Carlos Santana Biography (1947- )

Mixing Latin Rock, Blues and Jazz, Carlos Santana continues to share his passion for music with the world.

Carlos Santana: Born to Music

Born Carlos Augusto Alves Santana on July 20, 1947 in Autlan de Navarro, Jalisco, Mexico to four siblings and a mariachi band violinist, Carlos Santana was exposed to music early on. At age five, Carlos Santana began playing the violin and on occasion performed with his father’s mariachi orchestra. After moving to Tijuana at the age of nine, Carlos Santana was exposed to the guitar, rhythm and blues, blues, and rock’n’roll in the Tijuana music scene. In 1965 Carlos Santana graduated from Mission High School in San Francisco and soon began his career in music.

Carlos Santana: Santana

Comprised of band members Mike Shreive, David Brown, Rolie, Michael Carabello, Jose Chepito Areas and Carlos Santana, Santana ventured out to record their first album. Getting signed with CBS Records, the band performed at the Woodstock Music and Art Festival before their album was ever released, giving them much needed publicity. Santana’s first album entitled Santana reached No. 4 on the U.S. album charts and featured the hit single “Evil Ways” which reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1970 the band released its second album Abraxas which went on to sell over four million copies featuring songs “Black Magic Woman” and “Oye Como Va.” In 1971 Santana released their third album, Santana 3 which produced two million copies and singles “Everybody’s Everything” and “No One to Depend On.”

Carlos Santana: Solo Career

By 1974 Carlos Santana and the original members of Santana had parted ways due to a change in musical taste. This led the way for Carlos Santana to record the album Illuminations with John Coltrane’s widow, Alice Coltrane. In 1974 Carlos Santana and the new members of Santana released Borbolett, the 1976 album Amigos featured songs “Dance, Sister, Dance” and “Let It Shine,” and in 1977 the album Moonflower, which featured the hit, “She’s Not There.” During this time while under contract with CBS, Carlos Santana released a series of albums: Oneness, Silver Dreams, Golden Reality, The Swing of Delight, and Havana Moon featuring the hit “Who Do You Love” and “Havana Moon.” Carlos Santana won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance for his 1987 album Blues for Salvador even though his album sales were very low and he didn’t have a commercial success.

Carlos Santana: Supernatural

After losing his contract for a period of low sales, Arista Records’ Clive Davis signed Carlos Santana and encouraged him to record an album with younger stars. In 1999 Carlos Santana released his tenth solo album entitled Supernatural. The album featured artist Everlast, Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty, Eric Clapton, Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean, Cee-Lo, Mana, Dave Matthews Band and many others. Supernatural sold 15 million copies and featured the smash hit “Smooth” featuring Rob Thomas which stayed on the Billboard Hot 100 List at No.1 for 12 weeks. This single was followed by Carlos Santana’s single “Maria Maria” featuring The Product G&B which stayed at No.1 for ten weeks. As Carlos Santana’s biggest sales success ever, Supernatural went on to win nine Grammy Awards including, Album of the Year and Record of the Year.

Carlos Santana: The New Millennium

In 2002 Carlos Santana released the album Shaman which featured artist Seal, Michelle Branch, Chad Kroeger of Nickelback and P.O.D. The single “The Game of Love” featuring Michelle Branch, reached No.5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent many weeks at the top of the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. Carlos Santana won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for the single “The Game of Love.”  The single “Why Don’t You & I” performed with Chad Kroeger of Nickleback reached No.8 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2005 Carlos Santana released the album All That I Am which featured artist Michelle Branch on the single “I’m Feeling You,” The Wreckers, Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, Kirk Hammett of Metallica, reggae star Sean Paul and Joss Stone.

Carlos Santana: Life Now

Carlos Santana is currently working on an album with his friend, Marecelo Vieira for his album Marecelo Vieira’s Acoustic Sounds which features the singles “For Flavia” and “Across the Grave.” In 2003 Rolling Stone magazine listed Carlos Santana at No. 15 for the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time” and in 2004, the magazine ranked Carlos Santana No.15 on their list of the “100 Greatest Rock and Roll Artist of All Time.” Carlos Santana is now on tour in cities and countries across the globe. Carlos Santana fans can catch Carlos Santana in 2008 during the Live Your Light tour.