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Carlos Humberto Santana Barragán (; born July 20, 1947) is an American guitarist who rose to fame in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band Santana, which pioneered a fusion of
Rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm ...
and Latin American jazz. Its sound featured his melodic,
blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the ...
-based lines set against Latin American and African rhythms played on
percussion A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...
instruments not generally heard in rock, such as timbales and congas. He experienced a resurgence of popularity and critical acclaim in the late 1990s. In 2015, ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' magazine listed him at No. 20 on their list of the 100 greatest guitarists. He has won 10
Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...
and three Latin Grammy Awards, and was inducted along with his namesake band into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and ...
in 1998.


Biography


Early life

Santana was born in
Autlán Autlán de Navarro is a city and its surrounding municipality of the same name in the Costa Sur region of the southwestern part of the state of Jalisco in Mexico. At the Mexican census of 2005, the city had a population of 53,269. In 2010, the ...
de Navarro in
Jalisco Jalisco (, , ; Nahuatl: Xalixco), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco ; Nahuatl: Tlahtohcayotl Xalixco), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal ...
,
Mexico Mexico (Spanish language, Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a List of sovereign states, country in the southern portion of North America. It is borders of Mexico, bordered to the north by the United States; to the so ...
on July 20, 1947. He learned to play the violin at age five and the guitar at age eight, under the tutelage of his father, who was a
mariachi Mariachi (, , ) is a genre of regional Mexican music that dates back to at least the 18th century, evolving over time in the countryside of various regions of western Mexico. The usual mariachi group today consists of as many as eight violins, t ...
musician. His younger brother, Jorge, also became a professional guitarist. Santana was heavily influenced by Ritchie Valens at a time when there were very few Mexicans in American rock music. The family moved from Autlán to
Tijuana Tijuana ( ,"Tijuana"
(US) and
< ...
, on the border with the U.S. They then moved to
San Francisco, California San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17t ...
, where his father had steady work. In October 1966, Santana started the Santana Blues Band. By 1968, the band had begun to incorporate different types of influences into their electric blues. Santana later said, "If I would go to some cat's room, he'd be listening to Sly toneand Jimi Hendrix; another guy to the Stones and
the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
. Another guy'd be listening to Tito Puente and Mongo Santamaría. Another guy'd be listening to Miles avisand ohnColtrane... to me, it was like being at a university." Around the age of eight, Santana "fell under the influence" of blues performers like B.B. King, Javier Bátiz, Mike Bloomfield, and John Lee Hooker. Gábor Szabó's mid-1960s jazz guitar work also strongly influenced Santana's playing. Indeed, Szabó's composition "Gypsy Queen" was used as the second part of Santana's 1970 treatment of Peter Green's composition " Black Magic Woman", almost down to identical guitar licks. Santana's 2012 instrumental album ''
Shape Shifter In mythology, folklore and speculative fiction, shape-shifting is the ability to physically transform oneself through an inherently superhuman ability, divine intervention, demonic manipulation, sorcery, spells or having inherited the ...
'' includes a song called "Mr. Szabo", played in tribute in the style of Szabó. Santana also credits Hendrix, Bloomfield, Hank Marvin, and Peter Green as important influences; he considered Bloomfield a direct mentor, writing of a key meeting with Bloomfield in San Francisco in the foreword he wrote to a 2000 biography of Bloomfield, ''Michael Bloomfield: If You Love These Blues – An Oral History''. Between the ages of 10 and 12, he was sexually abused by an American man who brought him across the border. Santana lived in the
Mission District The Mission District (Spanish: ''Distrito de la Misión''), commonly known as The Mission (Spanish: ''La Misión''), is a neighborhood in San Francisco, California. One of the oldest neighborhoods in San Francisco, the Mission District's name is ...
, graduated from James Lick Middle School, and left Mission High School in 1965. He was accepted at
California State University, Northridge California State University, Northridge (CSUN or Cal State Northridge) is a public university in the Northridge neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. With a total enrollment of 38,551 students (as of Fall 2021), it has the second largest un ...
and
Humboldt State University California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt also known as Cal Poly Humboldt, Humboldt or Cal Poly"Cal Poly" may also refer to California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California or California State Polytechnic Universit ...
, but chose not to attend college.


Early career

Santana was influenced by popular artists of the 1950s such as B.B. King, T-Bone Walker, Javier Batiz, and John Lee Hooker. Soon after he began playing guitar, he joined local bands along the "Tijuana Strip" where he was able to begin developing his own sound. He was also introduced to a variety of new musical influences, including
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
and
folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has ...
, and witnessed the growing hippie movement centered in San Francisco in the 1960s. After several years spent working as a dishwasher at Tic Tock Drive-In No2 and busking to pay for a Gibson SG, replacing a destroyed Gibson Melody Maker, Santana decided to become a full-time musician. In 1966, he was chosen along with other musicians to form an ad hoc band to substitute for that of an intoxicated Paul Butterfield set to play a Sunday matinee at Bill Graham's Fillmore Auditorium. Graham selected the substitutes from musicians he knew primarily through his connections with the Butterfield Blues Band,
Grateful Dead The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in Palo Alto, California. The band is known for its eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, country, jazz, bluegrass, blues, rock and roll, gospel, reggae, world music, ...
, and Jefferson Airplane. Santana's guitar playing caught the attention of both the audience and Graham. During the same year he and fellow street musicians David Brown (bass guitar),
Marcus Malone Marcus "The Magnificent" Malone (July 29, 1944 – October 12, 2021) was an American percussionist and a founding member of the Latin rock band Santana. Life and career Malone was born in Memphis, Tennessee. The band Santana - originally kn ...
(percussion) and Gregg Rolie (lead vocals, Hammond Organ B3), formed the Santana Blues Band. Playing a highly original blend of Latin-infused rock, jazz, blues, salsa, and African rhythms, the band gained an immediate following on the San Francisco club circuit.


