Veteran guitarist Carlos Santana is recovering in a Michigan hospital after passing out on stage during a concert — and all because he forgot to eat and drink while performing in the height of the US summer.
The 74-year-old — known for more than half a century for his ferocious guitar solos and punishing concerts — was playing with his band outdoors at the Pine Knob Music Theatre at Clarkston on Tuesday night when he collapsed in front of shocked fans.
Video from the concert showed emergency medical staff tending to a frail Santana at the side of the stage before he was rushed to the nearby McLaren Clarkston medical centre for treatment.
Always the showman, he managed to wave to the cheering crowd as he was carried out of the arena.
Last December, Santana took a break from performing after undergoing heart surgery.
But the Grammy Award winner was quick to announce on social media that the latest incident wasn't heart related — it was simply down to his failure to properly hydrate before his three-hour show.
"To one and all, thank you for your precious prayers. [Wife] Cindy and I ... we are good just taking it easy."
His manager, Michael Vrionis, announced that the guitarist's other show this week — at Burgettstown, Pennsylvania — would be postponed.
The day before, he performed without incident at a concert marking US Independence Day.
Santana was born in Mexico in 1947, but moved to the US as a teenager, settling in San Francisco.
Announcing himself to the world with a memorable 11-minute performance at Woodstock in 1969, Santana is best known for songs like Black Magic Woman and She's Not There from the 1970s.
More recently, he enjoyed chart success in collaboration with Matchbox 20 frontman Rob Thomas with Smooth. It went to number 1 in the US, number 3 in the UK, and number 4 in Australia in 2000.
Santana has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, won 10 Grammy Awards and three Latin Grammy Awards.
Rolling Stone magazine named him number 20 on its list of the world's 100 greatest guitarists.
Santana first toured Australia in 1976 when he gave eight concerts in six cities, including three shows at Sydney's Hordern Pavillion.
ABC/Wires
