Musician to Know: Salvador Santana
Latin instrumentalist Salvador Santana always knew he would end up being a musician. And how could he not? He played the bongos before he could walk and took piano lessons at the age of 5. He credits his mother (poet and author Deborah Santana) and father (music legend Carlos Santana) for teaching him to play music from his heart — “to play like there’s no tomorrow” — and encouraging him to speak up and ask questions. San Francisco-born Santana believes that “the people who really get things done in the music industry are the people who aren’t afraid.” His musical inspiration outside of his family are his close friends and band members who he says keep him grounded and remind him to be humble and grateful.
Did you always plan to enter the family business?
"Yes. Even at a young age I always knew that it was inevitable for me to play music and take part in the family business. Music was in my life everyday, whether it was jamming with my dad in the living room, or attending a performing arts high school and college."
In your opinion, what are the three greatest albums of all time?
"Bob Marley, Uprising; Jimi Hendrix, Axis: Bold As Love; Miles Davis, Kinda Blue."
My advice is to not forget why you want to be in the business — my reasons are to share my music and hopefully make people feel good.
What's the coolest thing about the music industry right now?
"I think one of the coolest things about the music industry right now is the Internet. The success of the Internet and social media resources has allowed people access to remote underground cultures and has created a stronger awareness of the arts from a global perspective. The Internet is good for the consumer and, theoretically, should be beneficial for the music industry because of greater access to untapped markets."
What advice would you give to someone trying to break into the music business?
"Remember your first day of school? Well, it can be very similar to that when you first enter the music industry. You can feel some uneasy emotions floating around, as well as some anxiety. One might feel a little overwhelmed at first. Some feel a great amount of pressure and pretend to act like they know more about musicians, labels, venues, and the business than they really do. Because there is some mystique about the industry, that can cause some people to feel that they not only need to strive for professional success, but also social acceptance when they enter the music realm. But my advice is to not forget why you want to be in the business — my reasons are to share my music and hopefully make people feel good."
What are your three proudest moments as a musician?
"One day when I was in high school, I wrote a song with my dad that we originally dedicated to my grandfather titled 'El Farol.' The song was chosen to be on the Supernatural record. In 2000, the song was nominated for and won a Grammy for Best Instrumental of the Year. Another was when Herbie Hancock was backstage before a show and he came up to me. He told me that he really enjoyed listening to my first record. To hear him, someone I've idolized my entire life, say that made me feel great! Finally, I was asked to perform the national anthem at the San Francisco Giants first home playoff game in their 2010 post-season. I like to think my performance helped to kick off their amazing Championship run in capturing a World Series."
What can we expect from you next?
"You can expect a brand new album. For the last year and a half, I've been writing, composing, and working with a variety of artists. My new single, "Mi Tesoro" is on iTunes right now, and it is a tribute to my abuelita, who called me her treasure (the translation of Mi Tesoro) when I was growing up. You can expect to hear a brand new sound from me. You can also expect to see me performing a lot more. In the near future I will be playing a series of shows at clubs in the LA area and will eventually take the show out on the road where I will tour very heavily."
Links: SalvadorSantana.com; @SalvadorSantana