Record deal, Woodstock breakthrough, and height of success: 1969–1972

Santana's band was signed by
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. It was founded on January 15, 1889, evolving from the A ...
, which shortened its name to simply " Santana". It went into the studio to record its first album in January 1969, finally laying down tracks in May that became its first album. Members were not satisfied with the release, dismissed drummer Bob Livingston, and added
Mike Shrieve Michael Shrieve (born July 6, 1949) is an American drummer, percussionist, and composer. He is best known as the drummer of the rock band Santana, playing on the band's first seven albums from 1969 to 1974. At age 20, Shrieve was the second you ...
, who had a strong background in both jazz and rock. The band then lost percussionist
Marcus Malone Marcus "The Magnificent" Malone (July 29, 1944 – October 12, 2021) was an American percussionist and a founding member of the Latin rock band Santana. Life and career Malone was born in Memphis, Tennessee. The band Santana - originally kn ...
, who was charged with involuntary manslaughter. Michael Carabello was re-enlisted in his place, bringing with him experienced Nicaraguan percussionist José Chepito Areas. Major rock music promoter Bill Graham, a Latin Music aficionado who had been a fan of Santana from its inception, arranged for the band to appear at the Woodstock Music and Art Festival before its debut album was even released. Its set was one of the surprises of the festival, highlighted by an eleven-minute performance of a throbbing instrumental, " Soul Sacrifice". Its inclusion in the ''
Woodstock Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held during August 15–18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, United States, southwest of the town of Woodstock. Billed as "an Aq ...
'' film and soundtrack album vastly increased the band's popularity. Graham also suggested Santana record the Willie Bobo song " Evil Ways", as he felt it would get radio airplay. The band's first album, '' Santana'', was released in August 1969 and became a hit, reaching No. 4 on the U.S.
Billboard 200 The ''Billboard'' 200 is a record chart ranking the 200 most popular music albums and EPs in the United States. It is published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine and is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of ar ...
. The band's performance at Woodstock and the follow-up sound track and movie introduced them to an international audience and garnered critical acclaim. The sudden success which followed put pressure on the group, highlighting the different musical directions Rolie and Santana were starting to go. Rolie, along with some of the other band members, wanted to emphasize a basic
hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest ha ...
sound which had been a key component in establishing the band from the start. Santana, however, was increasingly interested in moving beyond his love of blues and rock and wanted more jazzy, ethereal elements in the music. He became fascinated with Gábor Szabó,
Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of music ...
, Pharoah Sanders, and John Coltrane, as well as developing a growing interest in
spirituality The meaning of ''spirituality'' has developed and expanded over time, and various meanings can be found alongside each other. Traditionally, spirituality referred to a religious process of re-formation which "aims to recover the original shape ...
. At the same time, Chepito Areas was stricken with a near-fatal
brain hemorrhage Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), also known as cerebral bleed, intraparenchymal bleed, and hemorrhagic stroke, or haemorrhagic stroke, is a sudden bleeding into the tissues of the brain, into its ventricles, or into both. It is one kind of bleed ...
, and Santana hoped to continue by finding a temporary replacement (first Willie Bobo, then
Coke Escovedo Joseph Thomas "Coke" Escovedo (April 30, 1941 – July 13, 1986) was an American percussionist, who came from a prominent musical family including five musician brothers and his niece, Sheila E. He played in various genres, including R&B, jazz ...
), while others in the band, especially Michael Carabello, felt it was wrong to perform publicly without Areas. Cliques formed, and the band started to disintegrate. Consolidating the interest generated by their first album, and their highly acclaimed live performance at the Woodstock Festival in August 1969, the band followed up with their second album, '' Abraxas'', in September 1970. The album's mix of rock, blues, jazz, salsa and other influences was very well received, showing a musical maturation from their first album and refining the band's early sound. ''Abraxas'' included two of Santana's most enduring and well-known hits, "
Oye Como Va "Oye Cómo Va" is a 1962 cha-cha-chá by Tito Puente, originally released on ''El Rey Bravo'' ( Tico Records). The song achieved worldwide popularity in 1970, when it was recorded by American rock group Santana for their album ''Abraxas''. This ...
", and " Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen". ''Abraxas'' spent six weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard chart at the end of 1970. The album remained on the charts for 88 weeks and was certified 4× platinum in 1986. In 2003, the album was ranked number 205 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. Teenage
San Francisco Bay Area The San Francisco Bay Area, often referred to as simply the Bay Area, is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun Bay estuaries in Northern California. The Bay Area is defined by the Association of Bay Area G ...
guitar prodigy
Neal Schon Neal (Neil) is a given masculine name and surname of Gaelic and Irish origin. The name is an Anglicisation of the Irish Niall which is of disputed derivation. The Irish name may be derived from words meaning "cloud", "passionate", "victory", "hon ...
joined the Santana band in 1971, in time to complete the third album, ''
Santana III ''Santana'' is the third studio album by the American rock band Santana. The band's second self-titled album, it is often referred to as ''III'' or ''Santana III'' to distinguish it from the band's 1969 debut album. The album was also known a ...
''. The band now boasted a powerful dual-lead-guitar act that gave the album a tougher sound. The sound of the band was also helped by the return of a recuperated Chepito Areas and the assistance of Coke Escovedo in the percussion section. Enhancing the band's sound further was the support of popular Bay Area group Tower of Power's horn section, Luis Gasca of Malo, and other session musicians which added to both percussion and vocals, injecting more energy to the proceedings. ''Santana III'' was another success, reaching No. 1 on the album charts, selling two million copies, and yielding the hit " No One to Depend On". Tension between members of the band continued, however. Along with musical differences, drug use became a problem, and Santana was deeply worried that it was affecting the band's performance. Coke Escovedo encouraged Santana to take more control of the band's musical direction, much to the dismay of some of the others who thought that the band and its sound was a collective effort. Also, financial irregularities were exposed while under the management of Stan Marcum, whom Bill Graham criticized as being incompetent. Growing resentments between Santana and Michael Carabello over lifestyle issues resulted in his departure on bad terms. James Mingo Lewis was hired at the last minute as a replacement at a concert in New York City. David Brown later left due to substance abuse problems. A South American tour was cut short in
Lima, Peru Lima ( ; ), originally founded as Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of The Kings) is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín Rivers, in the desert zone of the central coastal part of ...
due to unruly fans and student protests against U.S. governmental policies. In January 1972, Santana, Schon, Escovedo, and Lewis joined former Band of Gypsys drummer Buddy Miles for a concert at Hawaii's Diamond Head Crater, which was recorded for the album '' Carlos Santana & Buddy Miles! Live!'', which became a gold record.


