Mike Balitao

October 10, 2013

Name: Mike Balitao, 35 years of age

Location: Bakersfield, California / Oxnard, California

Santana Fan Since: I’ve been a Santana Fan Since 2007.

Why You Love Santana’s Music: I feel in love with his music and I started listening to him on July 2007 it’s really amazing on how him and I connect just like that and man when I hear his music I’m happy. Graceful and very awesome music. Have you ever heard his music suddenly you get these goose bumps? That’s how I feel his emotion when he plays the guitar. He puts so much feeling that the guitar cry. Also I love all his music. My 1st favorite music of his was “Samba Pa Ti” and the 1st time I heard it I cry because I just so love the song. 2nd is “Oye Como Va” that’s a good beat, then “Europa”, then “Black Magic Woman”, etc. It’s gonna make ya dance cry and have goose bump at the same time. I can name a lot of his song I have his Supernatural album the Abraxas, Shaman, etc. My Favorite songs of his was “Samba Pa Ti”, “Europa”, “Waiting”, “I love You Much Too Much”, “Maria Maria”, “Smooth”, “El Farol”, “Curacion”, “Jingo”, “Incident At Neshabur”, “Cry Baby Cry”, “Brotherhood”, “Serpents and Doves”, “Praise”, “Black Magic Woman”, “Oye Como Va”, “Just Feel Better”, “Make Somebody Happy”, “Shape Shifter”, ETC., a lots more.

How Many Times You’ve Seen Carlos Live and Where/When: I’ve seen Santana 2 times. 1st was at Hard Rock Las Vegas on September 1, 2010. 2nd was at Rabo Bank in Bakersfield on September 27, 2011.

Random Santana-related Fact: I bought his perfumes and shirts.

Marvin Castillo

October 9, 2013

Name: Marvin Castillo

Location: San Diego, California

Santana Fan Since: I was in 7th grade in 1974. Santana’s Greatest Hits was my first record.

Why You Love Santana’s Music: It transcends all genres, ages, continents, etc. The vibe hits you right in the middle of your soul!

How Many Times You’ve Seen Carlos Live and Where/When:
I have seen him at least 10-12 times. They have all been in Chula Vista’s Amphitheater except for two times in San Diego’s Mission Bay Park.

Random Santana-related Fact: My son Brian, who is now 17 years old, attended the taping of the Supernatural DVD in LA County with his mother and he was lucky enough to get up on stage at a concert in Chula Vista and played the maracas with Carlos and Sonny Sandoval of POD. I am attaching a picture that his mom took that night. He was only 7 or 8 years old (I can’t remember if Carlos played down here in 2002 or 2003 on that tour).

Malc Tipping

October 8, 2013

Name: Malc Tipping

Location: Lancashire, England

Santana Fan Since: 1969

Why You Love Santana’s Music: Carlos is the greatest guitarist ever! Watching Carlos play just gives me so much inspiration to see how effortless he makes it look.

How Many Times You’ve Seen Carlos Live and Where/When:

Seen them live in concert 9 times. All in the UK:

• Bath festival 1970
• Hammersmith Odeon (now Apollo) in 1978, 1979 and 1990
• Wembley Arena 1980
• Albert Hall 1983 and 2003
• Wembley Stadium 1984
• London 2005

I’d love to see them most perform in a private concert in a small venue somewhere in the UK.

Random Santana-related Fact: I have an autographed photo of Carlos on my office wall.

Donna Cozzi

October 7, 2013

Name: Donna Marie Cozzi

Location: Bronx, New York

Why You Love Santana’s Music: I love Santana’s music because Carlos’s Guitar, Raul’s congas, plus Tony and Andy’s singing brings me the emotions that make me truly feel alive: Happiness, Peace, Joy, and to dance to every beat, sing along to the words of every song… and really “feel the music” in my belly… is what makes me truly love Santana’s music…

Especially when we live in a world that is not filled with those emotions of happiness, peace and joy…

Carlos has the “natural gift” to do that… his music inspires those feelings, to me… to be a kind and compassionate person, as I have always been, to everyone I meet. I believe I have that same connection spiritually that Carlos portrays through his music… and I was truly honored when Carlos approached me from the stage on September 19, 2010 in Wantagh, NY, and reached down to hold my hand… and when I turned around to my seat, everyone was smiling at me and it felt like they saw true happiness on my face… that was something I will never forget…

How Many Times You’ve Seen Carlos Live and Where/When:

• Wantagh, NY: August 10, 2002 – Rob Thomas did Smooth
• Wantagh, NY: June 21, 2003 – Angelique Kidjo opened up
• Wantagh, NY: September 17, 2006 – VIP Party for Fan Club East Coast
• Las Vegas, NV: September 2008 – Hard Rock Hotel Show
• Madison Square Garden, NYC: I think it was February of 2009
• Wantagh, NY: September 19, 2010 – Steve Windwood opened up

Random Santana-related Fact: My Jeep Liberty Sport Truck was purchased at a Jeep dealer located in Yonkers, NY and one of the salesmen was named “Carlos Santana”

Brian Moore

October 6, 2013

Name: Brian Moore, 71 years young

Location: Spain

Santana Fan Since: I have been a fan since I saw Woodstock on TV and I have over 30 albums to date.

Why You Love Santana’s Music: Because it’s honest, full of spirit and positive energy, and it keeps me going on and on in this life. It is basically the soundtrack of my life. My children (8 and 10) love the music of Carlos Santana and the band. The melodies and the flow of the sound are unique. The musicians are fantastic and Carlos is a great leader. My Son is playing drums – he is a fan of Dennis Chambers and Cindy Blackman.

How Many Times You’ve Seen Carlos Live and Where/When:
I have seen Carlos and the band three times live: In 1984 at Wembley Stadium on the Bob Dylan-Santana tour where my wife’s brother Colin Allen was in Bob Dylan’s band (the drummer) and Colin introduced me to Carlos back stage and Alexander Ligertwood. I also saw Santana in 1988 at the Bournemouth International Centre, my home town at the time, and then again in 2008 in San Francisco at the 2nd night at the Fillmore. It was our first time in America – magic.

Random Santana-related Fact: In 2001 I retired and moved to Spain. I got a tattoo on my arm of the Abraxas angel as I became a free bird.

Keep the music coming. God bless.

Deborah Hancock

October 5, 2013

Name: Deborah Hancock

Location: Derbyshire, England

Santana Fan Since: I have been a Santana fan since 1981 when I was 15 years old.

Why You Love Santana’s Music: Where to begin? I love Santana’s music because I can get completely lost in it, it absolutely touches me to the core. I feel like the music is talking to me and lifting me.

How Many Times You’ve Seen Carlos Live and Where/When:
I have seen Carlos live 4 times. The 1st time I was eighteen and working in Dallas, Texas, as a nanny and I saved for a ticket to Starfest. I just wanted to see Santana although lots of other amazing artists were on. The other 3 times were in Manchester, the last time 2 years ago and it was absolutely amazing and one of the best days of my life. I would love to see him anywhere to tell the truth.

Random Santana-related Fact: My last dog I had when I lived at my family home was a black Labradoodle called Carlos.

Karen Popelak

October 4, 2013

Name: Karen Popelak

Location: Mt. Ephraim, New Jersey

Santana Fan Since: 1969

How Many Times You’ve Seen Carlos Live: At least fifteen to twenty times – I will have to pull out all of my old ticket stubs.

Why You Love Santana’s Music: In 1969 I was sixteen years old and the sound of “Soul Sacrifice” filled the air as a generation of youth watched Woodstock transform the nation. Carlos Santana!!!!! Who could help but fall in love with him and his music. The early 70’s brought more albums and more songs to inspire. My younger brother and I spent many hours listening to Carlos’s guitar. In 1977 I met my husband and we fell in love listening to Moonflower. It still gives me chills when I hear the first rifts of “I’ll Be Waiting”. It seemed like the song was made for us. In 1981 when our daughter was born the sound of “I Love You Too Much” filled our small apartment. The 80’s brought two more children and lots of Santana albums. As the kids were growing up, our “quiet time” always included Carlos and still does. By 2000 we were celebrating our twentieth anniversary and the Supernatural album had just come out. What a phenomenal compilation of talents! We played the songs over and over again and shared them with our friends and family. It was great seeing a new generation appreciate his music. Fortunately we are now able to see Carlos every time he visits the area. I can’t count the number of times we have seen him in Atlantic City and the Philadelphia area. We were very excited to see that he will be playing in Las Vegas for two years and plan to travel there specifically to see him and we already have our tickets for July 20 in Atlantic City. I was going to say that Carlos is like family, but he is more than family – he is the spirit that has inspired us through the years. Through good times and sorrow, his music never fails to soothe the soul. Thank you, Carlos, for being such a big part of our lives. Peace and love to you!

