Carlos Santana Reunites With Homeless Ex-Bandmate

It’s a holiday miracle: A TV reporter in San Francisco has reunited rock legend Carlos Santana with former bandmate Marcus Malone, a homeless man who played in the original Santana lineup in the late Sixties.

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According to KRON-TV in San Francisco, the unlikely reunion can be traced back to an unrelated report about illegal dumping that aired on the station last week. Reporter Stanley Roberts happened to meet Malone while investigating the piece, and during an interview, Malone shared his story. Though he claimed to have played percussion with the Santana Blues Band (even noting they rehearsed in his mother’s garage), Roberts was skeptical. After researching the matter, however, he realized Malone was genuine.

Meanwhile, Carlos Santana himself was attempting to locate his former bandmate. After Santana’s management contacted Roberts through Facebook, the reporter tracked down Malone and brought the two musicians together for a brief curbside reunion. 

The meeting itself (featured in the video below) is incredibly emotional for both parties. “You don’t know how afraid I am to let you see me,” Malone says quietly, after embracing the guitar legend.

“It’s an honor to be in your presence,” Santana responds, calling his old friend Marcus “The Magnificent” Malone. “It’s an honor to be in your presence, man,” he continues, before noting Malone’s importance on the band’s early development. “You and your family were always so gracious to us,” he says. “Your mom is in my heart and your heart, and she’s watching out for both of us.”

Meanwhile, Santana will release Corazón, a new LP of collaborations with Latin music artists, in early 2014. The guitar legend was recently honored as a 2013 recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors. The ceremony, which took place on December 8th, will air December 29th on CBS.