Almost all of us went to high school with a group of wannabe musicians who formed a rock band in their teens to perform at the h.s. talent show and maybe a paid gig or two. Toto’s got ’em all beat.

High school buddies, music students and guitar phenoms from their teen years in the San Fernando Valley in California, Toto became the prolific, hit-making rock band that your high school buddies’ band never did, with the possible exception of East Peoria’s Gary Richrath, but he didn’t make it with his childhood friends.

Toto will play Peoria on October 2 at the Peoria Civic Center Theater in a rare show in this area, presented by National Shows 2 and 95.5,GLO. Lead guitarist Steve Lukather and his high school buddies of non-jock misfits focused in early on making music their career. They became studio session players in their teens and were on the road touring with the backing band for Boz Scaggs when they signed their first record deal, barely out of high school.

The rest, as they say, is history, but what a long 40+ year history it’s been. They not only reached the upper stratus of the rock world, but also played as studio musicians on an astronomical number of other stars’ songs. Lukather’s played with or met just about all of his rock heroes and played on countless award-winning albums, including Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” He’s also been a Ringo Starr All Starr Band member for the past seven years.

Toto brings its litany of rock hits to life here this fall. Tickets are now available at the box office and Ticketmaster.com.  Their “40 Trips Around The Sun Tour” plays Peoria, October 2, at the Civic Center Theater from National Shows 2 and 95.5, GLO, Peoria’s classic rock station.

Click below to hear my interview with the funny, 5-time-Grammy-winning guitar icon, whom we are all allowed to call “Luke.” I caught up with him one recent, sunny, Californian weekday morning…

Doc Watson