The legendary Carlos Santana turns 77
Look back at the beginning of his career and Santana’s debut album
The legendary Carlos Santana turns 77
A living legend, Carlos Santana it’s one of the most experimental and eclectic musicians in Rock music. His highly original blend of Latin-infused rock, jazz, blues, salsa and African rhythms led him to experiment with several different styles throughout his career that started back in the 1960’s in San Francisco, at the center of the Hippie movement.
Carlos Augusto Santana Alves was born on July 20, 1947, in Autlán de Navarro, Jalisco, Mexico. Raised in a musical family, his father was a mariachi violinist, which profoundly influenced Santana’s early interest in music. At the age of five, he learned to play the violin, and by the age of eight, he had switched to the guitar. His family moved to Tijuana, and later to San Francisco, California, in search of a better life, where Santana continued to develop his musical talents. During the 1960’s, Santana witnessed the rise of the Hippie movement, and as a musician, he also smartly noticed how Rock music was changing along with culture. During that period, he still was working as a dishwasher in a diner and busking for spare change, but, influenced by the social changes around him, in 1966 he decided to become a full-time musician. Santana, who was a frequent spectator at Bill Graham’s Fillmore West where he got acquainted to several important local Bay area Rock acts of the time such as the Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead and Big Brother and The Holding Company among others, got his first big break in that same year at the Filmore West. During a Sunday matinee show, Paul Butterfield was slated to perform there but was unable to do so as a result of being intoxicated, which lead to Filmore’s boss Bill Graham to assemble an impromptu band of musicians he knew primarily through his connections with Butterfield’s band and with the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane, but he had not yet chosen all the guitarists when Santana’s manager, Stan Marcum, immediately suggested to Graham that Santana join the impromptu band and Graham agreed. During the jam session, Santana’s guitar playing, and solo gained the notice of both the audience and Graham and Santana formed the Santana Blues Band, later shortened to Santana. The band gained an immediate following on the San Francisco club circuit, specially due to their original sound blend, never before heard on any other band and even before they released a record, in August 1969, Santana were surprisingly invited to the Woodstock Festival and became one of the top acts; their set (reportedly played under LSD influence) was legendary and later the exposure of their eleven-minute instrumental “Soul Sacrifice” in the Woodstock film and soundtrack album vastly increased their popularity. Soon after the Woodstock performance, that same month they signed a recording contract with Columbia Records, then run by Clive Davis, and released the same year their outstanding self-titled debut album, that also featured the hit single “Evil Ways,” which became a major success.
The band’s follow-up albums, “Abraxas” (1970) and “Santana III” (1971), solidified Santana’s place in rock history. “Abraxas” included iconic tracks such as “Black Magic Woman” and “Oye Como Va,” showcasing Santana’s distinctive guitar style and fusion of different musical genres.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Santana continued to explore various musical directions, incorporating elements of funk, jazz, and African rhythms into his work. Albums like “Caravanserai” (1972), “Borboletta” (1974), and “Amigos” (1976) received critical acclaim, though they did not always achieve the commercial success of his earlier work.
The 1990s marked a period of resurgence for Santana. In 1999, he released the album “Supernatural,” which became a worldwide phenomenon. The album featured collaborations with artists such as Rob Thomas, Eric Clapton, and Lauryn Hill, and produced hits like “Smooth” and “Maria Maria.” “Supernatural” won nine Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, and revitalized Santana’s career.
In the 2000s and 2010s, Santana continued to release new music and tour extensively. Albums like “Shaman” (2002) and “Corazón” (2014) demonstrated his enduring ability to blend contemporary sounds with his signature style. In 2016, he reunited with the classic lineup of Santana for the album “Santana IV,” which was well-received by fans and critics alike.
Carlos Santana has been married twice. He married Deborah King in 1973, with whom he has three children: Salvador, Stella, and Angelica. The couple divorced in 2007. In 2010, Santana married drummer Cindy Blackman, known for her work with Lenny Kravitz. Santana is also known for his spiritual journey and dedication to philanthropy. He is a follower of the Indian spiritual leader Sri Chinmoy and has incorporated his spiritual beliefs into his music and personal philosophy.
Santana is the founder of the Milagro Foundation, which supports underprivileged children in the areas of arts, education, and health. His commitment to humanitarian causes has earned him respect and admiration beyond his musical achievements. Carlos Santana turns 77. today, we invite you to revisit the 1969 debut “Santana”
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