''Caravanserai''

In early 1972, Santana and the remaining members of the band started working on their fourth album, '' Caravanserai''. During the studio sessions, Santana and Michael Shrieve brought in other musicians: percussionists James Mingo Lewis and Latin-Jazz veteran, Armando Peraza replacing Michael Carabello, and bassists Tom Rutley and Doug Rauch replacing David Brown. Also assisting on keyboards were Wendy Haas and Tom Coster. With the unsettling influx of new players in the studio, Gregg Rolie and
Neal Schon Neal (Neil) is a given masculine name and surname of Gaelic and Irish origin. The name is an Anglicisation of the Irish Niall which is of disputed derivation. The Irish name may be derived from words meaning "cloud", "passionate", "victory", "hon ...
decided that it was time to leave after the completion of the album, even though both contributed to the session. Rolie returned home to Seattle; later, he and Schon became founding members of Journey. When '' Caravanserai'' did emerge in 1972, it marked a strong change in musical direction towards
jazz fusion Jazz fusion (also known as fusion and progressive jazz) is a music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric guitars, amplifiers, and ke ...
. The album received critical praise, but CBS executive
Clive Davis Clive Jay Davis (born April 4, 1932) is an American record producer, A&R executive, record executive, and lawyer. He has won five Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer, in 2000. From 1967 to 19 ...
warned Santana and the band that it would sabotage the band's position as a " Top 40" act. Nevertheless, over the years, the album achieved platinum status. The difficulties Santana and the band went through during this period were chronicled in
Ben Fong-Torres Benjamin Fong-Torres ( 方 振 豪; Cantonese: Fong Chan Ho; born January 7, 1945) is an American rock journalist best known for his association with ''Rolling Stone'' magazine (until 1981) and the ''San Francisco Chronicle'' (from around 1982). B ...
' ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' 1972 cover story "The Resurrection of Carlos Santana".


Shifting styles and spirituality: 1972–1979

In 1972, Santana became interested in the pioneering fusion band the Mahavishnu Orchestra and its guitarist, John McLaughlin. Aware of Santana's interest in meditation, McLaughlin introduced Santana and his wife Deborah to his guru Sri Chinmoy. Chinmoy accepted them as disciples in 1973. Santana was given the name Devadip, meaning "The lamp, light and eye of God". Santana and McLaughlin recorded an album together, '' Love, Devotion, Surrender'' (1973) with members of Santana and the Mahavishnu Orchestra, along with percussionist Don Alias and organist Larry Young, both of whom had made appearances, along with McLaughlin, on
Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of music ...
' classic 1970 album ''
Bitches Brew ''Bitches Brew'' is a studio album by American jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader Miles Davis. It was recorded from August 19 to 21, 1969, at Columbia's Studio B in New York City and released on March 30, 1970 by Columbia Records. It mark ...
''. In 1973, Santana, having obtained legal rights to the band's name, '' Santana'', formed a new version of the band with Armando Peraza and Chepito Areas on percussion, Doug Rauch on bass, Michael Shrieve on drums, and Tom Coster and Richard Kermode on keyboards. Santana later was able to recruit jazz vocalist Leon Thomas for the tour supporting ''Caravanserai'' in Japan on July 3 and 4, 1973, which was recorded for the 1974 live, sprawling, high-energy triple vinyl LP fusion album '' Lotus''. CBS records would not allow its release unless the material was condensed. Santana did not agree to those terms, and ''Lotus'' was available in the U.S. only as an expensive, imported, three-record set. The group later went into the studio and recorded ''
Welcome A welcome is a kind of greeting designed to introduce a person to a new place or situation, and to make them feel at ease. The term can similarly be used to describe the feeling of being accepted on the part of the new person. In some contexts ...
'' (1973), which further reflected Santana's interests in
jazz fusion Jazz fusion (also known as fusion and progressive jazz) is a music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric guitars, amplifiers, and ke ...
and his increasing commitment to the spiritual life of Sri Chinmoy. A collaboration with John Coltrane's widow, Alice Coltrane, '' Illuminations'' (1974), followed. The album delved into
avant-garde The avant-garde (; In 'advance guard' or ' vanguard', literally 'fore-guard') is a person or work that is experimental, radical, or unorthodox with respect to art, culture, or society.John Picchione, The New Avant-garde in Italy: Theoretica ...
esoteric
free jazz Free jazz is an experimental approach to jazz improvisation that developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s when musicians attempted to change or break down jazz conventions, such as regular tempos, tones, and chord changes. Musicians duri ...
, Eastern Indian and classical influences with other ex-Miles Davis sidemen
Jack DeJohnette Jack DeJohnette (born August 9, 1942) is an American jazz drummer, pianist, and composer. Known for his extensive work as leader and sideman for musicians including Charles Lloyd, Freddie Hubbard, Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, John Abercrombie ...
and Dave Holland. Soon after, Santana replaced his band members again. This time Kermode, Thomas and Rauch departed from the group and were replaced by vocalist Leon Patillo (later a successful Contemporary Christian artist) and returning bassist David Brown. He also recruited soprano saxophonist, Jules Broussard for the lineup. The band recorded one studio album '' Borboletta'', which was released in 1974. Drummer Leon "Ndugu" Chancler later joined the band as a replacement for Michael Shrieve, who left to pursue a solo career. By this time, Bill Graham's management company had assumed responsibility for the affairs of the group. Graham was critical of Santana's move into jazz and felt he needed to concentrate on getting ''Santana'' back into the charts with the edgy, streetwise
ethnic An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people A person ( : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established fo ...
sound that had made them famous. Santana himself was seeing that the group's direction was alienating many fans. Although the albums and performances were given good reviews by critics in jazz and
jazz fusion Jazz fusion (also known as fusion and progressive jazz) is a music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric guitars, amplifiers, and ke ...
circles, sales had plummeted. Santana, along with Tom Coster, producer David Rubinson, and Chancler, formed yet another version of ''Santana'', adding vocalist Greg Walker. The 1976 album '' Amigos'', which featured the songs "Dance, Sister, Dance" and "Let It Shine", had a strong funk and Latin sound. The album received considerable airplay on FM
album-oriented rock Album-oriented rock (AOR, originally called album-oriented radio) is an FM radio format created in the United States in the 1970s that focuses on the full repertoire of rock albums and is currently associated with classic rock. Album-orien ...
stations with the instrumental "
Europa (Earth's Cry Heaven's Smile) "Europa (Earth's Cry Heaven's Smile)" is an instrumental from the Santana album '' Amigos'', written by Carlos Santana and Tom Coster. It is one of Santana's most popular compositions and it reached the top in the Spanish Singles Chart in July ...
" and re-introduced ''Santana'' to the charts. In 1976, ''Rolling Stone'' ran a second cover story on ''Santana'' entitled "Santana Comes Home". In February 1976, Santana was presented with fifteen gold disc in Australia, representing sales in excess of 244,000. The albums conceived through the late 1970s followed the same formula, although with several lineup changes. Among the new personnel who joined was current percussionist Raul Rekow, who joined in early 1977. Most notable of the band's commercial efforts of this era was a version of the 1960s Zombies hit, " She's Not There", on the 1977 double album '' Moonflower''. Santana recorded two solo projects in this time: '' Oneness: Silver Dreams – Golden Reality'', in 1979 and '' The Swing of Delight'' in 1980, which featured
Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and composer. Hancock started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. He shortly thereafter joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he hel ...
,
Wayne Shorter Wayne Shorter (born August 25, 1933) is an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Shorter came to prominence in the late 1950s as a member of, and eventually primary composer for, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. In the 1960s, he joined Miles D ...
, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams. The pressures and temptations of being a high-profile rock musician and requirements of the spiritual lifestyle which
guru Guru ( sa, गुरु, IAST: ''guru;'' Pali'': garu'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan- Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: traditionally, the guru is a reverential ...
Sri Chinmoy and his followers demanded were in conflict, and imposed considerable stress upon Santana's lifestyle and marriage. He was becoming increasingly disillusioned with what he thought were the unreasonable rules that Chinmoy imposed on his life, and in particular with his refusal to allow Santana and Deborah to start a family. He felt too that his fame was being used to increase the guru's visibility. Santana and Deborah eventually ended their relationship with Chinmoy in 1982.


