Carlos Santana to Perform at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival

Carlos Santana has reached a crossroads

The 75-year-old Mexican legendary guitarist and his band, Santana, will perform at Eric Clapton’s 2023 Crossroads Guitar festival.

Carlos SantanaThis year’s event will take place over two nights (September 23-24) at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, where Clapton will again gather some of the best guitar players in the world for headlining sets and impromptu collabs.

Though not everyone on the roster will repeat over the weekend, Clapton will perform both nights, joined by Gary Clark Jr., Sheryl Crow, Santana, Jakob Dylan, Albert Lee, Los Lobos, Stephen Stills, Taj Mahal, ZZ Top, the John Mayer Trio, Robert Randolph, H.E.R., Marcus King and many more.

Tickets for the festival will go on sale on Friday, April 21, at 10:00 am

local time via Ticketmaster; there are no two-day passes, only single-day tickets.

Also slated to perform at the event are: Joe Bonamassa, Doyal Bramhall II, James Bullard, Jerry Douglas, Andy Fairweather Low, Samantha Fish, Sonny Landreth, Pedro Martins, John McLaughlin, Del McCoury Band, Roger McGuinn, Keb’ Mo’, Ariel Posen, Eric Gales, Vince Gill, Buddy Guy, Ben Haggard, Sierra Hull, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, The Bros. Landreth, Robbie Robertson, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Gustavo Santaolalla, Daniel Santiago, Molly Tuttle, Jimmie Vaughan, Breadley Walker and The War on Drugs.

Longtime co-sponsor Guitar Center will again host the Guitar Center Festival Village at the adjacent Xbox Plaza and Chick Hearn Court at L.A. Live, where some of the world’s best guitar and gear manufacturers will host interactive exhibits where fans can try out new products and instruments.

In addition to some multi-million-dollar historical guitars on display at the Legends Collection area, there will also be an unveiling of the 25th anniversary Crossroads Guitar Collection, a rare series of limited-edition guitars based on some of Clapton’s vintage gear; a significant portion of profits from the sale of the guitars will go to aid Clapton’s Crossroads Centre at Antigua treatment and education facility.

Google Honors the Late Tito Puente with Special Google Doodle

Tito Puente’s legacy lives on… with a special doodle.

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Google is commemorating the late Puerto Rican musician, songwriter, bandleader, and record producer, known as the King of Latin Music, with a charming new Doodle video, created by New York-based Puerto Rican illustrator Carlos Aponte.

Tito Puente“Tito was part of my musical experience growing up in Puerto Rico. My aunt introduced me to Tito Puente via La Lupe, a famous singer in Puerto Rico and New York,” says the illustrator. “Tito was like a Svengali for talents like Celia Cruz. He was a household name. So Tito was part of my Puerto Rican soundtrack.”

Featuring the lively “Ran Kan Kan,” the animated clip takes viewers back to Puente’s childhood at 110th Street and Third Avenue in Spanish Harlem, where the budding artist bangs on pots and pans in his room bedecked with a Puerto Rican flag. It follows Puente’s various stints as a musician, showing him as a U.S. Navy ship’s bandleader (he served during World War II) up to him ruling over New York City nightlife as the undisputed King of the Timbales.

Tito Puente, Google DoodleThe Google Doodle also celebrates the one-year anniversary of the Tito Puente Monument, which was unveiled in his hometown of East Harlem, New York, on this day (Oct. 10), located on the northern end of Central Park.

In 2000, the same year the musical legend died, 110th Street was renamed Tito Puente Way.

Born Ernesto Antonio Puente Jr. on April 20, 1923, in Spanish Harlem to Puerto Rican parents, the young Nuyorican musician grew up surrounded by the rich Latin diversity the city is known for. He led his first orchestra in the late ‘40s, and by the 1950s, he became an unrivaled master of timbales and vibraphone. In 1969, he was bestowed the key to New York City.

In his lifetime, he released an immense discography that includes more than 100 full-length albums that showcased his propulsive dance rhythms and jubilant brass melodies. He penned timeless hits such as “Oye Como Va,” which was famously covered by Santana, “Mambo Gozón” (1958), “La Guarachera” (1966) with Celia Cruz, and many more. In the late ‘60s, Tito Puente joined New York’s maverick troupe Fania All-Stars, also starring Eddie Palmeri, Ricardo Ray and Bobby Cruz.

His journey began with “Ran Kan Kan,” his first recorded track, which is featured in the Google Doodle. In 1992, “Ran Kan Kan” entered the top 10 of Billboard‘s Dance Club Songs chart. In 2010, “Guantanamera” by Celia Cruz, featuring Puente, landed at No. 2 on the World Digital Song Sales chart. In 1995, Puente was given the Billboard Latin Music Lifetime Achievement Award.

