# Steve Lukather: 69 Years of Music

> Steve Lukather, Toto's founding guitarist, played on Michael Jackson's Thriller and has 1,500+ albums.
- Title: Steve Lukather: 69 Years of Music · American Songwriter
- Summary: Steve Lukather, Toto's founding guitarist, played on Michael Jackson's Thriller and has 1,500+ albums. Steve Lukather, Toto's only founding member, played…
- Keywords: steve lukather, toto, michael jackson, thriller, grammy, 1980s rock, session guitarist, music, culture, Steve, Lukather, Years
- Source: American Songwriter — https://americansongwriter.com/born-69-years-ago-today-in-the-golden-state-the-founding-member-of-a-grammy-winning-80s-rock-band-who-played-guitar-on-michael-jacksons-thriller
- Author: Erinn Callahan
- Published: 2026-10-21T22:20:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: steve lukather, toto, michael jackson, thriller, grammy, 1980s rock, session guitarist, music, culture
## Steve Lukather's Birth
Steve Lukather was born on October 21, 1957, in Los Angeles, California.
## Toto's Founding
Steve Lukather co-founded Toto with David Paich, Jeff Porcaro, and Bobby Kimball in 1976.
## Toto's Early Success
Toto released their debut album in 1978, featuring the top 10 hit 'Hold the Line'.
## Toto's Chart Success
Toto's 1982 album Toto IV reached triple-platinum status with three top 10 hits.
## Michael Jackson's Thriller
Steve Lukather played guitar on Michael Jackson's Thriller album in 1982.
## Session Guitarist Legacy
Lukather has contributed to over 1,500 albums across genres, including Michael Jackson's Thriller.
## Key takeaway

Steve Lukather, Toto's only founding member, played guitar on Michael Jackson's Thriller and has contributed to over 1,500 albums.