Tom Williams

October 3, 2013

Name: Tom Williams

Location: Naperville, Illinois

Santana Fan Since: 1970 — I remember it — I was in a dorm room in college at Miami University and someone put Abraxas on the turntable and that was that — I was forever a fan from that day on.

Why You Love Santana’s Music: Carlos’ music exposes and brings out emotions that otherwise in my life I often don’t have the time or the place to express — it makes me cry — it makes me smile — it makes me forget — it puts me in a place that takes me away from my everyday life and puts me in the best of places. When my mother passed away in 1973, I retreated to my room and cried, smiled and laughed to the memories of my mother as I listened to “Song of the Wind” — I did the same when my father passed away in September of last year. That song will always make me cry, as will “Samba Pa Ti”. Don’t get me wrong — I am a corporate lawyer who loves what I do, and am good at, but Carlos’ music has and always will bring me to a special place at those times when I want — or need — to leave that world and be in a different place.

How Many Times You’ve Seen Carlos Live and Where/When: I only wish I had made a record — more so, kept ticket stubs — of all of the times I have seen Carlos. My guess — 50 to 75 — most memorable: (i) front row (thanks to a local radio station contest) at the International Amphitheater in Chicago with the Mahavishnu John M sometime in the 70’s, (ii) again in the 70’s, at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago when I made my doubting brothers believers, (iii) sometime in the early 90’s, at a Woodstock-like event at a ski resort somewhere in the mountains near Geneva, Switzerland, and (iv) in June, 2009, with my now wife at the Hard Rock in LV. Oh ya, almost forgot the July 1976 event at Chicago Stadium with Carlos and Eric Clapton!! The list is endless for me.

Random Santana-related Fact: email address is posada9@…….. Have Santana-related passwords…
What can I say — I am a grounded man with a mainstream career who has had an unrelenting love of the music of Carlos Santana and will until the day I leave this world (when my instructions will be to play Carlos’ music at my wake!!). Thank you Carlos — I will always be eternally grateful to have had the pleasure and privilege of knowing your music.

Tony Gioutsos

October 2, 2013

Name: Tony Gioutsos

Location: Livonia, Michigan

Santana Fan Since: 1976

Why You Love Santana’s Music: Somehow the songs Carlos writes, loves and performs match my ear. The style of music is irrelevant…every song he is associated with sounds great to me.

How Many Times You’ve Seen Carlos Live and Where/When: 51 times and I will see him at least 3 more this year…obviously mostly in Michigan but also, Germany, Korea, Ohio, Vegas many times, Texas, Maryland, etc.

Random Santana-related Fact: All of my passwords are Santana-related. My wife and I got married in Vegas and of course went to the show right after!!

Spero Bobetsis

September 30, 2013

Name: Spero Bobetsis

Location: Regina, Saskatchewan

Santana Fan For: 35 years

Why You Love Santana’s Music: Well I have been a rock music fan for about 35 years and in the core of all this music is Santana and my heart and soul is attached to it. The profound music of Santana has inspired me, healed me, and has influenced me in many ways.

How Many Times You’ve Seen Carlos Live and Where/When: Not enough times! Well living in the prairies, middle of Canada it was just a dream for me to see Santana do a show here. When Santana gained a huge new generation of fans with the amazing Supernatural concept, finally I got a chance to see the band in Vancouver, Edmonton, and Saskatoon last year (first show ever in my home province)! And I even went to see one of the shows at the Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel three years ago. All of the shows were amazing!

Random Santana-related Fact: Well when I was in Vegas hanging around the Joint during sound check on the afternoon of the show — hoping to see Carlos. No luck, but I got a chance to meet SSS (Super Security Sean) — great guy by the way. He recognized me three years later when I was at the Saskatoon show, front row center — amazing! Day after the Vegas show I was walking in the lobby after checking out and heading for the airport, I bumped into none other than my idol, the Legend, accompanied by Clive Davis. Ok I just about fainted! I thought quickly and took out my camera and Carlos approved Sean to take a pic of us (thanks Sean!). I died and went to guitar heaven in the Hard Rock Hotel! …It gets even better than this…While I was in a star stricken comatose state I failed to acknowledge Clive again which to this day I regret, and when I was invited to approach them at their table in the restaurant a few minutes later with my CDs and jiffy marker, I dropped my jiffy on Clive’s lap without acknowledging him again, my apologies to Clive Davis for my failure, you are also a Legend Sir! What was I thinking? To this day my friends still laugh at me about this.