When Carlos Santana Proposed to Drummer Cindy Blackman Onstage
You know you've just delivered a killer drum solo when the bandleader asks you to marry him onstage.
There were plenty of other reasons Carlos Santana proposed to Cindy Blackman on July 9, 2010 in Tinley Park, Ill. Given that he did so right after she finished her big solo during the night's rendition of "Corazon Espinado," however, it's possible he was too overcome with her percussion prowess to wait until the band got through the rest of the set.
Fortunately, she accepted, and the couple sealed their engagement with a kiss in front of a screaming crowd.
Santana's betrothed bliss arrived after a painful period during which his 34-year marriage to first wife Deborah ended after she filed for divorce in 2007. As he later admitted, that experience taught him a number of difficult lessons.
"Do it lovingly and do it honorably, and accept that that particular relationship has been accomplished," Santana said when AARP Magazine asked him if he had any advice to offer readers going through a divorce. "I had a choice: either to do that or to go out like Robin Williams. At that moment, my veins hurt. My heart was being burned alive. But all that remains from the past relationship is beauty and blessings."
Watch Carlos Santana Announce his Engagement to Cindy Blackman
After the proposal, Santana said "Cindy and I are blessed to have found each other," as part of an official statement. "Being in love is a gift from the universe, and the spirit and vibrations that come with it are infinitely powerful. I look forward to expressing that incredible energy through my music, and in helping to tip the balance toward more love in the world with what Cindy and I share."
The couple wed in late 2010. Of course, marrying a band member hasn't always worked out for other rockers, but Santana argued in a 2012 interview with Guitar World that his bond with Blackman makes perfect cosmic sense.
"This is better than ever. Your mind is a magnet. You don’t attract what you need or what you want; you attract who you are. And I love who I am! I love who Cindy is – ’cause we both love the same things. We love [jazz legends] Miles [Davis] and [John] Coltrane and Tony Williams," Santana said. "It’s all about relationships. You and your instrument, you and your band, you and your mate. If your relationships are assigned and designed to make spiritual progress, it’s fun! F. U. N. If you’re not making spiritual traction, then everything is a burden."