Santana at the TaxSlayer Center -- April 15.
Friday, April 15, 8 p.m.
TaxSlayer Center, 1201 River Drive, Moline IL
Iconic, chart-topping rockers tied with Michael Jackson for scoring six Grammy Awards in a single night, the artists of Santana bring their “Blessings & Miracles Tour” to Moline's TaxSlayer Center on April 15, the band currently celebrating its remarkable 53rd year of performance and status as one of the most influential and popular rock outfits of all time.
Formed by the Mexican-American rock guitarist Carlos Santana, and with the band's discography composed of 26 studio albums (including last year's Blessings & Miracles), seven live albums, 61 singles, and 23 compilation albums, Santana originated in 1967 in San Francisco, and was originally known as the Carlos Santana Blues Band. Beyond lead guitarist and vocalist Santana, the band's original members were Tom Fraser (rhythm guitar), Sergio "Gus" Rodriguez (bass guitar), Gregg Rolie (Hammond organ, lead vocals), Michael Carabello (percussion) and Danny Haro (drums), and the group's breakthrough came in 1969 when the musician played the Woodstock festival. Over the next few years, lineup changes were common and frequent, and although retaining a basis of Latin rock, Carlos Santana's increasing involvement with Sri Chinmoy took the band further into more esoteric music, which continued for many years, although never quite losing the initial Latin influence.
Following their Woodstock success, Santana signed with Columbia and released their self-titled debut album in 1969, which reached fourth place on the Billboard 200 and earned double-platinum status by the RIAA. Next, Santana released Abraxas in September of 1970, which topped the Billboard charts and earned five-times platinum sales. Santana released another 12 albums in the 1970s, each earning RIAA certification, and their success continued in the 1980s. After signing with Arista, the group released 1999's spectacularly successful Supernatural, which reached topped the charts in several countries, earned 15-times platinum, and sold nearly 27 million copies worldwide. It also received an astonishing six Grammy Awards, its wins including for Album of the Year and Best Rock Album, with Santana's single "Smooth" receiving Grammys for Record of the Year and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. The band also received three awards at the Latin Grammy Awards, including one for Record of the Year.
Over a career spanning 50 years, Santana exemplified Latin rock while diversifying into other genres, and its musicians have sold more than 100 million records. Additionally, Santana is one of the best-selling groups of all time with over 47 million certified albums sold in the U.S., and an estimated 100 million sold worldwide. Fourteen of the ensemble's albums wound up landing on the U.S. Billboard Top 10, and in 1998, Santana was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Sanata plays its Moline engagement on Moline 15, admission to the 8 p.m. concert is $35.50-125.50, and tickets are available by calling (800)745-3000 and visiting TaxSlayerCenter.com.