Last year, Google Doodles honored Latin culture independence days, celebrating Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Mexico. Another Doodle celebrated a Chilean holiday with a drawing of a huemul, represented on the country’s national shield.

Illustrator Aponte has also provided artwork for the Latin Recording AcademyThe New Yorker and The New York Times. He currently teaches drawing at the Fashion Institute of Technology. With his Doodle, he hopes people will take away this message: “Love what you do, train, study, and be the best you can be. If you excel, everything else will fall into place. There are no shortcuts. Those who make it easily don’t last long. Tito was a perfect example; he was the best!”

Bad Bunny’s “Un Verano Sin Ti” Logs 10th Week at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart

It’s a perfect 10 for Bad Bunny

The 28-year-old Puerto Rican superstar returns to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart dated September 17 for a 10th nonconsecutive week atop the list with Un Verano Sin Ti.

Bad BunnyBad Bunny’s highly acclaimed album now solely has the most weeks at No. 1 in 2022, surpassing the nine weeks logged by the Encanto soundtrack. Further, Un Verano Sin Ti has the most weeks at No. 1 in more than a year, since Morgan Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album spent 10 weeks (all consecutive, from its debut) at No. 1 (Jan. 23-March 27, 2021, charts).

Un Verano Sin Ti earned 99,500 equivalent album units in the U.S. (down 6%) in the week ending September 8, according to Luminate.

Since 2000, only nine albums — including Un Verano Sin Ti — have notched at least 10 weeks at No. 1. Among those is Santana’Supernatural, which captured a total of 12 weeks at No. 1 — three in 1999 and nine in 2000.

Albums With 10 Weeks or More at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, 2000-Present*
Artist, Title, Weeks at No. 1, First Week at No. 1
Santana, Supernatural, 12, Oct. 30, 1999 (nine of its weeks at No. 1 were in 2000)
Taylor Swift, Fearless, 11, Nov. 29, 2008
Adele, 21, 24, March 12, 2011
Soundtrack, Frozen, 13, Jan. 18, 2014
Taylor Swift, 1989, 11, Nov. 15, 2014
Adele, 25, 10, Dec. 12, 2015
Drake, Views, 13, May 21, 2016
Morgan Wallen, Dangerous: The Double Album, 10, Jan. 23, 2021
Bad Bunny, Un Verano Sin Ti, 10, May 21, 2022
*through the Sept. 17, 2022-dated chart.

Un Verano Sin Ti debuted at No. 1 on the May 21-dated Billboard 200 and has yet to depart the top two rungs of the chart for its entire 18-week run on the list thus far.

Since the Billboard 200 began publishing on a regular, weekly basis in March of 1956, Un Verano Sin Ti is the first album to spend its first 18 weeks on the chart in the top two.

Previously, Drake’s Views spent its first 17 weeks in the top two, on the May 21-Sept. 10, 2016-dated charts.

Un Verano Sin Ti has bounced between Nos. 1 and 2 on the Billboard 200 for a total of six distinct visits to the No. 1 slot.

Meanwhile, Un Verano Sin Ti is the first album with six separate visits to No. 1 since Adele’s 21 had 10 distinct stays at No. 1 in 2011-12, for a total of 24 weeks atop the list. It debuted at No. 1 on the March 12, 2011-dated list and notched its final week atop the chart on June 23, 2012.

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album.

Eslabon Armado Makes History on Billboard 200 Chart

Eslabon Armado is making history on the Billboard charts…

The California-based Regional Mexican group’s fifth studio album Nostalgia has stormed to No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Albums chart, as well as the top 10 on the Top Latin Albums and all-genre Billboard 200 charts (all dated May 21).

Eslabon ArmadoEslabon Armado — comprised of brothers Brian and Pedro Tovar (18 and 19, respectively), Ulises Gonzalez (20) and Damian Fidel Pacheco (20) — arrives at a new career achievement, scoring the first top 10-charting regional Mexican album ever on the Billboard 200. (Regional Mexican albums are defined as those that have hit Billboard’s Regional Mexican Albums chart.)

Debuting at No. 9, Nostalgia bests the group’s previous three entries there, including a top 20 appearance (Vibras de Noche, No. 18, August 2020).

“We never expected to debut so high, it’s truly a blessing,” Pedro Tovar tells Billboard. “We hope this becomes our best project; we really love it.”

Further, Eslabon is the first group to score a top 10 with a Latin album on the Billboard 200 since Santana’s Africa Speaks arrived and peaked at No. 3 in June 2019.

