Andy Santana
Encyclopedia
Andy Santana is an American
vocalist, songwriter
, guitarist
, and harmonica
player. He has been performing since the 1970s.
or session musician
s for blues
performances, including the Jazz and Heritage Festival in New Orleans with C.P. Love, and at the Bay Area Music Awards backing Bukka White
, Joe Louis Walker
, the Gospel Hummingbirds and Bonnie Raitt
. For five years running they were chosen as the host band for the Hollywood Hall of Fame Festival, backing Willie Dixon
, Jimmy Rogers
, Luther Tucker
, Billy Boy Arnold
, Dave Myers, Carey Bell
and William Clarke
.
They were also featured artists at the Santa Cruz Blues Festival backing Earl King
. As the host band at Moe's Alley they backed Lou Ann Barton
, Jimmy Thackery
, Coco Montoya
, Tommy Castro
, and Chris Cain
. In addition, Santana’s band backed Nappy Brown
at the San Francisco Blues Festival
. Santana has recorded and toured with Junior Watson
and Angela Strehli
.
Santana has also been employed as a record producer
, and completed Jackie Payne
's latest album
for Delta Groove Productions
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
vocalist, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
, and harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
player. He has been performing since the 1970s.
Biography
Santana's band has been chosen as the house bandHouse band
For the British band that existed from 1984-2001, see The House BandA house band is a group of musicians, often centrally organized by a band leader, who regularly play an establishment. It is widely used to refer both to the bands who work on entertainment programs on television or radio, and to...
or session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
s for blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
performances, including the Jazz and Heritage Festival in New Orleans with C.P. Love, and at the Bay Area Music Awards backing Bukka White
Bukka White
Booker T. Washington White , better known as Bukka White, was an American Delta blues guitarist and singer. "Bukka" was not a nickname, but a phonetic misspelling of White's given name Booker, by his second record label .-Biography:Born between Aberdeen and Houston, Mississippi, White was the...
, Joe Louis Walker
Joe Louis Walker
Joe Louis Walker, also known as JLW is an American musician, best known as a electric blues guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer. A feature of his work is his recourse to older material or playing styles, which revealed his knowledge of blues history.-Career:Joe Louis Walker was born in San...
, the Gospel Hummingbirds and Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Lynn Raitt is an American blues singer-songwriter and a renowned slide guitar player. During the 1970s, Raitt released a series of acclaimed roots-influenced albums which incorporated elements of blues, rock, folk and country, but she is perhaps best known for her more commercially...
. For five years running they were chosen as the host band for the Hollywood Hall of Fame Festival, backing Willie Dixon
Willie Dixon
William James "Willie" Dixon was an American blues musician, vocalist, songwriter, arranger and record producer. A Grammy Award winner who was proficient on both the Upright bass and the guitar, as well as his own singing voice, Dixon is arguably best known as one of the most prolific songwriters...
, Jimmy Rogers
Jimmy Rogers
Jimmy Rogers was an American Chicago blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player, best known for his work as a member of Muddy Waters' band of the 1950s.-Career:...
, Luther Tucker
Luther Tucker
For the publisher see The Genesee FarmerLuther Tucker was an American blues guitarist.While soft spoken and shy, Tucker made his presence known through his unique and clearly recognizable guitar style. Tucker helped to define the music known as Chicago Blues, but played everything from blues to...
, Billy Boy Arnold
Billy Boy Arnold
Billy Boy Arnold is an American blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter.-Biography:...
, Dave Myers, Carey Bell
Carey Bell
Carey Bell was an American blues musician, who played the harmonica in the Chicago blues style. Bell played harmonica and bass for other blues musicians during the late 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s before embarking on a solo career...
and William Clarke
William Clarke (musician)
William Clarke was an American blues harmonica player. He was chiefly associated with the Chicago blues style of amplified harmonica, but also incorporated elements of soul jazz and swing into his playing.-Biography:...
.
They were also featured artists at the Santa Cruz Blues Festival backing Earl King
Earl King
This article is about the musical artist. For the Earl King convicted of murdering a ship's officer, see Earl King, Ernest Ramsay, and Frank Conner...
. As the host band at Moe's Alley they backed Lou Ann Barton
Lou Ann Barton
Lou Ann Barton is an American blues singer based, out of Austin, Texas since the 1970s.-Biography:...