1980s and early 1990s

More radio-friendly singles followed from Santana and the band. "Winning" in 1981 (from '' Zebop!'') and "Hold On" (a remake of the Canadian artist Ian Thomas' song) in 1982 both reached the top twenty. After his break with Sri Chinmoy, Santana went into the studio to record another solo album with Keith Olson and legendary R&B producer Jerry Wexler. The 1983 album ''
Havana Moon ''Havana Moon'' is a 1983 album by Carlos Santana released as a solo project. It features covers of Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry songs and performances by Booker T & the MGs, Willie Nelson and the Fabulous Thunderbirds, and also Carlos' father ...
'' revisited Santana's early musical experiences in Tijuana with Bo Diddley's "
Who Do You Love Who Do You Love? may refer to: * ''Who Do You Love?'' (film), a 2008 film biopic of American record producer Leonard Chess * ''Who Do You Love?'' (album), by King Adora Songs * "Who Do You Love?" (Bo Diddley song), 1956 * "Who Do You Love" (Be ...
" and the title cut, Chuck Berry's "Havana Moon". The album's guests included Booker T. Jones, the Fabulous Thunderbirds,
Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American country musician. The critical success of the album ''Shotgun Willie'' (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of ''Red Headed Stranger'' (1975) and ''Stardust'' (1978 ...
, and even Santana's father's
mariachi Mariachi (, , ) is a genre of regional Mexican music that dates back to at least the 18th century, evolving over time in the countryside of various regions of western Mexico. The usual mariachi group today consists of as many as eight violins, t ...
orchestra. Santana again paid tribute to his early rock roots by doing the film score to '' La Bamba'', which was based on the life of rock and roll legend Ritchie Valens and starred Lou Diamond Phillips. The band ''Santana'' returned in 1985 with a new album, '' Beyond Appearances'', and two years later with ''
Freedom Freedom is understood as either having the ability to act or change without constraint or to possess the power and resources to fulfill one's purposes unhindered. Freedom is often associated with liberty and autonomy in the sense of "giving one ...
''. Growing weary of trying to appease record company executives with formulaic hit records, Santana took great pleasure in jamming and making guest appearances with notables such as the jazz fusion group
Weather Report Weather Report was an American jazz fusion band active from 1970 to 1986. The band was founded in 1970 by Austrian virtuoso keyboardist Joe Zawinul, American saxophonist Wayne Shorter, Czech bassist Miroslav Vitouš, American drummer and vocalis ...
, jazz pianist McCoy Tyner, Blues legend John Lee Hooker, Frank Franklin,
Living Colour Living Colour is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 1984. The band currently consists of guitarist Vernon Reid, lead vocalist Corey Glover, drummer Will Calhoun and bassist Doug Wimbish (who replaced Muzz Skillings in 1992). St ...
guitarist Vernon Reid, and West African singer Salif Keita. He and Mickey Hart of the
Grateful Dead The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in Palo Alto, California. The band is known for its eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, country, jazz, bluegrass, blues, rock and roll, gospel, reggae, world music, ...
later recorded and performed with Nigerian drummer Babatunde Olatunji, who conceived one of Santana's famous 1960s drum jams, " Jingo". In 1988, Santana organized a reunion with past members from the Santana band for a series of concert dates. CBS records released a 20-year retrospective of the band's accomplishments with ''
Viva Santana! ''Viva Santana!'' is a 1988 compilation album by Santana. The album's thirty tracks aim to provide an overview of Santana's first twenty years, concentrating on the late 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s. It includes mostly live, previously unrelease ...
'' double CD compilation. That same year, Santana formed an all-instrumental group featuring jazz legend
Wayne Shorter Wayne Shorter (born August 25, 1933) is an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Shorter came to prominence in the late 1950s as a member of, and eventually primary composer for, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. In the 1960s, he joined Miles D ...
on tenor and soprano saxophone. The group also included Patrice Rushen on keyboards,
Alphonso Johnson Alphonso Johnson (born February 2, 1951) is an American jazz bassist active since the early 1970s. Johnson was a member of the jazz fusion group Weather Report from 1973 to 1975, and has performed and recorded with numerous high-profile rock and ...
on bass, Armando Peraza and Chepito Areas on percussion, and Leon "Ndugu" Chancler on drums. They toured briefly and received much acclaim from the music press, who compared the effort with the era of ''Caravanserai'' (1972). Santana released another solo record, '' Blues for Salvador'' (1987), which won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance. In 1990, Santana left Columbia Records after twenty-two years and signed with
Polygram PolyGram N.V. was a multinational entertainment company and major music record label formerly based in the Netherlands. It was founded in 1962 as the Grammophon-Philips Group by Dutch corporation Philips and German corporation Siemens, to be a ...
. The following year he made a guest appearance on
Ottmar Liebert Ottmar Liebert (born 1 February 1959) is a German guitarist, songwriter and producer best known for his Spanish-influenced music. A five-time Grammy Award nominee, Liebert has received 38 Gold and Platinum certifications in the United States, as ...
's album, ''Solo Para Ti'' (1991), on the songs "Reaching out 2 U" and on a cover of his own song, "Samba Pa Ti". In 1992, Santana hired the
jam band A jam band is a musical group whose concerts (and live albums) are characterized by lengthy improvisational " jams." These include extended musical improvisation over rhythmic grooves and chord patterns, and long sets of music which often ...
Phish as his opening act. On his 1992 tour, Santana regularly invited some or all of the members of Phish to jam with his band during his headlining performances. Phish also toured with Santana in Europe in 1996.


