List of Santana band members

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Santana is an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1966 by Mexican-born guitarist Carlos Santana. The band has undergone various recording and performing line-ups in its history, with Santana being the only consistent member. In 1998, the lineup of Santana, Rolie, Carabello, Shrieve, Brown and Areas was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. [1]

Contents

Santana is one of the best-selling groups of all time with an estimated 100 million albums sold worldwide. [2]

History

Santana was founded by eponymous guitarist Carlos Santana in late 1966, the band's first line-up included Sergio "Gus" Rodriguez on bass, Danny Haro on drums, and Michael Carabello on percussion. By February 1967, the band were joined by Tom Fraser on guitar and vocals, who also brought in Gregg Rolie on organ and vocals. [3] After losing out on a residency in June 1967, due to members not being committed. Santana and Rolie brought new musicians.

Members

Bold denotes members of the classic line-up.

Current members

ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributions
Santana Acer Arena (5558151833) (cropped).jpg
Carlos Santana 1966–present
  • lead guitar
  • vocals
  • percussion
all releases
Santana Acer Arena Sydney (5560384502).jpg
Benny Rietveld
  • 1990–1992
  • 1997–present
bass
Karl Perazzo of Santana, at the Acer Arena, Sydney (5560384524).jpg
Karl Perazzo1991–present
  • timbales
  • congas
  • percussion
  • vocals
all release from Milagro (1992) onwards, except Live at the Fillmore 1968 (1997), The Very Best of Santana – Live in 1968 (2007) and The Woodstock Experience (2009)
Andy Vargas2000–present
  • vocals
  • percussion
all releases from All That I Am (2005) onwards, except The Very Best of Santana – Live in 1968 (2007) and The Woodstock Experience (2009)
Tommy Anthony.jpg
Tommy Anthony 2005–present
  • rhythm guitar
  • vocals
all releases from Guitar Heaven (2010) onwards
David K. Matthews2011–presentkeyboardsall releases from Corazón (2014) onwards
Paoli Mejías2013–present
  • congas
  • percussion
  • Corazón (2014)
  • Corazón: Live from México - Live It to Believe It (2014)
Cindy Blackman .jpg
Cindy Blackman Santana 2015–presentdrums
Ray Greene2016–present
  • vocals
  • percussion
  • trombone
  • In Search of Mona Lisa (2019)
  • Africa Speaks (2019)