, Jimmy Thackery
Jimmy Thackery
Jimmy Thackery is an American blues singer and guitarist.-Career:Thackery spent fourteen years as part of The Nighthawks, the Washington, D.C. based blues and roots rock ensemble...
, Coco Montoya
Coco Montoya
Coco Montoya is an American blues guitarist and former member of John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers.-Musical career:...
, Tommy Castro
Tommy Castro
Tommy Castro is an American blues, R&B and rock guitarist and singer. He has been recording since the mid 1990s. His music has taken him from local stages to national and international touring. His popularity was marked by his winning the 2008 Blues Music Award for Entertainer Of The Year...
, and Chris Cain
Chris Cain
Chris Cain is an American blues and jazz guitarist with an international following.He began playing professionally as a teenager in local clubs, at festivals, and at private events....
. In addition, Santana’s band backed Nappy Brown
Nappy Brown
Napoleon Brown Goodson Culp better known by his stage name Nappy Brown, was an American R&B singer. His hits include the 1955 Billboard chart #2, "Don't Be Angry" and "Night Time Is the Right Time"...
at the San Francisco Blues Festival
San Francisco Blues Festival
Debuting in 1973, the San Francisco Blues Festival is the longest running blues festival in the United States. Tom Mazzolini, the event's producer, founded the blues festival to educate the public about the history and evolution of the blues...
. Santana has recorded and toured with Junior Watson
Junior Watson
Junior Watson is an American jump blues guitarist and singer.-Career:Watson is regarded as an influential West Coast blues player. He was a founding member of the blues band The Mighty Flyers and, starting in the early 1980s, he performed with the band for a decade. He also performed with Canned...
and Angela Strehli
Angela Strehli
Angela Strehli is an American electric blues singer and songwriter. She is also a Texas blues historian and impresario. Despite a sporadic recording career, Strehli spends time each year performing in Europe, the US and Canada.-Biography:In the early 1960s, Strehli learned the harmonica and bass...
.
Santana has also been employed as a record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, and completed Jackie Payne
Jackie Payne
Jackie Payne is an American blues singer. He was nominated in both 2007 and 2008 for the Blues Music Award for Best Male Soul Blues Artist; an album he recorded with Johnny Otis was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1993....
's latest album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
for Delta Groove Productions
Delta Groove Productions
Delta Groove Productions is a blues record label based in Van Nuys, California. The company Delta Groove Productions, Inc. was founded by Southern California-based producer, concert promoter and harmonica player Randy Chortkoff...
.
Partial list of venues and festivals at which Santana has performed
- New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival
- San Jose Jazz FestivalSan Jose Jazz FestivalThe San José Jazz Festival is an annual jazz festival organized by the San Jose Jazz Society and held in downtown San Jose, California, USA. The festival was established in 1990, and is mainly outdoors....
- Santa Cruz Blues Festival (four times)
- Monterey Blues Festival (twice)
- San Francisco Blues FestivalSan Francisco Blues FestivalDebuting in 1973, the San Francisco Blues Festival is the longest running blues festival in the United States. Tom Mazzolini, the event's producer, founded the blues festival to educate the public about the history and evolution of the blues...
(four times) - Portland Waterfront Blues Festival
- Bammies
- Black Diamond Blues Festival
- Houston Blues Festival
- Filmore Auditorium
- Monterey Jazz FestivalMonterey Jazz FestivalThe Monterey Jazz Festival is one of the longest consecutively running jazz festivals. It debuted on October 3, 1958 and was founded by San Francisco jazz radio broadcaster Jimmy Lyons.-History:...
(four times) - Shoreline AmphitheatreShoreline AmphitheatreShoreline Amphitheatre is an outdoor amphitheater, in Mountain View, California, USA, in the San Francisco Bay Area. Inside the venue it has a capacity of 22,500, with 6,500 reserved seats and 16,000 general admission on the lawn...
- Moulin Blues Festival, BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
- Sacramento Blues Festival
- Belgium Blues Nites Festival
- Monterey Pop FestivalMonterey Pop FestivalThe Monterey International Pop Music Festival was a three-day concert event held June 16 to June 18, 1967 at the Monterey County Fairgrounds in Monterey, California...
- Battle of the Harmonicas (twice)
- Dallas Blues Festival
Discography
- Tight White Dress - (1991)
- Swingin' Rockin' Jumpin' & Jivin - (1998)
- Take Me With You - (2007)