In his early music career he formed the Latin band Santana, named after his surname.

His latest released studio album, Santana Brothers, was a collaboration between his nephew Carlos Hernandez and his brother Jorge Santana.

He has also collaborated on twenty-seven albums with numerous artists, such as Chad Kroeger and Steven Tyler, and appeared in forty-nine albums as a guest guitarist.

[1] In February 1976, Santana was presented with fifteen gold disc in Australia, representing sales in excess of 244,000.

[2] Rolling Stone named Santana number fifteen on their list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time in 2003.