Carlos Santana

Latest Updates

Wolfgang Van Halen’s favorite guitarist tears it up while death metal has never sounded more alive: this week’s essential guitar tracks

By Michael Astley-Brown published 6 October 23

Round out the week with our curated list of unmissable songs from Intervals, Alluvial, Sophie Lloyd, Santana, Kvelertak, Sleater-Kinney and more

“Santana, right? I love your choice of notes”: Carlos Santana recalls the time he met Jimi Hendrix

By Matt Owen published 2 October 23

The PRS signature artist was certainly no stranger to praise as an emerging musician, but his meeting with Hendrix proved to be particularly influential

Carlos Santana (left) and Eric Clapton perform at the Crossroads Guitar Festival at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on September 24, 2023

“The doctor's in the house”: Watch Carlos Santana and Eric Clapton tip their caps to Peter Green with searing Black Magic Woman at the 2023 Crossroads Festival

By Jackson Maxwell published 26 September 23

Guitar legends who had passed on since the last Crossroads gathering in 2019 were on the minds of audience members and performers alike at this year's festival

“Magic is when you command the elements to capture people’s hearts”: the first trailer for new Santana documentary Carlos has arrived

By Matt Parker published 24 August 23

An acclaimed new film about the guitar great will hit cinemas for special screenings this September

A prototype PRS Silver Sky guitar (right) and Carlos Santana

A prototype PRS Silver Sky once owned and tested by Carlos Santana has gone up for sale on Reverb

By Matt Owen published 27 February 23

The 2017 “Magic” example pre-dates the official release of John Mayer's signature model, and is described as “the birth, the mother, and blueprint of all the others that were built”

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Alex Lifeson, founding member of Rush, and Robby Krieger, founding member of The Doors perform onstage at the Medlock-Krieger All-Star Concert benefiting The Pat Tillman Foundation, Cancer Support Community Valley/Ventura/Santa Barbara & Colontown/PalTown Development Foundation at Bogie's on October 24, 2022 in Westlake Village, California.

Watch Alex Lifeson and Robby Krieger join forces for 8-minute jam of Santana's Evil Ways

By Sam Roche last updated 27 October 22

The Rush and Doors guitarists traded smooth Latin-inspired classic rock leads at a recent benefit concert in California

Carlos Santana, Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton were at the forefront of guitar culture in the '60s

The greatest guitar albums of the ‘60s: From Beatlemania to Electric Ladyland, a rock ’n’ roll revolution takes shape

By Total Guitar editors last updated 19 August 22

As chosen by you, here are the albums that defined guitar music in the swinging ‘60s, featuring the Beatles, Cream and some guy named Hendrix... He could play

Carlos Santana: "You'll get scratched once in a while when you jam with other people. But that's all part of it. You have to be bold"

By Bill Milkowski published 20 July 22

In this 1988 GW interview, Santana opines on the power of the blues, his collaborations with John Lee Hooker, Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter, and the high-wire magic of jamming

Carlos Santana collapses onstage from heat exhaustion and dehydration

By Matt Owen published 6 July 22

The guitar legend is “doing well“ and “taking it easy“ after passing out during his gig at the Pine Knob Music Theatre

Watch Eric Gales and Carlos Santana share the stage at the 1994 Woodstock Festival

By Matt Owen published 23 February 22

A young Gales featured alongside his godfather for a blistering five-minute performance, which included all the hallmarks of what would become his own brand of blues

Buddy Guy’s role as a blues mentor and standard-bearer highlighted in new trailer for The Torch documentary

By Matt Parker published 8 February 22

The guitar icon’s dedication to raising the next generation of blues talent is at the heart of a new documentary, which opens in theaters next month

Brian Baker: “This whole journey is based on right place, right time and luck – I didn’t realize I was a professional musician until I’d been one for 20 years”

By Jim Beaugez published 24 January 22

The Bad Religion guitarist and bona fide punk legend talks vintage guitars, new band Fake Names, and that time he jammed with Carlos Santana when he was just 12 years old

Carlos Santana: “I’ve always really loved B.B. King and Peter Green, and I wanted to combine that with Tito Puente and Mongo Santamaria”

By Mark McStea last updated 25 December 21

The guitar legend reflects on the making of his star-studded new album, Blessings and Miracles, and explains that for an artist, the universe can be the wind beneath your wings

Carlos Santana cancels Las Vegas residency following health scare and "unscheduled heart procedure"

By Matt Owen published 2 December 21

The 74-year-old, who was set for an eight-show stint at Mandalay Bay's House of Blues, was taken to hospital after experiencing chest discomfort

Carlos Santana: “When I play guitar, I’m a kid with a first-class ticket to Disneyland, and I can go on any ride I want”

By Henry Yates published 30 November 21

As the guitar god returns with a new all-star collaboration album, Blessings and Miracles, he joins us to talk Strats, snakes, improv and acid…

Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Derek Trucks

Carlos Santana is working with Eric Clapton and Derek Trucks on a spaghetti western-inspired instrumental album

By Matt Owen published 11 November 21

The PRS-playing guitar powerhouse teased the trio’s prospective project will pay homage to Ennio Morricone, and be sonically comparable to The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Carlos Santana reveals his new album is his first ever to not feature a Mesa/Boogie amp

By Matt Owen published 2 November 21

For Blessings and Miracles, the PRS-wielding ace veered away from his stalwart setup and swapped out his Mesa/Boogie for Dumbles and Bludotones

Carlos Santana: “When I found the guitar, it was like seeing flying saucers and Moby Dick and discovering the spiritual orgasm all at once”

By Jacob Uitti published 19 October 21

The legendary six-stringer on how working as a busboy influenced his guitar playing, his memories of Woodstock, and recording with Metallica's Kirk Hammett on his star-studded new album, Blessings and Miracles

Carlos Santana and Chris Stapleton team up for groove-infused, lick-laden new single, Joy

By Matt Owen published 12 October 21

Joy is the fourth single taken from Santana's upcoming album, Blessings and Miracles, which is set to arrive October 15

Carlos Santana recruits Steve Winwood for soulful new single, Whiter Shade of Pale

By Matt Owen published 21 September 21

The pair’s performance of the Procol Harum hit is the third single from Santana’s star-studded upcoming album, Blessings and Miracles