Santana: The Essential Album-by-Album Guide

• The Ultimate Carlos Santana Playlist

SANTANA (1969)
Key Tracks: "Evil Ways," "Persuasion"
Quick Take: Santana's 1968 debut at San Francisco's Fillmore West received a standing ovation; its local popularity led to a spot at Woodstock, where it stopped the show. The instrumental "Soul Sacrifice," featuring Michael Shrieve's drum solo, is one of the high points of the Woodstock soundtrack album. Santana's overwhelming success at the festival led to a deal with Columbia, and within a few weeks of its late-summer 1969 release, its debut LP was #4 and eventually went double platinum. "Evil Ways" was a Top 10 single in early 1970.

Santana (Columbia)