JOE PORCARO - Jazz Drummer, Percussionist & Educator (Co-founder of L.A. Music Academy LACM)

Joe Porcaro, his legacy and long family line of musicians, including his sons Jeff, Mike & Steve (Toto), shares personal and inspirational stories contributing to his incredible success in life and music history. "Get all the experience you can get!"
The Sessions Panel shares music industry knowledge to musicians across the country! Includes Entertainment Law, Marketing, Networking, Artist Relations & Motivational skills and experiences from professionals and experts who have been "on the road" and are successful in the industry.

[@julierood1228]

RIP dear Sir. You will be missed! The great Joe Porcaro passed away last night July 6, 2020. He now joins his two musician sons Jeff and Mike Porcaro, in Heaven. Condolences to his family.

[@teresaclark1508]

And Jeff's son, Miles. What a heavenly band!

[@johnholmes5481]

I love when he says “Jeffrey”. That’s a dad and his son. Such a beautiful interview.

[@rhondawilkins_]

GEN X, 1965! This man single~handed created one of the greatest musical legacies! So grateful Joe Porcaro raised 3 of the best sons[ Jeff,Mike, Steve] whose love ❤ of music 🎶 made them the greatest musicians on planet 🌏! Joe welcomed all his kids friends to play music in his own garage in the 60s 70s and these guys went Onward to become " TOTO"! My own Uncle was a music producer @A&M RECORDS HOLLYWOOD from 1969-1999 and in the summers I was privileged to watch these guys create a music scene in California that eventually made it's way around the entire 🌎 globe. Session musicians Steve Lukather, David Paich, Jeff Porcaro, David Hungate, Mike Porcaro, Steve Porcaro, Lenny Castro....bring on Bobby Kimball/Joe Williams who played on more records and famous music BEFORE they formed their own band aptly named " TOTO"! 45 years later ,they graced the stage in my hometown of North Little Rock, Arkansas on March 19,2022 along with their friends Rock band " Journey". Magic 🎩! #RIP Joe,Jeff, Mike Porcaro #missingdavidpaich #missingsteveporcaro #missingbobbykimball #missinglennycastro #missingdavidhungate Thank you Joe and Eileen Porcaro, forever 🙏 grateful.

[@dennisjohndreher7258]

God bless the porcaros

[@annied1997]

He really does remind me of Mike Rest in peace sir 🙏 and thank you for giving us the gift of your talented sons

[@dinodeluca6210]

What a great man....this is the guy who did most of the drumming on the Flintstones! A terrific player and so kind and humble. His son Jeff was the same....super talented and super classy!

[@kausikghosh9968]

MR Joe Porcaro is an Institution himself. He is himself The Legendary Musician. The Porcaro Family has Gave the World The Legacy of Legends. Joe the Legendary Drummer & Percurssionist and his Legendary sons Jeff The Greatest ever Drummer,percurssionist music Producer,Mike the Legendary Bass Player and Steve the Legendary Keyboard & SynthOrgan player. So this documentary has developed my information on these Legenday Musicians. THANKS FROM THE CORE OF MY HEART.

[@TheSessionsPanel]

Thank you Kausik! What a wonderfully true testimonial! Appreciate your support & sharing our interviews!

[@teresaclark1508]

I agree

[@texaseddie1071]

What a beautiful man! Thank God him and Mrs Porcaro reproduced!!

[@coconutgrovemusicnz]

I am humbled to be watching this. The Porcaro family name was meal time conversations at my families meal table. I told my kids to "follow the player and therein lies the groove recorded for time and life". In other words, get into the session players. there in lies the gold. They are at the cutting edge as players. They had to be bang on. I introduced them to the Porcaro family via Jeff, Mike & Steve of course. My children were put to bed listening to Toto in the 80's. Now my grandchildren are put to be by their parents listening to Toto and this is 2018. Watching Joe Porcaro here just blows my mind. The humility, the attention to detail, the thought, the spirit and soul of music is in this man and his family passed down to him and he on to Jeff, Mike & Steve and so forth. I would imagine the boys children will be groovin as well. This is called legacy. Thank you to the creators of this series. I live in NZ, down under, miles away from anywhere bar Australia BUT, I am inspired and deeply thankful for this. Pure magic. Kia ora katoatoa....peace and blessings. David.

