Born on 20 July: Carlos Santana, the father of Latin rock

He was born in 1947 in Autlán de Navarro, in the Mexican state of Jalisco, but now that he has obtained American nationality, he shouldn't have to worry about Trump taking him back to the border!

Carlos Santana moved to Los Angeles with his family at a very young age, a city that has long been home to a large Mexican immigrant population. Since the late 60s, the guitarist, composer and occasional singer has presided over the destiny of the group known as Santana. Since his eponymous debut album in 1969, which ranged from jazz fusion to psychedelic rock, many labels have been attached to his music. It's undoubtedly Latin rock or Chicano rock that suits him best, although in recent years he hasn't hesitated to join forces with hip hop artists.

Introduced to music at an early age by his father, a mariachi musician, Carlos first learnt the violin before taking up the guitar at the age of eight. It was to become his one true love. After a stint in Tijuana, he joined his family in San Francisco, where he immersed himself in the musical trends of the time, such as blues, rock and jazz, while injecting Latin American rhythms, particularly salsa and lush percussion.

In 1966, he founded the Santana Blues Band, which later went by its sole name. Like Joe Cocker, the legendary Woodstock festival in 1969 revealed the full extent of his talent, notably with a memorable instrumental rendition of ‘Soul Sacrifice’ lasting a dozen minutes.

Throughout the 1970s, Santana scored a string of hits with songs such as ‘Black Magic Woman’ and ‘Oye Come Va’, before moving towards a more jazzy, experimental sound. The 1990s saw a return to the forefront with the album ‘Supernatural’ (1999), which won nine Grammy Awards.

Recognised as a pioneer of Latin rock, Carlos Santana has influenced several generations of musicians with his instantly recognisable guitar playing. His openness to often unexpected collaborations and his ability to fuse styles considered antinomic are also his hallmarks. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, Santana continues to release new albums on a regular basis. The most recent, ‘Sentient’, was released in 2025, although a track like ‘Me Retiro’, recorded not long ago with Gruppo Frontera, undoubtedly marks the end of a career that has already spanned six decades.

(MH with Stéthane Soupart - Photo : © Etienne Tordoir)

Photo : Carlos Santana sur la scène de Forest-National à Bruxelles (Belgique) le 31 octobre 1981