Former members

ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributions
Gregg Rolie June 2014.jpg
Gregg Rolie
  • 1966–1972
  • 2014–2016
  • organ
  • piano
  • keyboards
  • lead vocals
Tom Fraser1966–1967guitarsnone
Sergio "Gus" Rodriguezbass
Danny Harodrums
Santana (1971).png
Michael Carabello
  • 1966–1967
  • 1968–1971
  • 2014–2016
  • congas
  • percussion
  • additional keyboards
  • vocals
  • Santana (1969)
  • Abraxas (1970)
  • Santana III (1971)
  • Santana's Greatest Hits (1974)
  • The Woodstock Experience (2009)
  • Santana IV (2016)
  • Santana IV: Live at the House of Blues, Las Vegas (2016)
Don Wehr1967drumsnone
Santana (1971).png
David Brown
  • 1967–1971
  • 1974–1976 (died 2000)
bass
  • Santana (1969)
  • Abraxas (1970)
  • Santana III (1971)
  • Santana's Greatest Hits (1974)
  • Borboletta (1974)
  • Amigos (1976)
  • Live at the Fillmore 1968 (1997)
  • The Very Best of Santana – Live in 1968 (2007)
  • The Woodstock Experience (2009)
Rod Harper1967drumsnone
Marcus Malone 1967–1969 (died 2021)
  • congas
  • percussion
  • Live at the Fillmore 1968 (1997)
  • The Very Best of Santana – Live in 1968 (2007)
Bob Livingston1967–1969drums
Johnny Rae1969none
Chepito2015.jpg
José "Chepito" Areas
  • 1969–1974
  • 1976–1977
  • 1988–1989
  • timbales
  • congas
  • percussion
  • drums
  • trumpet
  • Santana (1969)
  • Abraxas (1970)
  • Santana III (1971)
  • Caravanserai (1972)
  • Welcome (1973)
  • Lotus (1974)
  • Santana's Greatest Hits (1974)
  • Festivál (1977)
  • Moonflower (1977)
  • The Woodstock Experience (2009)
OK Hotel Reunion - Michael Shrieve 01A (cropped).jpg
Michael "Mike" Shrieve
  • 1969–1974
  • 2014–2016
  • drums
  • percussion
  • occasional vocals
  • all releases from Santana to Borboletta (1974)
  • The Woodstock Experience (2009)
  • Santana IV (2016)
  • Santana IV: Live at the House of Blues, Las Vegas (2016)
Neal Schon.jpg
Neal Schon
  • 1971–1972
  • 2014–2016
  • lead and rhythm guitar
  • vocals
  • Santana III (1971)
  • Caravanserai (1972)
  • Santana IV (2016)
  • Santana IV: Live at the House of Blues, Las Vegas (2016)
Buddy-Miles.jpg
Buddy Miles
  • 1971
  • 1972
  • 1986
  • 1987 (died 2008)
  • drums and percussion (1971, 1972)
  • vocals and guitar (1986, 1987)
Freedom (1987)
Pete Escovedo White House oct 2009.jpg
Pete Escovedo
  • 1971
  • 1977–1979
  • timbales
  • percussion
Coke Escovedo 1971–1972 (died 1986)
  • Santana III (1971)
  • Santana's Greatest Hits (1974)
Rico Reyes1971–1972
  • percussion
  • vocals
  • Abraxas (1970)
  • Santana III (1971)
  • Caravanserai (1972)
Tom Rutley1971–1972
  • bass
  • acoustic bass
Caravanserai (1972)
James "Mingo" Lewis1971–1973
  • congas
  • percussion
Victor Pantoja1971
  • congas
  • percussion
none
Armando Peraza London 001.jpg
Armando Peraza
  • 1972–1976
  • 1977–1990
(died 2014)
  • congas
  • bongos
  • percussion
  • vocals
all releases from Caravanserai (1972) to Spirits Dancing in the Flesh (1990)
Tom Coster (4032206100).jpg
Tom Coster
  • 1972–1978
  • 1983–1984
  • keyboards
  • backing vocals
  • all releases from Caravanserai (1972) to Moonflower (1977)
Richard Kermode 1972–1973 (died 1996)keyboards
  • Welcome (1973)
  • Lotus (1974)
Doug Rauch in the 1970's.jpg
Doug Rauch 1972–1974 (died 1979)
  • bass
  • guitar
  • Caravanserai (1972)
  • Welcome (1973)
  • Lotus (1974)
Leon Thomas 1973 (died 1999)vocals
  • Welcome (1973)
  • Lotus (1974)
Leon "Ndugu" Chancler
  • 1974–1976
  • 1988 (died 2018)
drums
  • Borboletta (1974)
  • Amigos (1976)
Leon Patillo at Get Motivated Seminar, Cow Palace 2009-03-24 2.JPG
Leon Patillo
  • 1974–1975
  • 1976
  • vocals
  • keyboards
  • piano
  • percussion
  • Borboletta (1974)
Jules Broussard1974–1975saxophone
  • Welcome (1973)
  • Borboletta (1974)
Greg Walker
  • 1975–1976
  • 1976–1979
  • 1983–1985
vocals
Santana Acer Arena (5558151807).jpg