[@tommeredith7462]

I have to add, I love how Joe Uses the language of today, he uses all of the youthful hip terms. Again I’m very thankful for Joe and very impressed with his humanity and kindness.

[@malcolmmcleod6020]

So pleased that you managed to interview Joe before he passed.

[@TheSessionsPanel]

Yes, he was a wonderful man and honored to know him!

[@berrettamusicacademy9980]

:o( Very sad right now but it is out of selfishness. The heavens must have shined even brighter when Joe was reunited with Jeff and Mike :o) Thank you Joe for being the man and mentor you were

[@porgie808]

thanks, joe. great person, great teacher, great stories! you live on! i was lucky enough to have joe, emil richards, and ralph humphrey as my drum/percussion teachers at the L.A. Music Academy.

[@otineb5]

Dom Famularo, although this interview was conducted in 2017, I really enjoyed viewing it just now. And I had no idea how accomplished the late Joe Porcaro was. He was definitely passionate about drums and percussion and appears to have done all the correct things to enable to make a living as a musician and not many people can do that or aren't willing to work hard and practice as he did and ended up in a career that so dearly loved. Thank you for posting and please keep up on the great work on interviewing legends.

[@TheSessionsPanel]

Thank you! Joe was an incredible & talented person! Appreciate your thoughts, please share & help us bring you many more great interviews!

[@johnfoster535]

Took my first lesson with Skinny as a schoolboy. He was friends with my mother who did work to support the Hartford Symphony where Skinny was in the percussion section with Al Lepak and Tele Lesbines. Years later, my mother remarried a well known trumpet player from Hartford, so, coincidentally , I would fill in occasionally with his local band, where Skinny himself played as a young man !! The word was that Skinny had " fast hands !!" Before my mom died in the 1980s, she and her husband visited Joe at his home in California and had a great time......I wish I had been there !! It's funny.....I always thought Jeff was OLDER than me because of his massive success , while I was still finishing high school and starting college, but, he was only less than a year older than me !! RIP Skinny !!.....what an inspiration of excellence you and your sons have left behind, which has now reached many corners of this earth !!

[@billmclaughlin6987]

I studied with Al Lepak in the late 70s and early 80s and he spoke often about Skinny Porcoro and Emil Richards. They were all Buddies in the Hartford CT area. Unfortunately, I never met Joe but have always heard great things about him.

[@rick3747]

RIP Joe Thank you for your music, class and family's contributions.

[@bjornfryklund1754]

What a wonderful man and the finest teacher I've had. Thanks Dom.

[@kenfreeman5321]

The more I hear and learn about the Porcaros, the greater my admiration for them. Thank you, Dom. Rest in Peace Jeff, Mike and Joe.

[@TheSessionsPanel]

Such a great family, have contributed so much to our music!

[@MrDaveaccord]

What a wonderful, humble guy Joe was. A musical family that reached incredible heights. So sad he had to bury two of his sons in his lifetime. RIP Jeff, Mike, and Joe Porcaro.

[@lockedin60]

RIP Joe up there with Jeff and Mike!

[@teresaclark1508]

And Jeff's son Miles.

[@Mat1970Thompson]

Hi Dom. I heard about Joe's passing yesterday on Lee Sklar's channel. I'm sorry for the passing of your friend and one of the legends of music. Seemed like such an amazing and humble person and musician. Sending peace and love from Arkansas!

[@TheSessionsPanel]

Joe Porcaro was a fine musician, gentleman & educator. We will miss him & grateful for him & the music his family has given the world over the years!

[@GlobalDrumming]

Thanks so much!!! Stay safe!

[@maryannarlotta7157]

Joe Porcaro was more than a dad, he knew how to groom his kids to be musicians. People don't know he was the link that got the group Toto together along with being the session players they became.

[@lilbob369]

Ok now I see why Jeff and his brothers are so cool. This is great !