Over on the Latin charts, Nostalgia, released May 6 via DEL Records, starts at No. 1 on Regional Mexican Albums with 29,500 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending May 12, according to Luminate.

The chart ranks the most popular regional Mexican albums of the week in the U.S. based on multimetric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, comprising album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album.

Nearly all of Nostalgia’s starting sum was driven by SEA units, which equates to 42.82 million on-demand official streams of the album’s 14 songs. That’s the biggest streaming week for a regional Mexican album.

The set’s arrival at the summit of Regional Mexican Albums marks the group’s fifth consecutive No. 1 — the entirety of its charting efforts.

The act previously topped the chart, which launched in 1985, with Tu Veneno Mortal, Vol. 2 (No. 1 for three weeks), Corta Venas (54 weeks), Vibras de Noche (11) and Tu Veneno Mortal (eight).

Corta Venas continues to have the third-most weeks at No. 1 on the chart, behind Christian Nodal’s Me Dejé Llevar (73 weeks) and Selena’s Amor Prohibido (97).

“The most challenging aspect of the creative process of the album was putting everything together, the guitars, the bass, the vocals,” Tovar continues. “Putting it all together with new band members made the magic.”

Nostalgia concurrently debuts at No. 2 on Top Latin Albums, the band’s best start, in terms of rank, since Vibras de Noche arrived at No. 1 with 23,000 equivalent album units in August 2020. The former arrives in the runner-up slot behind Bad Bunny’s monster start of 274,000 units with Un Verano Sin Ti.

As Nostalgia arrives, nine of its songs dot the all-metric Hot Latin Songs chart.

Here’s a recap:

No. 27, “Si Supieras” with DannyLux
No. 28, “Dos Morritas,” with Junior H
No. 31, “Vete a la Fregada”
No. 32, ‘Modo Depre :(”
No. 35, “Hasta La Muerte,” with Iván Cornejo
No. 38, “La Perrie,” with Fuerza Regida
No. 39, “Luces Rojas”
No. 42, “Mente en Alto”
No. 43, “Solo,” with Erre

Donovan Carrillo Makes Mexican History by Reaching Figure Skating Finals at Winter Olympics

2022 Beijing GamesDonovan Carrillo has skated his way into the annals of Mexican sports history…

The 22-year-old Mexican figure skater, the first figure skater to compete at the Winter Olympics in 30 years, has advanced to the free skate after an impressive short program at the 2022 Beijing Games.

Donovan CarrilloHe’s the first Mexican skater to reach the finals, and he’s done so despite never having trained on professional rinks.

His short program on Tuesday set to the songs “Black Magic Woman” and “Shake It” by Santana won him an overall score of 79.69. Towards the end of his performance, Carrillo skated with his hands over his heart.

“This is for my family and all Mexico,” he said.

Donovan CarrilloBorn in Zapopan, Jalisco, Carrillo has said his training has been difficult. His family struggled to pay for his lessons and, at times, to find practice facilities. He’s known for training at a shopping center rink during public sessions.

Mexico hadn’t had a figure skater compete at the Winter Olympics since the 1992 Albertville Games when Riccardo Olavarrieta and Diana Encinas fought for gold. On Tuesday, Donovan Carrillo ended the country’s dry spell by competing in the men’s short program in Beijing.

“Many people told me during the beginning of my career that this was a crazy dream,” Carrillo said. “People were always laughing or telling me it wasn’t possible for a Mexican to qualify.”

Carrillo hopes his history-making performance at the Olympics encourages other athletes from Mexico.

“My message to the Mexicans who will be watching me at the Olympic Games through their screens is that no matter the hardships that may present themselves to you, work hard and never give up,” he said in Spanish in the Olympic Channel‘s Winter Tracks video series.

Carrillo is scheduled to compete against 23 other skaters in the free skate program on Thursday.

Alejandro Escovedo Earns First Entry on a Billboard Latin Chart with “La Cruzada”

Alejandro Escovedo is celebrating a special first…

The 69-year-old Mexican American rock musician has notched his first entry on any Billboard Latin chart as La Cruzada, with Don Antonio, arrives at No. 8 on the Latin Pop Albums chart (dated November 7) with 1,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending October 29, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data.

La Cruzada is the Spanish version of Escovedo’s 2018 album The Crossing, with Don Antonio, which bowed at No. 6 on the Heatseekers Albums chart and at No. 28 on the Rock Albums Sales charts in September 2018.

Alejandro is a member of the storied Escovedo music family, which includes his brothers Pete and Coke, and niece Sheila E.