Return to commercial success

Santana kicked off the 1990s with a new album ''
Spirits Dancing in the Flesh ''Spirits Dancing in the Flesh'' is the sixteenth studio album by Santana. It reached eighty-five in the ''Billboard'' 200. Track listing #"Let There Be Light/Spirits Dancing in the Flesh" (Carlos Santana, Chester D. Thompson) – 7:20 #" Gyp ...
'' in 1990. This was followed by '' Milagro'' in 1992, a live album '' Sacred Fire'' in 1993 and '' Brothers'' (a collaboration with his brother Jorge and nephew Carlos Hernandez) in 1994, but sales were relatively poor. Santana toured widely over the next few years but there were no further new album releases, and eventually, he was even without a recording contract. However, Arista Records'
Clive Davis Clive Jay Davis (born April 4, 1932) is an American record producer, A&R executive, record executive, and lawyer. He has won five Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer, in 2000. From 1967 to 19 ...
, who had worked with Santana at
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. It was founded on January 15, 1889, evolving from the A ...
, signed him and encouraged him to record a star-studded album with mostly younger artists. The result was 1999's ''
Supernatural Supernatural refers to phenomena or entities that are beyond the laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin (above, beyond, or outside of) + (nature) Though the corollary term "nature", has had multiple meanings si ...
'', which included collaborations with
Everlast Erik Francis Schrody (born August 18, 1969), known by his stage name Everlast, is an American musician, singer, rapper, and songwriter, who was the frontman for hip hop group House of Pain. He was also part of the hip hop supergroup La Coka N ...
, Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty, Eric Clapton, Lauryn Hill,
Wyclef Jean Nel Ust Wyclef Jean (; born October 17, 1969) is a Haitian rapper, musician, and actor. At the age of nine, Jean immigrated to the United States with his family. He first achieved fame as a member of the New Jersey hip hop group the Fugees, ...
, CeeLo Green,
Maná Maná () is a Mexican pop rock band. The band is considered one of the best-selling Latin music artists and the most successful Latin American band of all time with over 40 million records sold worldwide. The group's current lineup consists o ...
, Dave Matthews, KC Porter, J. B. Eckl, and others. However, the lead single was what grabbed the attention of both fans and the music industry. " Smooth", a dynamic
cha-cha Cha-Cha, Cha Cha, ChaCha or Chacha may refer to: Music *Cha-cha-cha (dance), a dance of Cuban origin *Cha-cha-cha (music), a genre of Cuban music *Cha Cha (album), ''Cha Cha'' (album), a 1978 album by Herman Brood & His Wild Romance *Cha Cha (sou ...
stop-start number co-written and sung by Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty, was laced throughout with Santana's guitar fills and runs. The track's energy was immediately apparent on radio, and it was played on a wide variety of station formats. "Smooth" spent twelve weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming in the process the last No. 1 single of the 1990s. The music video, set on a hot
barrio ''Barrio'' () is a Spanish word that means " quarter" or " neighborhood". In the modern Spanish language, it is generally defined as each area of a city, usually delimited by functional (e.g. residential, commercial, industrial, etc.), social, a ...
street, was also very popular. ''Supernatural'' reached number one on the US album charts and the follow-up single, " Maria Maria", featuring the R&B duo
the Product G&B The Product G&B is an American R&B duo made up of David McRae (also known as Sincere Gubano) and Marvin Moore-Hough (also known as Money Harm). They were associated with Wyclef Jean's The Refugee Camp. Since their debut in 1998, the duo lent thei ...
, also hit number one, spending ten weeks there in the spring of 2000. ''Supernatural'' eventually shipped over 15 million copies in the United States, and won 8
Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...
including Album of the Year, making it Santana's most successful album. Carlos Santana, alongside the classic ''Santana'' lineup of their first two albums, was inducted as an individual, into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and ...
in 1998. He performed "Black Magic Woman" with the writer of the song, Fleetwood Mac's founder Peter Green. Green was inducted the same night. In 2000, ''Supernatural'' won nine
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
s (eight for Santana personally), including
Album of the Year Album of the Year, often abbreviated to AOTY, may refer to: Awards * ARIA Award for Album of the Year, Australia * Brit Award for British Album of the Year, UK * Grammy Award for Album of the Year, US * Juno Award for Album of the Year, CA * Lati ...
, Record of the Year for "Smooth", and Song of the Year for Thomas and
Itaal Shur Itaal Shur is an American composer, producer and musician. He has written songs for a number of musicians, including Maxwell, Jewel and Enrique Iglesias, and has produced records for various artists, including Kronos Quartet, The Scumfrog and ...
. Santana's acceptance speeches described his feelings about music's place in one's spiritual existence. Later that year at the Latin Grammy Awards, he won three awards including Record of the Year. In 2001, Santana's guitar skills were featured in
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the " King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over ...
's song "Whatever Happens" from the album '' Invincible''. In 2002, Santana released ''
Shaman Shamanism is a religious practice that involves a practitioner (shaman) interacting with what they believe to be a spirit world through altered states of consciousness, such as trance. The goal of this is usually to direct spirits or spir ...
'', revisiting the ''Supernatural'' format of guest artists including Citizen Cope, P.O.D., and Seal. Although the album was not the runaway success its predecessor had been, it produced two radio-friendly hits. " The Game of Love" featuring
Michelle Branch Michelle Jacquet DeSevren Branch (born July 2, 1983) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. During the early 2000s, she released two top-selling albums: ''The Spirit Room'' and ''Hotel Paper.'' She won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Coll ...
rose to number five on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and spent many weeks at the top of the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, and " Why Don't You & I" written by and featuring Chad Kroeger from the group Nickelback (the original and a remix with Alex Band from the group the Calling were combined towards chart performance) which reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100. "The Game of Love" went on to win the Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. In the same year, he was inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame. In early August 2003, Santana was named fifteenth on ''Rolling Stone'' magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". In 2004, Santana was honored as the
Person of the Year __NOTOC__ Person of the Year or Man of the Year is an award given to an individual by any type of organization. Most often, it is given by a newspaper or other news outlet to annually recognize a public person. Such awards have typically been awa ...
by the Latin Recording Academy. On April 21, 2005, Santana was honored as a BMI Icon at the 12th annual BMI Latin Awards. Santana was the first songwriter designated a BMI Icon at the company's Latin Awards. The honor is given to a creator who has been "a unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers." In 2005,
Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and composer. Hancock started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. He shortly thereafter joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he hel ...
approached Santana to collaborate on an album again using the ''Supernatural'' formula. '' Possibilities'' was released on August 30, 2005, featuring Carlos Santana and Angélique Kidjo on "Safiatou". Also, in 2005, fellow Latin star