[@itadrummer1]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE watching and listening to this fine gentleman called Joe Porcaro : he is as good as it gets , a true master and a great human being ! Thank you so much Don for making this great interview and sharing it with us : what a simply beautiful person he is , they are not making anymore folks like Mr. Joe Porcaro , God bless him and his family !

[@TheSessionsPanel]

Joe is exactly as you described! Thanks for your comments & subscribing to our channel!

[@stixnfeet7818]

Listening to this interview is humbling to watch. No doubt a pillar, wise elder and legend among the drum & percussion community. Such a life well lived and legacy left behind. Thank You & RIP, good Sir 🙏

[@dmguk9931]

wow...what a man...the history..the names..being in the right place...being fearless yet humble...we salute you sir..

[@tommeredith7462]

It’s impossible not to respect Joe. Such an amazing story of his youth and coming of age. All 3 of his son’s were so talented in their own right. Jeff being a much sought after sessions musician and drummer for ToTo , Mike being a fantastic bass player and Steve on keyboards and his expertise in electronics etc. It is so sad Joe lost two of his sons way too soon. Jeff in 1998 I think due to an accident and Mike in 2015 because of ALS. I’ve heard many interviews of Jeff and Steve, but although I’ve seen Mike perform I don’t really know much about him, I haven’t found interviews etc.. Joe was so supportive of his 3 sons and he seems like such a kind loving man. RIP Joe, Jeff and Mike..

[@Stevo_Drums]

Thank you for your contributions to music and humanity, Mr. Porcaro! Your family has been a huge inspiration to me. I also want to say that Jeff and Mike will always be in my heart. They are deeply missed and greatly admired. Thank you Dom for the amazing interviews. Absolute treasures, especially the guys who have been around for a long time. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SKINNY!

[@thomasekeberg7309]

this Gentleman is father of Three Top Musicians that walked on Earth

[@SteveStockmalMusic]

Love you Joe!❤️ He was one of my teachers MI. Super warm, friendly, supportive. One of the students worked at SIR, and he brought in some prop cymbals that were glued together so they didn’t make any noise. Joe was talking about the lesson that day, and he kept walking toward the drum set, but then right before he played start talking again. We were snickering, he caught oon that something was funny but didn’t know what. When he finally played figured it out he laughed, and we laughed soooooo hard. I’ll always remember that warm day.

[@TheSessionsPanel]

Joe's a great guy! Thanks for sharing!

[@roccomatarese6682]

Skinny, this is Rocco Matarese, I was a student of yours at Al Lepak's studio on Capitsl Avenue. It was a gas to see you in this interview. You have been an inspiration to me and to so many other dummers. God Bless

[@RogerBiwandu]

Daddy Joe, I really love the way he tells story, his voice, what a sweet gentle man, you gotta love him and thank him for Jeff, Mike and Steve !!! PS : I really love his use of "you know..." :-)

[@CosimoKeitaCadore]

A beautiful legend.

[@HartatySirait_hidamari]

Rest in peace, Mr. Porcaro. 🙏

[@StephanEmigMusic]

I want to push the like button so many times. Joe, excellent musician, inspiring teacher and what a wonderful human being. Thank you for inviting him, Dom!

[@TheSessionsPanel]

Glad you enjoyed it! Joe's a great guy! Please share & help us grow our reach & subscribers!

[@teachingbeats]

Joe you are a wonderful guy, thank you for your time you spent with me at MI

[@jjones4662]

I Love Joe, he was my Teacher in the mid 80's at Musicians Institute......One of a Kind...

[@fusionfest43]

Yeah me too. '87-89. Joe was so great. I remember him absolutely owning a Steve Gadd solo. The guy was a monster player and a gentleman.

[@daveh3766]

Joe, I went to MI in '91 and with an endless amount of talented drum teachers you were the most important to me and my life as a drummer. Thank you! And Dom, I knew you from way back at the Long Island Drum Center, you rock! Thanks for this interview.

