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.