Shakira Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( , ; born 2 February 1977), professionally known by the mononym Shakira, is a Colombian singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Barranquilla, she has been referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular ...
invited Santana to play the soft rock guitar ballad " Illegal" on her second English-language studio album ''
Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 ''Oral Fixation, Vol. 2'' (Spanish: ''Fijación Oral, Vol. 2'') is the seventh studio album and second English-language album by Colombian singer and songwriter Shakira, released on 28 November 2005, by Epic Records. After attaining international ...
''. Santana's 2005 album '' All That I Am'' consists primarily of collaborations with other artists; the first single, the peppy " I'm Feeling You", was again with
Michelle Branch Michelle Jacquet DeSevren Branch (born July 2, 1983) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. During the early 2000s, she released two top-selling albums: ''The Spirit Room'' and ''Hotel Paper.'' She won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Coll ...
and the Wreckers. Other musicians joining the mix this time included Steven Tyler of
Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of Steven Tyler (lead vocals), Joe Perry (guitar), Tom Hamilton (bass), Joey Kramer (drums) and Brad Whitford (guitar). Their style, which is rooted in blues ...
, Kirk Hammett from
Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...
, hip-hop artist/songwriter/producer will.i.am, guitarist/songwriter/producer George Pajon, hip-hop/reggae star Sean Paul, and R&B singer Joss Stone. In April and May 2006, Santana toured Europe, where he promoted his son Salvador Santana's band as his opening act. In 2007, Santana appeared, along with Sheila E. and José Feliciano, on Gloria Estefan's album ''
90 Millas ''90 Millas'' (''90 Miles'' in English, pronounced "no-VEN-ta Mi-yas" in Spanish) is the eleventh solo studio album by the Cuban-American singer-songwriter Gloria Estefan, and her fourth Spanish language album, coming after ''Mi Tierra, Abriendo ...
,'' on the single "
No Llores "No Llores" (''Don't Cry'') is a song recorded by Cuban-American singer Gloria Estefan for her fourth Spanish-language and eleventh studio album, '' 90 Millas''. It features additional work with popular Latin music performers such as guitarists Ca ...
". He also teamed again with Chad Kroeger for the hit single " Into the Night". He also played guitar in
Eros Ramazzotti Eros Walter Luciano Ramazzotti (; born 28 October 1963) is an Italian pop singer, musician and songwriter. He is popular in Italy and most European countries, and throughout the Spanish-speaking world, as he has released most of his albums in bot ...
's hit "Fuoco nel fuoco" from the album ''
"E²" (pronounced "E-Squared") is the seventy-third episode of the American science fiction television series '' Star Trek: Enterprise'', the twenty-first episode of season three. It first aired on May 5, 2004, on the UPN network in the United ...
''. In 2008, Santana was reported to be working with his longtime friend, Marcelo Vieira, on his solo album ''Acoustic Demos'', which was released at the end of the year. It features tracks such as "For Flavia" and "Across the Grave", the latter said to feature heavy melodic riffs by Santana. Santana performed at the 2009
American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to ...
Finale with the top 13 finalists, which starred many acts such as KISS, Queen and Rod Stewart. On July 8, 2009, Santana appeared at the Athens Olympic Stadium in Athens with his 10-member all-star band as part of his "Supernatural Santana – A Trip through the Hits" European tour. On July 10, 2009, he also appeared at Philip II Stadium in
Skopje Skopje ( , , ; mk, Скопје ; sq, Shkup) is the capital and largest city of North Macedonia. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre. The territory of Skopje has been inhabited since at least 4000 BC; r ...
. With a 2.5-hour long concert and 20 000 people, Santana appeared for the first time in that region. "Supernatural Santana – A Trip through the Hits" was played at the Hard Rock hotel in Las Vegas, where it was played through 2011. Santana is featured as a playable character in the music video game Guitar Hero 5. A live recording of his song "No One to Depend On" is included in game, which was released on September 1, 2009. More recently, in 2011, three Santana songs were offered as downloadable content (DLC) for guitar learning software Rocksmith: "Oye Como Va", "Smooth", and "Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen". In the same year, Santana received the Billboard Latin Music Lifetime Achievement Award. Santana, since 2007, has opened a chain of upscale
Mexican restaurants Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...
called "Maria Maria". It is a combined effort with Chef Roberto Santibañez. They were located in
Tempe, Arizona , settlement_type = City , named_for = Vale of Tempe , image_skyline = Tempeskyline3.jpg , imagesize = 260px , image_caption = Tempe skyline as se ...
, Mill Valley (now closed), Walnut Creek, Danville, San Diego,
Austin, Texas Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...
, and
Boca Raton, Florida Boca Raton ( ; es, Boca Ratón, link=no, ) is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. It was first incorporated on August 2, 1924, as "Bocaratone," and then incorporated as "Boca Raton" in 1925. The population was 97,422 in the ...
. As of 2021, the only open location is in Walnut Creek. In 2012, Santana released an album ''
Shape Shifter In mythology, folklore and speculative fiction, shape-shifting is the ability to physically transform oneself through an inherently superhuman ability, divine intervention, demonic manipulation, sorcery, spells or having inherited the ...
'' consisting of mostly instrumental tracks. On February 23, 2013, there was a public announcement on ultimateclassicrock.com about a reunion of the surviving members (minus Jose “Chepito” Areas) of the Santana band who recorded Santana III in 1971. The subsequent album was titled Santana IV. On May 6, 2014, his first ever Spanish language album '' Corazón'' was released. On September 12, 2015, Santana appeared as a member of
Grateful Dead The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in Palo Alto, California. The band is known for its eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, country, jazz, bluegrass, blues, rock and roll, gospel, reggae, world music, ...
bassist Phil Lesh's band Phil Lesh and Friends at the third annual
Lockn' Festival Lockn' Festival, formerly known as Interlocken Music Festival, is an annual four-day music festival held at Oak Ridge Farm in Arrington, Virginia. The festival focuses primarily on jam bands and other music improvisation acts. Its inaugural event ...
. He has continued to act as a mentor to a younger generation of jam acts, like Derek Trucks and Robert Randolph. In 2016, Carlos Santana reunited with past Santana band members Gregg Rolie, Michael Carabello, Michael Shrieve, and Neil Schon to release the album: ''
Santana IV ''Santana IV'' is the twenty-fourth studio album (thirty eighth album overall) by American rock band Santana, released in April 2016. Overview The album reunited most of the surviving members from the early 1970s lineup of the band (includin ...
'' and the band embarked on a brief tour. A full set from this lineup was filmed at the House of Blues in Las Vegas and was released as a live album and a DVD titled ''Live at the House of Blues Las Vegas''. In 2017, Santana collaborated with the Isley Brothers to release the album ''The Power of Peace'' on July 28, 2017. In December 2018, Santana published a guitar lesson on
YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...
as part of the online education series MasterClass. In October 2019, Santana was featured on the American rapper Tyga's song "Mamacita" alongside American rapper YG. The song's music video premiered on YouTube on 25 October. In March 2020, Santana's "Miraculous World Tour" was cancelled due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
. In August 2021, Santana signed a new global record deal with BMG to release his new full-length studio album ''Blessings and Miracles''. The same month, he performed in New York's Central Park along with Rob Thomas and Wyclef Jean.