[@ericwilhelm2941]

Phew .... I don't know where to start , but Thanks God Joe moved to Los Angeles So moving to hear Joe talk about his kids . I love Steve , Mike and Jeff

[@sammyvh11]

Musicians are the most tuned in people to the universe. RIP

[@vanomaden]

He fills every room enters with his warmth. I was blessed to meet him several time. Last time 2002 in Koblenz. We did PA for the Jeff memorial concert and he and Mike thanked me for the good sound ... and Joe pinched my cheek. I still feel it. - Lothar Strunk did a fantastic job mixing the gig. They made a record with the material they collected at the two concerts ... get the record.

[@edwindantes539]

Fantastic, he seems like an absolute sweet man!!

[@joerico9461]

Skinny Joe Porcara a cool ol dude with excellent stories. Now I see where Jeff got his chops

[@floydadams1119]

Dom, you are doing so much documentation with these interviews. Please please please make sure your achievement with The Sessions Panel carries onto the next genertion.

[@charlesfranklin3533]

This Great Man is such a National Treasure. He and his Son's have Inspired so Many Musicians World Wide. This Interview is so Awe Inspiring. Keep up the Great Work Dom.

[@TheSessionsPanel]

So true Charles! Thanks for your support of The Sessions and sharing our work!

[@vanomaden]

So cool he mentions Peter Becker. That brings back memories. :-)

[@porkpie102264]

Love Joe, what a wonderful man... Loved that I got a chance to study with him... Reminds me of Alan Dawson in that he taught more than just a note on on a page . He taught you about life as well.

[@RaincloudmusicTFS6]

He will be greatly missed!!!!

[@rossananuboloni9057]

The Porcaro Family. Proudly Italian 🇮🇹❤️

[@BloodPact]

Incredible stories. Thx. With love from Russia!

[@Rogersdrumvideos]

best interview I've ever seen ... anyone and everyone interested in music PERIOD should watch every second of this.... my old teacher at MI ... love you Mr. Porcaro

[@SONORSQ2guy]

Great stories by Mr. Porcaro. I started listening to this during my break at work. 50 minutes later I'm still on break! Oops! His stories are so amazing that I lost track of time.😊

[@toddbrittain1060]

What a wonderful gentleman. I wish I'd known him and his sons.

[@PSModernKitchens]

Wonderful interview… so good! Thank you Dom

[@Constantijn09]

A great Cat, a great Teacher and above all a great humble human being.

[@8194856]

What a lovely lovely man Joe is. Great job Dom you've brought us some truly great interviews. Lunga vita a Joe Porcaro.

[@tonymarinelli7304]

I watch this interview three or four times now, it’s absolutely a treasure!!

[@TheSessionsPanel]

Agreed Tony! Thanks for your support of The Sessions KZbin channel!

[@andrewyka]

Great story Great musition and his Sons!!! wort class Artists!!!Mr Porcaro Thanks You.

[@dougmanzelli5625]

I studied with Joe for a short time and learned so much. He revolutionized my sound. Amazing teacher.

[@dfreeman120]

Pure inspiration ❤

[@ralfir1643]

thank you for this interview, i love it!, very nice story of how the Porcaro family , came to be.

[@platupla]

Love it, love it, love it!!!

[@philenns6797]

Fascinating Dom ... What a wonderful interview! Joe Porcaro ... a talented and great guy with a heartwarming story about 'real' life.. Such a sweet interview! Thank you!

[@ChrisHaas1]

What an amazing interview!! Thank you so much for presenting it!!

[@drumusic333]

Wow, another amazing interview....thank you, Dom! I love these stories....the history behind these legendary drummers and this one is extra special, because Jeff P. is my #1 drummer still. It's great to better understand how he grew up and what significant influence his dad made.....Joe's such a wonderful man. Thanks again!

[@TheSessionsPanel]

So right Mark....Joe is the best!! Thank you for your support and help in sharing the history of drummers & the music industry!

[@drumusic333]

No, thank you! I'm glad I met a couple of you at the booth at NAMM, to say hi and thank you for your works. I think it's invaluable and so needed....to preserve this rich history in music, like you are doing and these can benefit the next generation of drummers/musicians. You are doing a wonderful service for all of us....thanks again.

