TOTO’s Joseph Williams on the Band’s Enduring Legacy Ahead of Bethel Woods Performance

TOTO will bring nearly five decades of music history to Bethel Woods Center for the Arts on Wednesday, July 15, sharing the stage with Christopher Cross and The Romantics for a night packed with classic hits and generational sing-alongs.

Ahead of the show, Radio Catskill spoke with Joseph Williams, lead vocalist for TOTO, about the band’s lasting appeal, the renewed life of songs like “Africa,” and what makes performing at Bethel Woods especially meaningful.

TOTO has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide and remains one of the rare bands from the 1970s whose music continues to reach new audiences. Songs like “Hold the Line,” “Rosanna,” and “Africa” have become part of the American soundtrack, moving from radio staples to streaming playlists, films, television, social media clips and covers by younger artists.

Williams said part of the reason TOTO’s music has lasted is because the songs do not feel locked into one era.

He pointed to “Africa” in particular, saying the song has a timeless quality in its production and a chorus that continues to connect with listeners.

“There’s something anthemic about that chorus that sticks with people,” Williams said.

For Williams, one of the best parts of performing “Africa” live is watching the crowd respond. He said audiences are often on their feet, singing along so loudly that the moment becomes “deafening,” in the best possible way.

The song, he said, has become a kind of “world song,” reaching listeners across generations and cultures. Its continued presence in pop culture has helped introduce TOTO to younger fans who may not have grown up hearing the band on the radio.

Williams said TOTO now sees several generations at its concerts: longtime fans who heard the songs when they first came out, their children, and now younger listeners who discovered the band through streaming, social media, movies, television or covers like Weezer’s version of “Africa.”

That mix of generations, he said, is now part of the band’s live experience.

But for Williams, TOTO’s staying power is not just about nostalgia. It is also about musicianship.

From the beginning, TOTO was built around highly skilled musicians, many of whom came up as studio players before becoming one of the most recognizable bands of their era. Williams said that standard remains central to the band today.

“What you see on stage is what you’re hearing,” Williams said, adding that there is still something special about watching real musicians play and sing live.

Williams said he and founding guitarist Steve Lukather carry the band’s legacy forward, while surrounding themselves with musicians who can meet the level TOTO’s catalog demands. Lukather remains the only member from the original lineup still touring with the group, while Williams joined in the mid-1980s.

The July 15 show also brings together three acts with deep catalogs of recognizable songs.

Christopher Cross rose to fame with his 1980 debut album, sweeping the Grammy Awards with wins for Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist. Over a career spanning more than 40 years, Cross has sold more than 12 million albums and earned Grammy, Oscar, Golden Globe and Emmy recognition.

Williams praised Cross as both a singer and guitarist, calling him “amazing” and noting that his voice still carries the sound fans remember.

The Romantics, formed in Detroit on Valentine’s Day in 1977, helped define American rock with songs like “What I Like About You” and “Talking in Your Sleep.” Williams said TOTO is looking forward to sharing the bill with them, praising the band’s songs, sound and direct rock-and-roll energy.

For concertgoers, Williams said the three-act lineup offers “a little bit of everything for everybody” and a chance to make a full afternoon and evening out of the show.

The setting also adds to the occasion. Bethel Woods sits at the historic site of the 1969 Woodstock festival, and Williams said playing a venue with that kind of legacy is meaningful for the band.

He compared the feeling to performing at other iconic venues such as Madison Square Garden or the Hollywood Bowl, places where the history of the stage becomes part of the night itself.

For Williams, performing still comes down to the connection between the band and the audience.

“I love stage performing,” he said. “I love the rapport with the audience.”

TOTO, Christopher Cross and The Romantics perform at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts on Wednesday, July 15. The show begins at 6:45 p.m.