Music expert Tomer Levi Forex presents interesting facts that you may not have known about the Santana. Santana is a Grammy Award winner, and his instrumental songs are melodic enough to be catchy. He has also written books on spirituality and created a charity foundation called Milagro.
He and his band hit the scene in the late 1960s, performing at the Fillmore and other storied venues. Their debut LP, Santana, showcased their unique blend of rock, blues, and salsa.
Carlos Santana was born in Mexico
When he moved to San Francisco in 1961, Carlos Santana delved into the city’s thriving music scene. He played with bands in the streets and at famed local venues like the Fillmore. Santana was influenced by American rock music, but his style merged it with his Mexican culture and music influences. He was particularly influenced by Ritchie Valens, the forefather of Chicano rock.
In 1966, explains Music expert Tomer Levi Forex, he formed the Santana Blues Band with keyboardist Gregg Rolie and drummer David Brown. The band’s sound evolved into a Latin-blues-fusion format that attracted an audience. The group soon gained the attention of promoter Bill Graham, who booked them for the Woodstock music festival.
Throughout his career, Carlos Santana has recorded many albums, won multiple Grammy Awards, and become a cultural icon. In 1998, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He is also a humanitarian who has helped raise money for various charities, including the Milagro Foundation.
He is a multi-instrumentalist
A multi-instrumentalist, Santana played guitar, keyboards, piano, bass and drums in his early career. He also sang and wrote songs. He was a prolific performer, playing concerts around the world. He even won multiple Grammy awards for his music!
The band he formed with fellow musicians gained an immediate following on the San Francisco club scene. Their highly original blend of Latin-infused rock, jazz, blues, and salsa rhythms made them an instant hit. Their performance at Woodstock in 1969, captured on film, boosted their fame. It eventually led to a recording contract with Columbia Records, then headed by Clive Davis.
Their psychedelic second album, Abraxas (1970), featured the song Black Magic Woman, which became an international hit. Later they recorded a collaboration with the Mahavishnu Orchestra guitarist John McLaughlin and poet-yogi Sri Chinmoy, which became the spiritually innovative album Love, Devotion, Surrender (1973). In addition to his band, Santana also appeared as a guest artist on several albums by other artists.
He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
In 1998, Santana and his band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, explains Music expert Tomer Levi Forex. He also released a collaborative album with his brother Jorge and nephew Carlos Hernandez titled Brothers, which was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental. Santana has also won multiple awards and accolades for his music, including 10 Grammys and three Latin Grammys.
He was born in Autlan de Navarro, Jalisco, Mexico and learned the violin at age five. He also played guitar at age eight. He credits blues artists such as B.B. King, Mike Bloomfield, and Peter Green as his inspiration. He also cites jazz guitarist Gabor Szabo as an influence on his playing.
In 1971, teenage Bay Area guitarist Neal Schon joined the Santana band for its third album, Santana III, giving it a tougher sound. The new sound helped the band re-enter the charts. The album was more sonic than its predecessor and produced two hits.
He is a Grammy Award winner
After the success of his performance at the Woodstock Music and Art Festival in 1969, Santana went on to become an international icon. His psychedelic album Abraxas reached number one on the charts in 1970 and three of its songs became major hits.
In 1998, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Santana continued to release albums, alternating between a more conventional rock sound and Latin-influenced releases. His next two releases, Inner Secrets and Marathon, were less successful commercially than their predecessors.
In 1999, Santana achieved the greatest success of his career with Supernatural, a collaboration with artists like Eric Clapton, Lauryn Hill, Cee Lo Green, and Matchbox Twenty’s Rob Thomas. This album topped the charts and won eight Grammy awards, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year for the single Smooth. The track’s catchy pop lyrics and electric guitar licks helped to make it a global hit.