Carlos Santana - He's So Smooth

Carlos Santana has been rocking the music world for 30 years, and this year, after being nominated for 11 awards, he walked away with a record 9 Grammies.

Santana's 1999 album, Supernatural, may be his best yet, and showcases an array of talent, from Eric Clapton to Lauryn Hill. Radio listeners can't get enough of the runaway hit, Smooth - Hard to believe that the same man who is influencing young people today, wowed the audience at Woodstock three decades ago.To this day, he is leaving fans, young and old alike, in awe.

Carlos Santana was born in the Mexican village of Autlin, July 20, 1947. At a very early age, his father, an accomplished musician, taught him the basics of music theory. Carlos was an eager learner and was soon broadening his musical horizons by patterning his playing after the Blues artists he heard on the radio. As a teenager, (he began at 13) he developed his own sound and was playing with local bands along the Tijuana Strip - the songs were popular 50's radio hits, but the style was definitely personal.

He eventually moved to San Francisco where he learned to speak English, and found himself engulfed in the desire to make music. And in 1966 the city saw the debut of the Santana Blues Band. The group played at the legendary Fillmore West - along with such acts as Bob Dylan and The Who. Over the course of three years, the band would gain such popularity (much do in part to music promoter Bill Graham) that in 1969, they would perform before the ultimate audience at Woodstock. The music world had now been exposed to the unique blend of blues and Latin rock - the sound that was unmistakably Carlos Santana. To this day, his distinct brand of guitar playing has gained him recognition from fans and fellow musicians, as well.

Through the years, Santana has accumulated an array of awards, including eight gold and seven platinum albums. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1998, is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, and on February 23, he and his album Supernatural won a stunning 9 Grammy's. Including:

Record of the year: Smooth

Album of the year: Supernatural

Song of the year: Smooth

Best pop Perfromance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: Maria Maria

Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals: Smooth (featuring Rob Thomas)

Best Pop Instrumental: El Farol

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