BIOGRAPHY

September 1, 1960 Joseph Williams was born of the compositor John Williams and of Barbara Ruick Williams. John Williams is famous for having composed the trilogies of Indiana Jones, of E.T. and Star Wars, but many others too.

At the age of 21, he started to work with the manager Barry Bregman to obtain a recording. At the same time he worked with Seth Riggs to develop his vocal talent.

When he got back from a tour with Jeffrey Osbourne, Joseph heard that Toto had auditioned to find a new singer. Ten days after his audition, he became the new voice of Toto. The voice of Joseph is really surprising on the ' Fahrenheit' and ' The Seventh One' albums. Unfortunately Joseph left the group in 1988 due to an irreconcilable difference of opinion with Toto’s members.

Between 1990 and 1994 Joseph went to work again for MGM and Warner Brothers Publishing as a compositor. In the middle of the year 1994, Joseph was invited to make the voice of the character of Simba in Disney‘s "The Lion King".

In 1995, Joseph began a new career as compositor for films and television. During the following years, while he was working, Joseph recorded and realized his second solo album "I'm Alive" dedicated to the memory of his former companion of the Toto group: Jeff Porcaro.

In 1997, Joseph realised his third solo album "3". This album includes a song written by David Paich as well as Jeff Porcaro's title called “Goin ' Home”. The Joseph version of 'Goin ' Home' includes musicians such as Mike Porcaro ( bass ), Bobby Kimball and Fergie Frederiksen, former singers of Toto.

In 1998, Joseph sang with Steve and Mike Porcaro on a single entitled ' Young At Heart' in memory of their late brother, Jeff. He also collaborated with Bobby Kimball, Jason Scheff, and Bill Champlin (from Chicago) on an acapella album entitled ' California Dreamin '. Then on a second, ' Naturally'.

In 1999, he also briefly re-joined Toto in the memorable “XX” tour.

Since then, Joseph concentrated on his work for films until 2003, when he accepted a proposal from Frontiers Records President Serafino Perugino to be involved in the Vertigo project, together with producer Fabrizio Grossi (a man who worked with Glenn Hughes, House of Lords, Starbreaker, Danny Vaughn, Starship etc.). The success of Joseph's return on the market with a sound style based on classic melodic rock was greeted with much commercial and critical acclaim and thus plans for a second album were soon made. In the meanwhile Joseph found the opportunity to work again with Toto and his lead vocals shine in the latest single “Bottom of your Soul” off of the very successful “Falling In Between” album. On Vertigo “II”, Joseph and Fabrizio are joined by world class players such as Alex Masi on guitars, Virgil Donati (Soul Sirkus, Ring of Fire) on drums and Jason Scheff (Chicago, background vocals on “Hold Me”). Once again songs have been supplied by long-time friend Joey Carbone and Joseph this time did also contribute to the songwriting with the mega-AOR uptempo “I Want To Live Forever”. Some other songs were eventually selected through some of Joseph most contemporary influences and preferences. The resulting record, is another threat for the melodic rock fans and a real must for all lovers of the sound of Toto and of course for all those who have enjoyed Vertigo's chapter 1.

Between these solo albums, he took part in the following West Coast albums such as: Aor (Frederic Slama, Secret Obsession (1984) with Luke, Jeff & Mike Porcaro, Richard Page, Carlos Vega etc...), Radioactive (Tommy Denander), and Peter Friestedt.