Raul Rekow1976–2013 (died 2015)
  • congas
  • bongos
  • percussion
  • vocals
all releases from Festivál (1977) to Shape Shifter (2012), except Live at the Fillmore 1968 (1997), The Very Best of Santana – Live in 1968 (2007) and The Woodstock Experience (2009)
Gaylord Birch
  • 1976
  • 1991 (died 1996)
  • drums
  • percussion
Festivál (1977)
Graham Lear.jpg
Graham Lear
  • 1976–1983
  • 1985–1987
drums
  • Moonflower (1977)
  • Inner Secrets (1978)
  • Marathon (1979)
  • Zebop! (1981)
  • Shangó (1982)
Luther Rabb 1976 (died 2006)vocalsnone
Joel Badie1976Festivál (1977)
Byron Millerbassnone
Pablo Tellez1976–1977
  • Festivál (1977)
  • Moonflower (1977)
David Margen1977–1982
  • Moonflower (1977)
  • Inner Secrets (1978)
  • Marathon (1979)
  • Zebop! (1981)
  • Shangó (1982)
Chris Solberg1978–1980
  • guitars
  • keyboards
  • vocals
  • Inner Secrets (1978)
  • Zebop! (1981)
Chris Rhyne1978–1979keyboardsInner Secrets (1978)
Boris-Grebenshchikov-concert-NewYork.jpeg
Russell Tubbs 1978flutenone
Alex Ligertwood.jpg
Alex Ligertwood
  • 1979–1983
  • 1984–1985
  • 1987
  • 1989–1991
  • 1992–1994
  • vocals
  • rhythm guitar
Alan Pasqua 1979–1980
  • keyboards
  • vocals
  • Marathon (1979)
  • Zebop! (1981)
Orestes Vilató 1980–1987
  • timbales
  • percussion
  • vocals
  • Zebop! (1981)
  • Shangó (1982)
  • Beyond Appearances (1985)
  • Freedom (1987)
  • Spirits Dancing in the Flesh (1990)
Richard Baker1980–1982keyboards
  • Zebop! (1981)
  • Shangó (1982)
Chester D. Thompson1983–2009
  • keyboards
  • arrangements
  • vocals
all releases from Beyond Appearances (1985) to Shape Shifter (2012), except Live at the Fillmore 1968 (1997), The Very Best of Santana – Live in 1968 (2007), The Woodstock Experience (2009) and Guitar Heaven (2010)
Keith Jones
  • 1983–1984
  • 1989
bassnone
David Sancious 1984
  • keyboards
  • rhythm guitar
Beyond Appearances (1985)
Chester Thompson (2923561437).jpg
Chester C. Thompson drums
Alphonso Johnson.jpg
Alphonso Johnson
  • 1984
  • 1985–1989
  • 1992
bass
  • Beyond Appearances (1985)
  • Freedom (1987)
  • Spirits Dancing in the Flesh (1990)
Sterling Crew1985–1986keyboardsFreedom (1987)
Walfredo Reyes, Jr..jpeg
Walfredo Reyes Jr.
  • 1989–1991
  • 1992–1993
drums
  • Spirits Dancing in the Flesh (1990)
  • Milagro (1992)
  • Sacred Fire: Live in South America (1993)
Billy Johnson
  • 1991
  • 1994
  • 2000–2001
  • Milagro (1992)
  • Supernatural (1999)
  • Shaman (2002)
Santana Acer Arena (5558151825).jpg
Tony Lindsay
  • 1991
  • 1995–2004
  • 2007–2015
vocals
  • Milagro (1992)
  • Supernatural (1999)
  • Shaman (2002)
  • Shape Shifter (2012)
  • Corazón (2014)
  • Corazón: Live from México - Live It to Believe It (2014)
Myron Dove
  • 1992–1996
  • 2003–2005
  • bass
  • rhythm guitar
Sacred Fire: Live in South America (1993)
Vorriece Cooper1992–1993vocals
Oran Coltrane1992saxophonenone
Rodney Holmes
  • 1993–1994
  • 1997–2000
drums
Tommie Bradford1994
Curtis Salgado 12April2008.jpg
Curtis Salgado 1995
  • vocals
  • harmonica
Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez 1997drums Supernatural (1999)
Ricky Wellmannone
Santana Acer Arena (5558204467).jpg
William "Bill" Ortiz1999–2016trumpet
  • Milagro (1992)
  • all releases from Supernatural (1999) to Corazón: Live from México - Live It to Believe It (2014)
Santana Acer Arena (5558204467).jpg
Jeff Cressman1999–2016tromboneall releases from Supernatural (1999) to Corazón: Live from México - Live It to Believe It (2014)
Dennis Chambers Kongsberg Jazzfestival 2018 (225738).jpg
Dennis Chambers 2002–2013drums
  • All That I Am (2005)
  • Guitar Heaven (2010)
  • Shape Shifter (2012)
  • Corazón (2014)
Christopher A. Scott2002–2005
  • bass
  • vocals
none
Freddie-Ravel-Portrait(Color).jpg
Freddie Ravel 2009–2010keyboardsGuitar Heaven (2010)
José "Pepe" Jimenez2013–2015drumsnone

