz Scaggs' song "JoJo." The bass player for the band In Flames, Peter Iwers, has said that Mike Porcaro's bass playing style influenced his own.
Mike Porcaro's Health and Passing
Mike Porcaro stopped performing with Toto in 2007. He started feeling a growing weakness in his fingers, which made it very hard for him to play the bass. Leland Sklar took his place for the rest of the tour. Toto then took a break in 2008.
In February 2010, it was announced that Mike had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ALS is a disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing muscles to weaken over time. To support Mike, former members of Toto, including his brother Steve Porcaro, got back together. They did a short tour in Europe in the summer of 2010. The reunited Toto continued to tour and perform in 2011 to help Mike.
In September 2012, a magazine called Classic Rock reported that Mike was doing as well as expected with his illness. However, he was using a wheelchair because the disease was progressing.
Mike Porcaro passed away at his home in Los Angeles on March 15, 2015. He was 59 years old. His family was by his side. He died from complications related to ALS. He was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles. Mike left behind his wife, Cheryl, whom he married in 1987, and their three children.
Three years after his death, in 2018, Mike and his brother Jeff (who passed away in 1992) appeared on two new Toto albums. The band used old recordings of both musicians from the mid-1980s.
Mike Porcaro's Music Albums
With Toto
- Isolation (1984)
- Dune (1984)
- Fahrenheit (1986)
- The Seventh One (1988)
- Past to Present 1977–1990 (1990)
- Kingdom of Desire (1992)
- Tambu (1995)
- Toto XX (1998)
- Mindfields (1999)
- Through the Looking Glass (2002)
- Falling in Between (2006)
- Old Is New (2018)
Solo Album
- Brotherly Love (2011)
Other Albums
- For the Love of Strange Medicine / Steve Perry (1994)
- Everyman A King / Avalon (1982)