[@Joesfosterdogs]

WOW...OK so it is really Jeff Porcara!

[@adbarnes57]

One of my very favorite of the Sessions. Thank you Dom.

[@GiovanniSpitalieri]

So Great to see this interview with Joe, he is such a nice guy, and I was lucky enough to be his student, I learned a lot with his and this made me very happy!

[@TheSessionsPanel]

Joe's a great guy, I'm sure you learned a lot from him!....Dom

[@regaltip8A]

Would be nice if Joe could speak to Jeff's widow and tell her to pull her head in and allow the Band Of Brothers documentary to be made. She can still sit back and enjoy her Tupperware fortune without stopping the movie.

[@beachgirl4583]

Is it really Susan stopping the documentary, or the Duddys? How can she legally stop Joe, Mike, Joleen, and the rest of the family from talking about Jeff?

[@SuperQdaddy]

Thankyou Dom..great interview *

[@bailey12444]

This is an amazing interview thanks so much

[@glassslide]

That was sooo awesome, thank you!!

[@chrisr1968]

What an incredible interview! Beautifully told and also inspiring! Thank you Mr. Pocaro.

[@tombagshaw2311]

Great interview again, Joe's story is fascinating all about work and family some great stuff thank you.

[@hiddenmonday7361]

Mr Joe makes me proud to be lefty ..... :)

[@thiagomanobatera]

Eu amo a família Porcaro !!!

[@alejandrodrums3464]

great CAT beautiful touching stories. one of the greats! thanx DOM from Argentina!

[@lawrencetaylor4101]

What a great musican and family man. So sad that he had to bury two of his children.

[@veronaraven3099]

one of Connecticut's finest

[@glenrodgers5126]

Such a great interview Dom! So much inspiration here!

[@Harbaksh1234]

I agree with everyone in this comment section. Absolutely beautiful interview X

[@h.i.5333]

What a fantastic interview, thanks for sharing!

[@waynemagin2554]

Thank you..

[@rocklobster6943]

RIP Joe Porcaro

[@alanunseld4942]

I ve heard Jeff Luke. And paich. Talk about joe but I never imagined what a career

[@odaydrums]

1 of my best teachers I was blessed so many

[@beachgirl4583]

Mark, Can you time stamp the part where Joe says that? I didn’t hear it.

[@odaydrums]

@@beachgirl4583 Ha! That was not a quote that was my mangled syntax. I was trying to say Joe was 1 of my best teachers. I went to Musicians Institute when Joe was still there. And yes there were so many good ones there at the time : )

[@beachgirl4583]

Mark ODay, I meant where Joe said that Jeff was the better drummer (than Mike) from our exchange on the Mike video. I think Jeff meant that Mike read music, while he didn’t (and that Jeff was talking about their teenage years).

[@odaydrums]

@@beachgirl4583 I dont mean to seem dense but what Mike video ? Help?

[@beachgirl4583]

Mark ODay, Damn my eyes (or my brain?). My bad. Another Mark and I were having a conversation about Jeff, on a video about Mike last night. I’d posted a question about Mike’s drumming. Jeff had said that Mike was the better drummer. He (the other Mark) said that was a myth (that Jeff had said it, or that it was ever true, Idk) and linked me to this video. In an effort to save time, I queried you here, not noticing the different last name. Sorry for the confusion. It must have been awesome having Joe as a teacher.

[@michaeltee1624]

Cool guy... ya know

[@BobSchoepenjr]

Wonderfull intv!

[@GlobalDrumming]

Bob Schoepen jr Thanks so much!!!

[@somethinginmind2151]

How I wish to be his granddaughter. If we could just choose family before we're born, I would choose him as my grandparent

[@TheSessionsPanel]

Sweet....he was a good man! Thanks!

[@bmoore5868]

wincing at over the top sycophantic intro but these sessions are genuinely great.

[@TheSessionsPanel]

Thanks for watching & be sure to subscribe to channel to see most recent interviews as well!

[@davidbickel6739]

Ya don't get to be in a drum n bugle and not be a terrific musician