Few musicians in the history of American popular music inspire the same reverence as Carlos Santana. For more than four decades, he has been one of the music world’s most distinctive and exciting guitarists, maintaining his reputation as an artist who continues to revolutionize the form.
Long before listeners knew terms like “fusion” and “world music,” Santana was already a master who blended genres and traditions into a sound that was all his own. It’s no wonder the young guitarist generated so much excitement as a foremost member of the Bay Area’s fertile music community of the late 1960s.
With the release of his debut album Santana and an incendiary set at Woodstock in 1969, Santana established himself as one of the key artists of the era, gaining worldwide fame for his band’s combination of Latin, jazz, blues, rock, and R&B. The new star proved his staying power when Santana remained on the Billboard charts and successors Abraxas and Santana III both reached No. 1.
In 1998, Santana was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In addition to racking up career sales of more than 100 million records, he earned another spot in history books when Supernatural — the multiplatinum 1999 album that included such hits as “Smooth” and “Maria Maria” — won nine Grammy Awards, tying the record for most wins by a single project.
