Born 69 Years Ago Today in the Golden State, the Founding Member of a Grammy-Winning 80s Rock Band Who Played Guitar on Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’

Steve Lukather, born in California on 21 October 1957, is a founding member and the only continuous original member of Toto. His work with the Grammy-winning band and as a highly sought-after session musician makes his career notable: he has played on more than 1,500 albums and contributed to Michael Jackson’s Thriller.

Inspired by George Harrison, Lukather began learning guitar as a child and joined Toto at 19, after meeting future bandmates at school. Toto’s hits include “Hold the Line” and “Africa”; the band’s Toto IV won six Grammy Awards. Lukather played guitar and bass on several Thriller tracks, helped arrange “Human Nature”, released nine solo albums, and recorded as many as 29 sessions a week at his peak.