“It’s been a while since I was on the charts,” Escovedo tells Billboard from his home in Austin, Texas. “To have this record on the chart is very rewarding, such a beautiful thing for me. It seems my whole lifetime has led to this record. This is kind of the epitome of what I always wanted to do and express. I love the concept of an album, I love the storytelling of an album, this one gave me an opportunity to fully express in a way that I don’t think I had in previous records.”

Escovedo’s The Crossing, with Italian band Don Antonio -fronted by multi-instrumentalist Antonio Garmantieri, was co-written with Garmantieri and recorded in Emilia-Romagna, Italy. Its Spanish version, La Cruzada, was released via Yep Roc/Redeye and pressed on red, white and green striped double vinyl exclusively for Record Store Day.

Two years after the release of its original English version, La Cruzada secures a spot on the Latin charts. “I thought the message had to be heard,” Escovedo adds. “My father was born in Saucillo, Mexico and crossed the border in 1907 when he was 12. I come from a musical family, my brother Pete and Coke Escovedo played for Santana, and Sheila E is my niece. The story of The Crossing and La Cruzada is really about my family, my father.”

He continues, “When (Donald) Trump came down the escalator and announced that some Mexicans were rapists and drug dealers I really took a stand, of course, as a lot of us probably did. I thought this is something that needs to be addressed. I’ve always tried to tell my Dad’s story, but I’ve never had a large Latin audience because I come from rock-and-roll, punk rock, and I sing in English.”

About La Cruzada’s 1,000 limited copies, Escovedo adds: “The record was just going to be a Record Store Day release in vinyl with the special packaging. Then the label was supposed to put it out as a general release for everyone on CD and vinyl, but because of Covid our tour was cancelled, and the release of the record was delayed. Not sure where that hangs right now with but hopefully with this Billboard attention they see there’s potential for a larger audience.”

“We used the same backing tracks we recorded for The Crossing,” Escovedo adds. “We translated the lyrics and Alex Ruiz, lead singer of band Del Castillo, recorded the vocals in Spanish at Rick del Castillo’s studio. I did some of the background vocals with him. I wanted Alex’s voice, though, I thought he could articulate the words in a way I probably wouldn’t because my Spanish isn’t that great.”

About the production of The Crossings Escovedo remembers: “My wife and I flew to Italy and spent a month making this record out there with Don Antonio. The distance somehow gave me the way of seeing the story and America in a different eye. Traveling is something I recommend, to see the world through other people’s eyes, to have a different view point.”

The album tells the tale of two boys — Diego from Mexico and Salva from Italy — who meet while working in a restaurant in Galveston, Texas to chase their American rock-and-roll dreams. La Cruzada gets the same treatment en español and earns Escovedo and Don Antonio their first top 10 on any Latin chart.

“It’s crazy!” Escovedo muses. “When my manager Randy gave me the news, it just went over my head and I didn’t understand it. I thought, ‘Oh, we’re going to do an interview with Billboard on the record,’ which I thought was wonderful, any attention is great. Then at the end of the conversation I said, ‘Tell me that again, what happened with the record?’ and he says: ‘You are No. 8 — in the top 10 — on the Latin Pop Albums chart.’ I flipped out; that’s something that’s never happened for me and this is a real blessing for us, it brought a lot of joy to another wise strange and dark and uncertain day.”

Carlos Santana to Give Keynote Address at the Herb Alpert School of Music at UCLA’s Commencement Ceremony

Carlos Santana is preppin’ for a supernatural graduation…

The 72-year-old Mexican Grammy-winning guitarist and entrepreneur will be the featured speaker for the 2020 commencement ceremony at the Herb Alpert School of Music at UCLAon June 19. 

Carlos Santana

In a statement about the event, the school’s inaugural dean, Eileen L. Stempel, said that Santana’s “inclusive global sound and commitment to social justice are emblematic of our school’s core values,” adding, “I am deeply moved by his desire to share words of inspiration and encouragement with our graduates during this important time.”

“I feel honored to be speaking to young musicians and a new generation of music scholars,” said the Grammy-winning Rock and Roll Hall of Famer in a statement. “The class of 2020 is resilient and their voices are needed now more than ever. I want them to use their music as a platform to empower and unite as we seek justice and creative solutions during these challenging times.”

The 2020 commencement will take place online on June 19 at 4:00 p.m. PDT; it will also include music and remarks by graduating students and a performance by the Herbie Hancock Institute for Jazz Performance at UCLA.

This year’s graduating class at the school will feature 130 graduates from the departments of ethnomusicology, global jazz studies, music, music industry and musicology.