Equipment


Guitars and effects

Santana played a red Gibson SG Special with P-90 pickups at the
Woodstock festival Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held during August 15–18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, United States, southwest of the town of Woodstock, New York, Woodstock. ...
(1969). During 1970–1972, between the release of '' Abraxas'' (1970) and ''
Santana III ''Santana'' is the third studio album by the American rock band Santana. The band's second self-titled album, it is often referred to as ''III'' or ''Santana III'' to distinguish it from the band's 1969 debut album. The album was also known a ...
'' 1971, he used different
Gibson Les Paul The Gibson Les Paul is a solid body electric guitar that was first sold by the Gibson Guitar Corporation in 1952. The guitar was designed by factory manager John Huis and his team with input from and endorsement by guitarist Les Paul. Its typ ...
s and a black Gibson SG Special. In 1974, he played and endorsed the Gibson L6-S Custom. This can be heard on the album '' Borboletta'' (1974). From 1976 until 1982, his main guitar was a Yamaha SG 175B, and sometimes a white
Gibson SG Custom The Gibson SG is a solid-body electric guitar model introduced by Gibson in 1961 as the Gibson Les Paul SG. It remains in production today in many variations of the initial design. The SG (where "SG" refers to Solid-Body Guitar) Standard is Gib ...
with three open-coil pick-ups. In 1982, he started to use a custom made PRS Custom 24 guitar. In 1988 PRS Guitars began making Santana signature model guitars, which Santana has played through its various iterations ever since (see below). Santana currently uses a Santana II model guitar fitted with PRS Santana III nickel-covered pickups, a tremolo bar, and .009–.042 gauge D'Addario strings. He also plays a PRS Santana MD "The Multidimensional" guitar. The Santana guitars feature necks made of a single piece of mahogany topped with rosewood fretboards (some feature highly sought-after Brazilian rosewood). Santana Signature models: * PRS Santana I "The Yellow" guitar (1988) * PRS Santana II "Supernatural" guitar (1999) * PRS Santana III guitar (2001) * PRS Santana SE guitar (2001) * PRS Santana SE II guitar (2003) * PRS Santana Shaman SE-Limited Edition guitar (2003) * PRS Santana MD "The Multidimensional" guitar (2008) * PRS Santana 25th Anniversary guitar (2009) * PRS Santana Abraxas SE-Limited Edition guitar (2009) * PRS Santana SE "The Multidimensional" guitar (2011) * PRS Santana Retro guitar (2017) * PRS Santana Yellow SE guitar (2017) Santana also uses a classical guitar, the Alvarez Yairi CY127CE with Alvarez tension nylon strings, in the last years from 2009 he uses custom made, semi-hollow Toru Nittono's "Model-T" Jazz Electric Nylon. Santana does not use many effects pedals. His PRS guitar is connected to a
Mu-Tron ''Musitronics'', often shortened to Mu-tron, was a manufacturer of electronic musical effects active in the 1970s. Founded by Mike Beigel and Aaron Newman, the company's products provided filtering and processing effects and were derived from s ...
Wah-wah pedal (or, more recently, a Dunlop 535Q wah
and a T-Rex Engineering, T-Rex Replica delay pedal, then through a customized Jim Dunlop amp switcher which in turn is connected to the different amps or cabinets. Previous setups include an Ibanez Tube Screamer right after the guitar. He is also known to have used an Electro-Harmonix Big Muff distortion for his famous sustain. In the song "Stand Up" from the album ''
Marathon The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of , usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair div ...
'' (1979), Santana uses a Heil talk box in the guitar solo. He has also used the Audiotech Guitar Products 1x6 Rack Mount Audio Switcher in rehearsals for the 2008 "Live Your Light" tour. Santana uses two different guitar picks: the large triangular Dunlop he has used for so many years, and the V-Pick Freakishly Large Round.


Amplifiers

Santana's distinctive guitar tone is produced by PRS Santana signature guitars plugged into multiple amplifiers. The amps consist of a
Mesa Boogie Mesa/Boogie (also known as Mesa Engineering) is an American company in Petaluma, California, that manufactures amplifiers and other accessories for guitars and basses. It has been in operation since 1969. Mesa was started by Randall Smith as a ...
Mark I, Dumble
Overdrive Overdrive may refer to: Organizations * OverDrive, Inc., a digital distributor of entertainment media ** OverDrive Media Console, a media player developed by OverDrive, Inc. * Overdrive PC, a subsidiary of Velocity Micro Technology * Overdrive ...
Reverb and more recently a Bludotone amplifier. Santana compares the tonal qualities of each amplifier to that of a singer producing head/nasal tones, chest tones, and belly tones. A three-way amp switcher is employed on Carlos's pedal board to enable him to switch between amps. Often the unique tones of each amplifier are blended together, complementing each other producing a richer tone. He also put the "Boogie" in Mesa Boogie. Santana is credited with coining the popular Mesa amplifier name when he tried one and exclaimed, "That little thing really Boogies!" Specifically, Santana combines a Mesa/Boogie Mark I head running through a Boogie cabinet with Altec 417-8H (or recently JBL E120s) speakers, and a Dumble Overdrive Reverb and/or a Dumble Overdrive Special running through a Brown or Marshall 4x12 cabinet with
Celestion Celestion is a British designer and exporter of professional loudspeakers. History Origins What became Celestion was started in Hampton Wick (suburban London) in 1924. ''Cyril French'' and his three brothers had taken over a plating works ...
G12M "Greenback" speakers, depending on the desired sound.
Shure Shure Incorporated is an American audio products corporation. It was founded by Sidney N. Shure in Chicago, Illinois, in 1925 as a supplier of radio parts kits. The company became a consumer and professional audio-electronics manufacturer of mi ...
KSM-32 microphones are used to pick up the sound, going to the PA. Additionally, a Fender Cyber-Twin Amp is mostly used at home. During his early career, Santana used a GMT transistor amplifier stack and a silverface Fender Twin. The GMT 226A rig was used at the Woodstock concert as well as during recording Santana's debut album. During this era, Santana also began to use the Fender Twin, which was also used on the debut and proceedingly at the recording sessions of Abraxas.


