Biography
Bassist David Hungate earned widespread recognition during his six-year stint in the polished pop/rock/arena rock supergroup Toto, yet his career as a prolific West Coast session musician had already flourished prior to that association and remained active long afterward. Although born in Texas, he lived most of his adult years in Los Angeles, where he established his reputation during the early 1970s. By the formation of Toto, Hungate’s extensive session credits already encompassed artists ranging from Boz Scaggs and Seals & Crofts to gospel favorite Andraé Crouch and country-pop star Dolly Parton, demonstrating his stylistic versatility across soft rock, pop/rock, arena rock, adult contemporary, soul, urban contemporary, and country. Because he also handled acoustic and electric guitar as secondary instruments, his L.A.-based studio background aligned perfectly with Toto’s roster of in-demand session players.
Toto came together in 1978 when Hungate joined David Paich on keyboards and vocals, Steve Lukather on lead guitar and vocals, Bobby Kimball on lead vocals, Steve Porcaro on keyboards, and Steve’s late brother Jeff Porcaro on drums. Columbia issued the band’s self-titled debut album that same year, and it achieved double-platinum status in the United States after selling more than two million copies while featuring the major hits “Hold the Line” and “Georgy Porgy.” Although rock critics routinely dismissed Toto with harsh reviews, contrasting the group’s corporate-rock image against the critical darlings Elvis Costello and the Clash, the band’s devoted fan base remained unaffected. Hungate appeared on the 1979 follow-up Hydra, which earned gold certification, and remained for the 1981 Columbia release Turn Back.
His contributions continued on the multi-platinum 1982 album Toto IV. Thanks to the hits “Rosanna,” written for actress Rosanna Arquette, and “Africa,” that record surpassed even the 1978 debut in commercial impact and became Toto’s most successful album overall. Throughout his tenure with the group, Hungate maintained an active sideman schedule, supporting artists such as Bryan Adams, Gladys Knight, the Manhattan Transfer, Judy Collins, Neil Sedaka, Barbra Streisand, and Olivia Newton-John.
Hungate departed Toto in 1984 and was succeeded by Mike Porcaro, brother of Steve and Jeff Porcaro, freeing additional time for session work. The remainder of the 1980s found him recording with Linda Ronstadt, Kenny Rogers, and Rickie Lee Jones, among others. While much of his work centered on pop and rock dates in Los Angeles, he also traveled regularly to Nashville and contributed to country projects by George Jones, Glen Campbell, Lacy J. Dalton, Lorrie Morgan, Conway Twitty, Barbara Mandrell, George Strait, Tanya Tucker, and Reba McEntire. Although he occasionally participated in hardcore honky-tonk sessions, his pop/rock credentials frequently positioned him for crossover pop-country dates.
The 1990s brought continued session activity alongside the release of his debut solo album, Souvenir, an instrumental collection issued on the Clubhouse label in 1994. The recording marked a stylistic shift into jazz-fusion and pop-jazz territory, reflecting the influence of improvisers such as Pat Metheny, the Yellowjackets, and Weather Report. Session commitments remained his primary focus, and Hungate stayed active in both Los Angeles and Nashville studios well into the twenty-first century.
Toto came together in 1978 when Hungate joined David Paich on keyboards and vocals, Steve Lukather on lead guitar and vocals, Bobby Kimball on lead vocals, Steve Porcaro on keyboards, and Steve’s late brother Jeff Porcaro on drums. Columbia issued the band’s self-titled debut album that same year, and it achieved double-platinum status in the United States after selling more than two million copies while featuring the major hits “Hold the Line” and “Georgy Porgy.” Although rock critics routinely dismissed Toto with harsh reviews, contrasting the group’s corporate-rock image against the critical darlings Elvis Costello and the Clash, the band’s devoted fan base remained unaffected. Hungate appeared on the 1979 follow-up Hydra, which earned gold certification, and remained for the 1981 Columbia release Turn Back.
His contributions continued on the multi-platinum 1982 album Toto IV. Thanks to the hits “Rosanna,” written for actress Rosanna Arquette, and “Africa,” that record surpassed even the 1978 debut in commercial impact and became Toto’s most successful album overall. Throughout his tenure with the group, Hungate maintained an active sideman schedule, supporting artists such as Bryan Adams, Gladys Knight, the Manhattan Transfer, Judy Collins, Neil Sedaka, Barbra Streisand, and Olivia Newton-John.
Hungate departed Toto in 1984 and was succeeded by Mike Porcaro, brother of Steve and Jeff Porcaro, freeing additional time for session work. The remainder of the 1980s found him recording with Linda Ronstadt, Kenny Rogers, and Rickie Lee Jones, among others. While much of his work centered on pop and rock dates in Los Angeles, he also traveled regularly to Nashville and contributed to country projects by George Jones, Glen Campbell, Lacy J. Dalton, Lorrie Morgan, Conway Twitty, Barbara Mandrell, George Strait, Tanya Tucker, and Reba McEntire. Although he occasionally participated in hardcore honky-tonk sessions, his pop/rock credentials frequently positioned him for crossover pop-country dates.
The 1990s brought continued session activity alongside the release of his debut solo album, Souvenir, an instrumental collection issued on the Clubhouse label in 1994. The recording marked a stylistic shift into jazz-fusion and pop-jazz territory, reflecting the influence of improvisers such as Pat Metheny, the Yellowjackets, and Weather Report. Session commitments remained his primary focus, and Hungate stayed active in both Los Angeles and Nashville studios well into the twenty-first century.
Albums