AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH
B O B B Y K I M B A L L
After playing and
singing with about 15 different bands in Louisiana and Texas, Bobby Kimball
ended up in a band called "The Levee Band", which became a high
watermark of musicianship and talent. In the middle of a tour with The Levee
band, Bobby received a call from a long time musician friend, Jon Smith, who asked him to come to LA and sing
with the musicians who had made up the band "Three Dog Night", one of
Bobby’s favorite bands ever. He had to make a very hard decision to leave, not
only one of the best bands he had ever played with, but also his native
Louisiana home.
After arriving in LA to meet the band, things changed drastically for Bobby. He was finally in the city where the music industry thrived, and most of the great musicians and singers who had created the hit songs that drew him into the fold to become a musician were living and working. After this band got together, they signed a contract with CBS Records under the name "S.S. Fools", which was the title of the first and only LP recorded by them. This band lasted for about 18 months before Bobby decided to leave them for better opportunities.
During the rehearsal stages of "S.S. Fools", Bobby
first met, and became friends with Jeffery Porcaro (then, the drummer with
"Steely Dan"), and David Paich paych (who had just co-written the
Grammy winning "Silk Degrees" LP with Boz Scaggs). Jeff and David
were at most of our rehearsals, because they loved the music of "Three Dog
Night" as well. A few months after leaving S.S. Fools, Bobby was asked by
Jeff and David (the initial founders of Toto), to become the lead singer. There
were no questions, nor hesitation about his decision to join this band. They
were the best musicians Bobby had ever heard, and a perfect platform for his
voice.
The very first LP Toto released, entitled "Toto", broke out with the
massive hit single, "Hold The Line". The band was nominated for a
Grammy as "Best New Band" that year, but lost to "A Taste of
Honey".
Toto’s music was very well received and the band built a huge following of very
loyal fans. Bobby was in the band for the recording of the first 4 records
("Toto", "Hydra", "Turn Back", and
"TotoIV"). It was the "Toto IV CD" that absolutely defined
the band, and its future. At the 1982 Grammy Awards, The "Toto IV" CD
was nominated for a "record breaking" NINE Grammy Awards. Out of
these nine nominations, the band won SIX Grammy Awards, based on the strength
and popularity of the song, "Rosanna". Also, Steve Lukather,
co-writer of "Turn Your Love Around", with Jay Gradon -Greydon and
Bill Champlin, won a 7th Grammy. Altogether, the band brought home 7 Grammy
Awards that evening, ...which set a precedent for the number of Grammy Awards
ever won by a single band in one year.
It was in the middle of the recording of the 5th CD that some differences broke
out amongst the members of the band, and Bobby was asked to leave Toto. The
band went through several singers, Fergie Frederikson & Joseph Williams, to
name a couple of really great vocalists.
Bobby moved to Germany for 6 years, and recorded his first CD there with Frank Farian called “The Far Corporation”. This is where he met Simon Philips, who played drums on the CD. The CD did very well in the charts in Europe, and a 2nd CD was in the works by then.
Bobby moved to Germany for 6 years, and recorded his first CD there with Frank Farian called “The Far Corporation”. This is where he met Simon Philips, who played drums on the CD. The CD did very well in the charts in Europe, and a 2nd CD was in the works by then.
Bobby ended up
recording 3 more CDs in Germany:
1. “Rise Up”
2. “Tribute to Ray Charles”
3. “The Toto Classic Hits”
2. “Tribute to Ray Charles”
3. “The Toto Classic Hits”
After several
vocalist changes with Toto, in 1998, Bobby was asked to rejoin the band, which
put the band back to it's most original form, and he remained the lead vocalist
for the next 10 years until the band dissolved in 2008.
Not long after his
departure from Germany, Bobby met, and began co-writing his next CD work with
his friend John Zaika. The CD was entitled “All I Ever Needed”. Now, John and
Bobby are starting on their 2nd project, but this time, they have started their
own Record label called:“Future Memories Music”
Bobby and John’s next CD work will be the first thing to be released on that new label, and then, other artists will be considered to join the label. John and Bobby are writing the new CD now (May 2011).
Bobby spent about 2 weeks, beginning may 8th, 2011, touring in Kuwait & Iraq for the US Troops. “It was one of the most interesting tours I’ve ever done. I learned so much about what was going on in the Middle East, that most people have no clue about.”
Since the dissolution of Toto in 2008, Bobby has been touring the world over, non-stop. At this time, he has 6 major tours lined up, and more on the way. “I’ve never been this busy in my whole career in music. I love touring, and I always have fun on the road with the fans.”
Bobby and John’s next CD work will be the first thing to be released on that new label, and then, other artists will be considered to join the label. John and Bobby are writing the new CD now (May 2011).
Bobby spent about 2 weeks, beginning may 8th, 2011, touring in Kuwait & Iraq for the US Troops. “It was one of the most interesting tours I’ve ever done. I learned so much about what was going on in the Middle East, that most people have no clue about.”
Since the dissolution of Toto in 2008, Bobby has been touring the world over, non-stop. At this time, he has 6 major tours lined up, and more on the way. “I’ve never been this busy in my whole career in music. I love touring, and I always have fun on the road with the fans.”
Bobby Kimball’s latest
solo release
We’re Not in Kansas Anymore
Available NOW at amazon.com
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BOBBY KIMBALL
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We’re Not in Kansas Anymore
We’re Not in Kansas Anymore
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