Jump to content

List of Santana band members

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Santana performing in 2008

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]

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

History

[edit]

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 in new musicians.

Members

[edit]

Bold denotes members of the classic line-up.

Current members

[edit]
Image Name Years active Instruments Release 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 Perazzo 1991–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 Vargas 2000–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. Matthews 2011–present keyboards all releases from Corazón (2014) onwards
Paoli Mejías 2013–present
  • congas
  • percussion
  • Corazón (2014)
  • Corazón: Live from México - Live It to Believe It (2014)
Cindy_Blackman_.jpg
Cindy Blackman Santana 2015–present drums
Ray Greene 2016–present
  • vocals
  • percussion
  • trombone
  • In Search of Mona Lisa (2019)
  • Africa Speaks (2019)

Former members

[edit]
Image Name Years active Instruments Release contributions
Gregg Rolie June 2014.jpg
Gregg Rolie
  • 1966–1972
  • 2014–2016
  • organ
  • piano
  • keyboards
  • lead vocals
Tom Fraser 1966–1967 guitars none
Sergio "Gus" Rodriguez bass
Danny Haro drums
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 Wehr 1967 drums none
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 Harper 1967 drums none
Marcus Malone 1967–1969 (died 2021)
  • congas
  • percussion
  • Live at the Fillmore 1968 (1997)
  • The Very Best of Santana – Live in 1968 (2007)
Bob Livingston 1967–1969 drums
Johnny Rae 1969 none
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 Reyes 1971–1972
  • percussion
  • vocals
  • Abraxas (1970)
  • Santana III (1971)
  • Caravanserai (1972)
Tom Rutley 1971–1972
  • bass
  • acoustic bass
Caravanserai (1972)
James "Mingo" Lewis 1971–1973
  • congas
  • percussion
Victor Pantoja 1971
  • 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 Broussard 1974–1975 saxophone
  • Welcome (1973)
  • Borboletta (1974)
Greg Walker
  • 1975–1976
  • 1976–1979
  • 1983–1985
vocals
Santana Acer Arena (5558151807).jpg
Raul Rekow 1976–2013 (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) vocals none
Joel Badie 1976 Festivál (1977)
Byron Miller bass none
Pablo Tellez 1976–1977
  • Festivál (1977)
  • Moonflower (1977)
David Margen 1977–1982
  • Moonflower (1977)
  • Inner Secrets (1978)
  • Marathon (1979)
  • Zebop! (1981)
  • Shangó (1982)
Chris Solberg 1978–1980
  • guitars
  • keyboards
  • vocals
  • Inner Secrets (1978)
  • Zebop! (1981)
Chris Rhyne 1978–1979 keyboards Inner Secrets (1978)
Boris-Grebenshchikov-concert-NewYork.jpeg
Russell Tubbs 1978 flute none
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 Baker 1980–1982 keyboards
  • Zebop! (1981)
  • Shangó (1982)
Santana (2870219597) (cropped).jpg
Chester D. Thompson 1983–2009
  • 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
bass none
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 Crew 1985–1986 keyboards Freedom (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 Cooper 1992–1993 vocals
Oran Coltrane 1992 saxophone none
Rodney Holmes
  • 1993–1994
  • 1997–2000
drums
Tommie Bradford 1994
Curtis_Salgado_12April2008.jpg
Curtis Salgado 1995
  • vocals
  • harmonica
Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez 1997 drums Supernatural (1999)
Ricky Wellman none
Santana Acer Arena (5558204467).jpg
William "Bill" Ortiz 1999–2016 trumpet
  • Milagro (1992)
  • all releases from Supernatural (1999) to Corazón: Live from México - Live It to Believe It (2014)
Santana Acer Arena (5558204467).jpg
Jeff Cressman 1999–2016 trombone all releases from Supernatural (1999) to Corazón: Live from México - Live It to Believe It (2014)
Dennis Chambers Kongsberg Jazzfestival 2018 (225738).jpg
Dennis Chambers 2002–2013 drums
  • All That I Am (2005)
  • Guitar Heaven (2010)
  • Shape Shifter (2012)
  • Corazón (2014)
Christopher A. Scott 2002–2005
  • bass
  • vocals
none
Freddie-Ravel-Portrait(Color).jpg
Freddie Ravel 2009–2010 keyboards Guitar Heaven (2010)
José "Pepe" Jimenez 2013–2015 drums none

Timeline

[edit]

References

[edit]
  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.