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Happy Birthday to Smooth Walk of Famer Carlos Santana!

Carlos Santana Turns 69 Today!

 

Happy Birthday to “Smooth” Walk of Famer Carlos Santana, who turns 69 today.

 

Born in Autlán de Navarro, Jalisco, Mexico, Santana moved to San Francisco where he worked as a dishwasher in a diner. He busked for spare change on the streets before ultimately deciding to become a full-time musician. But it was a fateful day at the famed Fillmore venue that would change his life. After blues great Paul Butterfield canceled his show at the last minute, promoter Bill Graham pulled together a spur of the moment group from local musicians and Carlos joined in on guitar.

 

He rose to fame in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his self-titled band. The group is credited with being on the forefront of a style that fused rock and Latin American music. In addition to the blues-based guitar sound, the group brought in Latin and African beats utilizing percussion instruments like congas and timbales. Throughout their career the band won numerous awards, including ten Grammy Awards, three Latin Grammy Awards and induction into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

In 1999, Santana saw a resurgence in popularity with the album “Supernatural,” on which the legendary rocker collaborated with diverse artists like Eric Clapton, Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean, Cee Lo Green and Dave Matthews. The album’s break away hit saw Santana teamed with Rob Thomas from the band Matchbox 20 for the single “Smooth.” The track spent twelve weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and won three Grammy Awards: Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.


MediaMine Has Media from Birthday Boy Carlos Santana’s Hollywood Walk of Fame Ceremony

The MediaMine library includes media from Santana’s official Hollywood Walk of Fame Star ceremony on August 17, 1998. See the whole collection at MediaMineLicensing.com. And download the FREE Official Hollywood Walk of Fame App here to play trivia and see photos and videos from the iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremonies.

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