TOTO, Christopher Cross , and The Romantics

They say fashion is cyclical... and they’re right. Truly amazing things never go out of style, regardless of when they first popped up. Toto’s tune ‘Africa’ is one of these things. First heard in 1982, this masterpiece of popular prog has been a staple of pop culture since release. Taken from their massive second album Toto IV, it combined their other calling card Rosanna to introduce Toto to a massive audience. That record would go on to win several Grammy Awards and establish a base from which the band grew into one of the most prolific and durable acts in modern music history. Musically mind blowing and with more hits that you can poke a stick at, there’s no doubt that people will ask “where were you when Toto played Festival Hall?” for years to come.

Christopher Cross made history when his debut self-titled album was released in 1980.  The album featured the international hit songs Sailing, Run Like the Wind and Never Be The Same. It went on to win five Grammy Awards, including—for the first time ever—the four most prestigious awards: Record of the Year (for the single “Sailing”), Album of the Year, Song of the Year (also for “Sailing”), and Best New Artist.  An extraordinary song writer, Cross wrote all these songs and another of the most famous songs of the time - “Arthurs Theme (The best that you can do)” which he co-wrote with Burt Bacharach & Peter Allen and featured in the film Arthur that starred Liza Minelli and Dudley Moore.    Arthur’s Theme won the 1981 Academy Award for Best Original Song.