Bobby Kimball, the voice behind Toto’s mega hits “Hold the Line,” “Africa,” and “Rosanna,” is facing a tough new chapter. At 78, the guy who helped define late-70s and early-80s rock it has been revealed, was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia back in 2019, along with aphasia, which affects speech and language. Tough stuff, especially for someone whose life has been all about using his voice.

These days, he’s in L.A. with his wife Jasmin and a couple of caretakers, still finding joy in the everyday. He loves getting out for meals, hitting local parks, and, yep — he still plays the piano. Because if you’re Bobby Kimball, the music never really stops.

A new documentary called Kite on a String digs into both his career highs and his life now, featuring friends, medical experts, and probably a few heartbreakingly honest moments. Even bandmate Steve Lukather, despite all the rock ‘n’ roll history between them, called Kimball one of the greatest singers he’s ever known.

Bobby’s story is a reminder — behind every diagnosis, there’s still the person. Still the voice. Still the beat.

Photo Credit: By Fredamas - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

By Fredamas - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=111932073