Timeline

List of Santana band members

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carlos Santana</span> American guitarist (born 1947)

Carlos Humberto Santana Barragán is an American guitarist, best known as a founding member of the rock band Santana. Born and raised in Mexico where he developed his musical background, he rose to fame in the late 1960s and early 1970s in the United States with Santana, which pioneered a fusion of rock and roll and Latin American jazz. Its sound featured his melodic, blues-based lines set against Latin American and African rhythms played on percussion instruments not generally heard in rock, such as timbales and congas. He experienced a resurgence of popularity and critical acclaim in the late 1990s.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gregg Rolie</span> American musician (b. 1947)

Gregg Alan Rolie is an American keyboardist, singer and songwriter. Rolie served as lead singer of the bands Santana and Journey – both of which he co-founded. He also helmed rock group the Storm, performed in Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band until 2021, and since 2001 with his Gregg Rolie Band. Rolie is a two-time inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, having been inducted both as a member of Santana in 1998 and as a member of Journey in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Shrieve</span> American drummer, percussionist, and composer (born 1949)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">José Areas</span> Nicaraguan percussionist (born 1946)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santana (band)</span> American rock band

Santana is an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1966 by Mexican-born guitarist Carlos Santana. The band has undergone various recording and performing line-ups in its history, with Santana being the only consistent member. After signing with Columbia Records, the band's appearance at the Woodstock Festival in 1969 increased their profile, and they went on to record the commercially successful and critically acclaimed albums Santana (1969), Abraxas (1970), and Santana III (1971). These were recorded by the group's "classic" line-up, featuring Gregg Rolie, Michael Carabello, Michael Shrieve, David Brown, and José "Chepito" Areas. Hit songs of this period include "Evil Ways", "Black Magic Woman", "Oye Como Va", and the instrumental "Samba Pa Ti".

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caravanserai Tour</span> 1972–1973 tour by Santana

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Welcome Tour</span> 1973–74 concert tour by Santana

The Welcome Tour was a concert tour by Santana promoting their album, Welcome. The tour began on November 13, 1973 at Colston Hall in Bristol, England and ended on October 29, 1974 at the William P. Cole, Jr. Student Activities Building in College Park, Maryland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spirits Dancing in the Flesh Tour</span> 1990 concert tour by Santana

The Spirits Dancing in the Flesh Tour was the twenty-fourth concert tour by Santana in 1990, supporting the Spirits Dancing in the Flesh album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A 25–Year Celebration Tour</span> 1991 concert tour by Santana

A 25–Year Celebration Tour was the twenty-fifth concert tour by Santana in 1991, celebrating their 25th anniversary as a band.

Santana Latin American Tour 2005 was a Latin American concert tour by American rock band Santana in 2005.

William Penn Fyve were a garage rock group from Palo Alto, California who recorded the psychedelic classic "Swami". Their membership included Gregg Rolie and Mickey Hart.

References

  1. "Santana". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  2. Szaroleta, Tom (October 19, 2017). "Echoes of Woodstock: Santana one of the few big names still on the road". The Florida Times-Union . Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  3. Fong-Torres, Ben (December 7, 1972). "The Resurrection of Santana". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 26, 2022.