Jeff Porcaro was an influential American drummer, percussionist, songwriter, and record producer, celebrated as one of the most accomplished and technically adept session drummers in music history. Born on April 1, 1954, in Hartford, Connecticut, he passed away on August 5, 1992, in West Hills, California. The eldest son of percussionist Joe Porcaro (1930—2020), Jeff was also the brother of bassist Mike Porcaro (1955—2015) and keyboardist Steve Porcaro (b. 1957). Together, they co-founded the band Toto. Over the span of his career, which lasted from 1971 until his untimely death in 1992, Porcaro recorded thousands of sessions for numerous acclaimed albums, including Steely Dan's Aja, Pink Floyd's The Wall, and Michael Jackson's Thriller. Music critic William Ruhlmann noted that "it's no exaggeration to say that the sound of mainstream pop/rock drumming in the 1980s was, to a large extent, the sound of Jeff Porcaro." In recognition of his contributions, he was posthumously inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 1993.

Porcaro grew up in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, where he began playing drums at the age of seven. His early training was provided by his father, Joe Porcaro, as well as by Bob Zimmitti and Richie Lepore. He later cited Jim Keltner and Jim Gordon as significant influences on his style. At just seventeen, Jeff landed his first professional role with Sonny & Cher's touring band, and the duo's 1973 double album includes one of the few recordings of Porcaro's live drum solo. By his early twenties, he had toured with Boz Scaggs and contributed to numerous albums, including several projects with Steely Dan. Around 1977, he formed Toto with his brother Steve and childhood friends Steve Lukather and David Paich. Over his career with Toto, Jeff recorded ten albums, including the soundtrack for David Lynch's 1984 film Dune and their widely acclaimed 1982 album Toto IV. For the hit song "Rosanna," he developed a complex half-time shuffle groove, earning four Grammy Awards in 1983: "Producer of the Year," "Record of the Year," "Album of the Year," and "Best Instrumental Arrangement." In 1985, he released a VHS instructional video titled Jeff Porcaro: The Legendary Groove through Star Licks, which was later reissued on DVD. This video detailed his signature groove, a fusion of the Purdie shuffle, John Bonham's rhythm from "Fool in the Rain" by Led Zeppelin, and Bo Diddley's kick drum beat.

Porcaro's life was cut short at the age of 38 when he died following a heart attack after being hospitalized in August 1992. A memorial concert was held in Los Angeles later that year, featuring notable artists such as George Harrison, Boz Scaggs, Donald Fagen, Don Henley, Michael McDonald, David Crosby, and Eddie Van Halen. The proceeds from this event helped establish an education trust fund for Jeff Porcaro's three sons: Christopher Joseph (b. 1984), Miles Porcaro (1986—2017), and Nico Porcaro (b. 1991). In 2020, a new biography titled It's About Time: Jeff Porcaro – The Man And His Music, authored by Robyn Flans with a foreword by Jim Keltner, was published by Hudson Music.