The Universal Tone: 15 Reasons We Will Always Adore Santana

Regardless of your taste in music, chances are that Carlos Santana songs have popped up on your playlist more than once. Not many artists can boast the same fact. That’s because the music of Carlos Santana has crossed several decades and many genres. Add Santana to the list of musicians you can enjoy with your parents and your kids. Carlos Santana (and his band) has been a fixture in the music scene since the late 1960s, and for good reason. His blend of Latin rhythm with psychedelic rock, blues and pop has produced some of the biggest and best hits in history. And let’s not forget about the epic covers and collaborations.

Beyond that, Carlos Santana has had an amazing career that spans beyond music. In his new memoir, The Universal Tone: Bringing My Story to Light, Santana shares his experiences from playing at strip bars in Tijuana to playing at Woodstock to winning Grammy awards and more. It’s unusual for an artist to be so successful for so long. When asked why he’s survived where other artists have failed, he explains: «Some people self-destruct from within by continuing to do the wrong substances or make the wrong choices. If something I do is going to be hurtful to myself or others, I’m going to stop.» Here are 15 more reasons why we will always adore Santana.

1. Black Magic Woman

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Black Magic Woman, one of our favorite Carlos Santana songs, was released in 1970, and while most people know it to be one of Santana’s biggest and most classic hits, it was actually originally recorded by Fleetwood Mac. The Fleetwood Mac version hit #37 on the UK charts, but the Santana version climbed to #4 on the U.S. charts.

2. Oye Como Va

Santana’s cover of Salsa legend Tito Puente’s song from the 1950s is another classic hit, and one of our all-time favorites. While Tito Puente’s version was popular in the Latin community, it wasn’t until Santana covered the song that it gained real popularity.

3. Smooth

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Nearly three decades after his hit Black Magic Woman, in 1999 Santana released Smooth, a duet with Rob Thomas, off his Supernatural album. This song topped the Billboard charts for a record 58 weeks and brought Santana back into the spotlight. Talk about a cool comeback.

4. He Survived Childhood Abuse

Carlos Santana is a survivor. He was abused as a young boy, but he kept his abuse a secret for nearly 30 years, only opening up to his wife after years of holding in anger. He now openly discusses his story as a way to help others abandon the sense of shame after suffering abuse.

5. Carlos Santana’s Style is Unique

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Santana’s style is simple but recognizable and effortlessly cool in a way no one else can quite pull off. He not only owns his personal style, but he also has an eye for women’s fashion and he brings his flair to the masses through his footwear and accessories line.

6. Evil Ways

Evil Ways has some of the best guitar solos, what makes Santana’s music unique and undeniably impressive. A lot of people can play tunes, but no one can Rock a guitar solo quite like Carlos Santana.

8. Supernatural

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His 1999 comeback album, Supernatural, featured amazing duets with Eric Clapton, Dave Matthews, Rob Thomas and Wyclef Jean. It put Santana back on the musical map, after several years had gone by without any hits. The peak moments of the album are some of Santana’s best music to date, and the album sold over 30 million copies worldwide. Yeah, we’d call that a comeback.

7. His Guitar Playing

The music of Carlos Santana is largely defined by his guitar chops. He is one of the greatest guitarists of this generation, or maybe any generation. His riffs are epic and he seems so lost in the music that they appear to be effortless.

9. He was Successful Despite a Tough Childhood

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Some artists come from talented parents and some are taught from a young age to excel musically. Not Santana. He was born in Mexico, raised in Tijuana, and grew up playing in local strip clubs. Santana is a self-made artist and a prodigious musical talent who succeeded solely because of his true talent and amazing determination.

10. He’s Multi-Talented

Santana is more than a musical genius, he’s also a business mogul who dabbled in the restaurant and fashion worlds. He has a restaurant called Maria Maria (yes, the same name as his hit song) and a successful shoe line.

11. Santana is Passionate About His Charity Work

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We always love an artist who gives back, and Santana takes charitable work to another level. He started The Milagro Foundation with his family in 1998, which benefits at-risk and vulnerable children around the world. The charity makes grants to community-based organizations that work with children in the areas of education, health and the arts.

12. He Makes Organic Salsa Too

A little random, yes, but somehow also appropriate. Carlos Santana Organic Salsa is available at Costco locations in Northern California and Nevada, and a portion of the proceeds go to his Milagro Foundation.

13. Touring in His 60s

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Some people are retired, playing golf and drinking Arnold Palmers in Florida by the age of 65. Not Santana. He is still touring like the rock star that he is. In fact, he toured this past summer with Rod Stewart (another one of our faves). In his own words, “My guitar makes me feel like I am 17-years-old perpetually, forever.» Young at heart and still rocking the stage…our hero.

14. Vegas Gig

In addition to his touring schedule, Santana also has a standing engagement at the House of Blues in Las Vegas through January 2015. Seriously, doesn’t this guy ever take a break?

15. His Memoir is a Must-Read

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His autobiography, Universal Tone: Bringing My Story to Light, shares his inspiring story. The publisher describes this book as an intimate and long-awaited autobiography of a legend. We could not agree more. The book was released on November 4 so pick up your copy today. You won’t regret it.