Santana: fired from the Fillmore in 1967, a Woodstock name by 1969

Santana is a band, but it began as one man's decision. In 1966 Mexican-born guitarist Carlos Santana discovered San Francisco's hippie and counterculture scene and decided he wanted to be part of the new wave. He began assembling a group with Sergio “Gus” Rodriguez on bass, Danny Haro on drums and Michael Carabello on percussion. In January 1967 they won an audition spot from promoter Bill Graham at the Fillmore Auditorium and called themselves the Santana Blues Band.

The beginning was rocky. Tom Fraser joined on guitar and vocals and brought Gregg Rolie on organ, but the band stalled for weeks after Carlos was hospitalised with tuberculosis. In June 1967 Graham fired them from the Fillmore after some members turned up late for a gig supporting The Who and Loading Zone. The incident pushed Carlos to bring in more committed musicians, keeping Rolie, and by the end of the year the group had shortened its name to Santana.

In late 1968 they secured a deal with Columbia Records after an audition opening for the Grateful Dead; Their appearance at Woodstock in 1969 raised their profile, and the “classic” lineup of Rolie, José “Chepito” Areas, Carabello, Michael Shrieve and David Brown recorded Santana, Abraxas and Santana III. Hits of that period include “Evil Ways”, “Black Magic Woman”, “Oye Como Va” and the instrumental “Samba Pa Ti”.

After 1972 the band moved into jazz fusion, then reached a new peak with Supernatural in 1999, which included the number-one singles “Smooth” with Rob Thomas and “Maria Maria”. It won eight Grammys, tying a record then held by Michael Jackson. The classic lineup went into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, and it reunited in 2014 for the Santana IV album and tour, without Brown, who died in 2000.