Personal life

In 1965, Santana became a naturalized U.S. citizen. After discovering Chinmoy and Yogandanda in 1972, Santana quit marijuana until 1981. In 2020, Santana launched his own brand of cannabis named Mirayo that honours "the spiritual and ancient Latin heritage of the plant." From 1973 to 2007, he was married to Deborah King, daughter of blues musician
Saunders King Saunders Samuel King (March 13, 1909 – August 31, 2000) was an American R&B and blues guitarist and singer. Life and career Saunders King was born in Staples, Caddo Parish, Louisiana. His parents, Bishop Judge L. King and Sarah Anasilistin ...
. They have three children,
Salvador Salvador, meaning " salvation" (or "saviour") in Catalan, Spanish, and Portuguese may refer to: * Salvador (name) Arts, entertainment, and media Music *Salvador (band), a Christian band that plays both English and Spanish music ** ''Salvador'' ( ...
, Stella, and Angelica, and co-founded the Milagro (Miracle) Foundation, non-profit organization which provides financial aid for educational, medical, and other needs. In 2007, King filed for divorce after 34 years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences. On July 9, 2010, Santana proposed to his touring drummer
Cindy Blackman Cindy Blackman Santana (born November 18, 1959), sometimes known as Cindy Blackman, is an American jazz and rock drummer. Blackman has recorded several jazz albums as a bandleader and has performed with Pharoah Sanders, Sonny Simmons, Ron Carter ...
on stage during a concert at
Tinley Park, Illinois Tinley Park (formerly Bremen) is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, with a small portion in Will County. The village is a suburb of Chicago. Per the 2020 census, the population was 55,971. It is one of the fastest growing subur ...
. The two were married in December 2010, and currently live in
Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Veg ...
. Santana underwent heart surgery in December 2021. He suffered an undisclosed medical emergency on stage at a concert at
Pine Knob Music Theatre Pine Knob Music Theatre (formerly DTE Energy Music Theatre) is an outdoor amphitheater located in Independence Township, Michigan, approximately northwest of Detroit (it has a Clarkston, Michigan mailing address). Built by the Nederlander Organi ...
in Michigan on July 5, 2022, but was able to gain consciousness while being helped off the stage. A statement from his publicist later announced that he collapsed from heat and dehydration, but was being observed at the local hospital and will recover soon. His show scheduled for the day after was postponed. On July 8, 2022, Santana's management company announced that he would postpone his next six concerts out of an “abundance of caution for the artist’s health”.


Discography


Studio albums

* ''
Love Devotion Surrender ''Love Devotion Surrender'' is an album released in 1973 by guitarists Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin, with the backing of their respective bands, Santana and The Mahavishnu Orchestra. The album was inspired by the teachings of Sri Chinmoy an ...
'' (1973) * '' Illuminations'' (1974) * '' Inner Secrets'' (1978) * '' Oneness – Silver Dreams Golden Reality'' (1979) * '' The Swing of Delight'' (1980) * ''
Havana Moon ''Havana Moon'' is a 1983 album by Carlos Santana released as a solo project. It features covers of Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry songs and performances by Booker T & the MGs, Willie Nelson and the Fabulous Thunderbirds, and also Carlos' father ...
'' (1983) * '' Blues for Salvador'' (1987) * ''
Santana Brothers ''Santana Brothers'' (sometimes credited as simply ''Brothers'') is a 1994 album by Carlos Santana, his brother Jorge, and his nephew Carlos Hernandez. It reached 191 on the ''Billboard'' 200 album chart. Track listing # "Transmutation/Industri ...
'' (1993)


Live albums

* '' Carlos Santana & Buddy Miles! Live!'' (1972) * ''Carlos Santana Live'' (2004) – unofficial * '' Carlos Santana and Wayne Shorter'' (2005)


Compilation albums

* ''Magic of Carlos Santana'' (2001) * ''Divine Light'' (2001) * ''The Latin Sound of Carlos Santana'' (2003) * ''Carlos Santana'' (2004) * ''Very Best of Carlos Santana'' (2005) * ''Carlos Santana'' (2006) * ''Havana Moon/Blues for Salvador'' (2007) * '' Multi-Dimensional Warrior'' (2008)


Guest appearances

* ''Dora the Explorer'', "Oye Como Va" (2005)


Memoir

On November 4, 2014, his memoir ''The Universal Tone: Bringing My Story to Light'' was published.


Awards and nominations


See also


Explanatory notes


Citations


General sources

* ''Soul Sacrifice: The Carlos Santana Story'', Simon Leng, 2000 * ''Space Between the Stars'', Deborah Santana, 2004 * ''Rolling Stone'', "The Resurrection of Carlos Santana", Ben Fong Torres, 1972 * ''New Musical Express'', "Spirit of Santana". Chris Charlesworth, November 1973 * ''Guitar Player'' Magazine, 1978 * ''Rolling Stone'', "The Epic Life of Carlos Santana", 2000 * ''Santana I'' – Sony Legacy Edition: liner notes * ''Abraxas'' – Sony Legacy Edition: liner notes * ''Santana III'' – Sony Legacy edition: liner notes * ''Viva Santana'' – CBS CD release 1988; liner notes * ''Power, Passion and Beauty – The Story of the Legendary Mahavishnu Orchestra'' Walter Kolosky 2006 * ''Best of Carlos Santana'' – Wolf Marshall 1996; introduction and interview


Further reading

* * * Molenda, Michael (ed.). '' Guitar Player Presents Carlos Santana'', Backbeat Books, 2010, 124 pp., * Remstein, Henna. ''Carlos Santana (Latinos in the Limelight)'', Chelsea House Publications, 2001, 64 pp., * Santana, Deborah (King); Miller, Hal; Faulkner, John (ed.), with a foreword by Bill Graham. ''Santana: A Retrospective of the Santana Band's Twenty Years in Music'', San Francisco Mission Cultural Center, 1987, 50 pp., no ISBN. Includes a 4-p genealogical tree w/the member's name for every Santana band from 1966. Copy at SFPL * * * * Sumsion, Michael. ''Maximum Santana: The Unauthorized Biography of Santana'', Chrome Dreams, 2003, . A CD-audio biog * *


External links


Official website

Milagro Foundation

Music Carlos Santana
{{DEFAULTSORT:Santana, Carlos 1947 births Living people 20th-century American guitarists 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American male musicians American Book Award winners American male guitarists American male songwriters American musicians of Mexican descent American philanthropists American rock guitarists American rock songwriters American world music musicians Arista Records artists Blues rock musicians Chicano rock musicians Columbia Records artists Grammy Award winners Guitarists from San Francisco Kennedy Center honorees Latin Grammy Award winners Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year honorees Lead guitarists Mexican emigrants to the United States Mexican expatriates in the United States Musicians from Jalisco People from Autlán, Jalisco People from Tijuana Naturalized citizens of the United States Polydor Records artists RCA Records artists Santana (band) members Songwriters from California Latin music songwriters