
Santana is an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1966 by Mexican-born guitarist Carlos Santana. The band has undergone various recording and performing line-ups in its history, with Santana being the only consistent member. After signing with Columbia Records, the band's appearance at the Woodstock Festival in 1969 increased their profile, and they went on to record the commercially successful and critically-acclaimed albums Santana (1969), Abraxas (1970), and Santana III (1971). These were recorded by the group's "classic" line-up, featuring Gregg Rolie, Michael Carabello, Michael Shrieve, David Brown, and José "Chepito" Areas. Hit songs of this period include "Evil Ways", "Black Magic Woman", "Oye Como Va", and the instrumental "Samba Pa Ti".
Following a change in line-up and musical direction in 1972, the band experimented with elements of jazz fusion on Caravanserai (1972), Welcome (1973), and Borboletta (1974). The band reached a new peak of critical and commercial success with their eighteenth album Supernatural (1999), which included the Billboard Hot 100-number one singles "Smooth" (featuring Rob Thomas) and "Maria Maria" (featuring The Product G&B). The album peaked atop the charts in eleven countries, and sold 12 million copies domestically. In 2014, the "classic" line-up reunited for Santana IV (2016) and the group continue to perform and record.
Santana is one of the best-selling groups of all time with over 47 million certified albums sold in the US, and an estimated 100 million sold worldwide. Its discography includes 25 studio albums, 14 of which reached the US top 10. In 1998, the line-up of Santana, Rolie, Carabello, Shrieve, Brown, and Areas was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2000, the band won eight Grammy Awards in one night, a record tied with Michael Jackson, and three Latin Grammy Awards.
Great Comment. To this day when I hear a Santana song like this one, I think: Is there any other guitarist who can always play the exact right note, with the exact right tone for the exact amount of time like Carlos Santana? Maybe. But no one comes to mind.
That sound you're hearing is great guitarists around the world having a good laugh at the ignorance of your comment.
If only Carlos had had you around to show him how to play the guitar he might have gotten somewhere.
This just might be my favorite song in the whole world! I love every single note.
This was the music for my out of body experience on Feb. 28, 1971 at about 1 a.m. as a patient in Childrens Specialized Hospital, Mountainside NJ. It may be your favorite song, but the utterly uncanny timing and serendipity of this extraordinary music was and remains an essential for my life. Ever since, for me, Carlos the gifted guitarista has had few missteps.
I love being in this RP community where so many others appreciate music which doesn't resonate with me. One of the many benefits of listening to RP.
I agree. There is a lot of diversity here! I listen to everything & rarely rate anything less than 6. I only rate 7 & above for tunes that I want on "My Favorites" list!