Allison Iraheta Appears on K.C. Porter’s Timely “La Pared” Single

Allison Irahetais sharing her voice in the quest to tear down walls…

The 27-year-old Salvadoran American singer and former American Idol finalist has joined voices with K.C. Porter and Mexican American rapper Olmeca on Porter’s “La Pared,” the first single from his upcoming album Cruzanderos. 

Allison Iraheta

The “La Pared” video, directed by directed by Rubén Giménez of Spanish production company Hero Studio, may be animated, but the content isn’t meant to be amusing in the traditional sense of the word.

“La Pared” is a call to tear down border “walls,” illustrated by the travails of a father and daughter divided at the border. 

“La Pared” is Porter’s first single as a soloist, featuring Iraheta and Olmeca in a mix of pop, tropical and reggaeton.

Porter, best known best for his award-winning work in the Latin music space (SelenaRicky MartinLuis MiguelManáSantana), lived in Guatemala for 10 years since the age of seven, and is not only fully fluent in Spanish, but also fully understands Latin music, its artists and its themes.

Iraheta released a solo album, Just Like You, in 2009, which included the well-received single “Friday I’ll Be Over U.”

She later became the lead singer of the band Halo Circus. The band has released two albums.

Porter’s Cruzanderos album is due out September 20 on Altafonte Music. 

Santana to Perform National Anthem Before Game 2 of the NBA Finals

Carlos Santana is back in the NBA Finals

The 69-year-old Mexican American musician, a 10-time Grammy-winner will make his return to the NBA Finals stage to perform the national anthem on Sunday night (June 4).

Carlos Santana

Joining Santana will be famed bassist Benny Rietveld. The two are slated to perform at the start of Game 2 between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

For the last two years, the San Francisco native has performed in the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena.

Train singer Pat Monahan delivered a powerful rendition prior to Thursday night’s Game 1, where the Warriors beat the Cavs, 113-91.

Santana will continue his musical escapades later this month when he launches his U.S. summer tour in Washington. The tour will kick off June 23 and run through August.

You can watch Santana and Rietveld’s performance at 8:00 pm ET on ABC.

Santana to Perform at Rock Getaway Festival in the Mexican Riviera

Carlos Santana is ready to rock the Mexican Riviera

The 69-year-old Mexican musician is set to perform as part of the Rock Getaway Festival at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya in Mexico from October 26-November 5.

Carlos Santana

In addition to Santana, considered one of the greatest guitarists of all time by Rolling Stone, the all-inclusive vacation will include sets from Don HenleySteve Miller BandRoger DaltreyBad CompanyForeignerREO SpeedwagonPat Benatar & Neil GirladoCheap TrickGeorge Thorogood & the Destroyers and more.

The organizers of Rock Getaway are offering “stunning tropical views, a private white sand beach, and exclusive saltwater snorkeling areas,” according to a release announcing the event.

Attendees can choose from three packages, including 4-, 7- and 11-day options with the 4-day offering sets from Miller, The Who‘s Daltrey, Bad Company, Foreigner, REO Speedwagon, Benatar & Giraldo, Cheap Trick and others.  The 7- and 11-day options include exclusive sets from Henley, Santana, Thorogood and more. All three include accommodations at the all-inclusive Hard Rock Hotel or Unico Resort and admission to all concerts. Concerts will take place on oceanfront stages and be accompanied by pool parties, after partiers and late night jam sessions.

Tickets will be available to the general public on Monday, April 17 at 7:00 a.m. EST/10:00 a.m. PST here.

Here’s a look at the line-ups:

4-DAY PACKAGE LINEUP (October 26 – 29 or November 2-5):

Steve Miller Band | Roger Daltrey | Bad Company | Foreigner | REO Speedwagon | Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo | Cheap Trick | Don Felder | Blue Oyster Cult Starship featuring Mickey Thomas | Foghat | Queensryche | Los Lobos

7-DAY & 11-DAY PACKAGE LINEUP (October 26 – November 1/October 30 – November 5 or October 26 – November 5):

Don Henley | Santana | Steve Miller Band | Roger Daltrey | Bad Company | Foreigner | REO Speedwagon | Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo | Cheap Trick | George Thorogood and the Destroyers | Don Felder | Blue Oyster Cult | Starship featuring Mickey Thomas | Foghat | Queensryche | Los Lobos | Warren Hill | Olivia Rox | Sahnas Brothers | Atomic Punks (Tribute to Van Halen) | Guns 2 Roses (Tribute to Guns and Roses) and more. (*Bolded acts are ONLY available through purchase of the 7- and 11-day all-inclusive packages.)