Thirsty Merc frontman Rai Thistlethwayte is joining the iconic rock band Toto as their new keyboardist for their North American tour.
Thirsty Merc co-founder Rai Thistlethwayte has announced that he’ll be joining the legendary rock group Toto as their new keyboardist and backing vocalist.
Thistlewayte confirmed the news via social media, sharing he’ll be joining the band on their current North American tour ahead of their first show in Milwaukee.
“I’m extremely excited to be joining @totothemselves on keys and backing vocals! The first tour date is tomorrow in #Milwaukee, can’t wait to get into these tunes on stage with these absolute legends!”
Toto would also share the news on their social media while promoting their upcoming “An Evening With” tour, which is expected to feature the band playing some of their most revered hits in an extended set.
“We are thrilled to announce Rai Thistlethwayte has joined the ensemble on keyboards and background vocals,” they said. “Our ‘An Evening With’ tour begins tomorrow and will stage shows through March 13. With the Summer tour to follow.”
For the past year, Thistlethwayte has been over in the United States, playing with Sammy Hagar during his “Best of All Worlds” Las Vegas residency. It’s no surprise, then, that Toto would scoop the Thirsty Merc co-founder, who is sure to have gained plenty of experience putting on extensive, intricate live shows. Thistlewayte has also been touring with Joe Satriani as a keyboardist in recent years.
As of writing, it’s unclear if Thistlethwayte will stay with the band after the tour for their upcoming tour in July and August, but regardless, it’s a huge career milestone for one of Australia’s most iconic rock frontmen.
Thirsty Merc released their most recent album, Celebration, in 2022, featuring reimagined covers of Australian songs from different decades. Their last album of new material was Shifting Gears, which released in 2015.
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