Chris Stapleton Called Working With This Guitar Legend a “Religious Experience”

When Carlos Santana began working on his 2021 album Blessings and Miracles, he had a specific conceptual message in mind. “’Blessings and Miracles’ is all rooted in the notion that humans are born with an innate power to create both, utilizing the light, spirit, and soul, which are the three main elements of the album,” Santana told American Songwriter in 2022. “For me, this album invites people to heal this infection of fear and separation. We create music to bring you courage and a deep awareness of your own life.” 

Working mostly remotely during the pandemic with a collection of collaborators, Santana reunited with Rob Thomas on “Move,” marking their second collaboration since the megahit “Smooth,” from Santana’s 1999 album Supernatural.

Blessings and Miracles also featured a collection of handpicked collaborators, from Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett and Death Angel singer Mark Osegueda on “America for Sale,” Corey Glover on “Peace, Power,” and the instrumental “Mother Yes,” plucked from an earlier session with producer Rick Rubin, where the two recorded a marathon of 49 songs in 10 days.

By working with many artists he had never met before, Santana said working on Blessings and Miracles became a spiritual experience.

“The word is trust,” says Santana. “They trust me, and I trust them, and together we create. It was orchestrated inwardly with divine intelligence. It seems like I just show up with a guitar and say, ‘Okay, I want to do this. Thank you for bringing your spirit, your soul, your life, and sharing them with us.’” 

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“Joy”

On the track “Joy,” Santana connected with Chris Stapleton and started their collaboration by reciting a biblical verse to him: “Surely He will cover me with His feathers under His wings ’til I rest, flying on the wings of angels.”

The words stuck with Stapleton and helped him write the lyrics,” a song of hope, combined with soulful, Latin, and reggae grooves and filled with Santana’s smooth guitars and Stapleton’s vocals and six-string.

All I was afraid of
Bringing me down
All the walls around love
Falling to the ground

Oy, rolling like the thunder rumbles
Time to let the teardrops tumble
Listen to the hatred crumble
Now that I have joy, flying on the wings of angels
Rattling the chains untangled
I see me from a different angle
Now I have joy

Stapleton on Meeting Santana

“You know I’ve never met him in person,” Stapleton later revealed on The Howard Stern Show of his remote collaboration with Santana. “I got on a phone call, and I’m not even sure how the phone call came about. I feel like he wrote me a letter. Carlos is the most interesting dude, he’s so spiritual, and he speaks that way, and you get off the phone with him, and it feels like a religious experience.”

Santana also praised Stapleton’s insight into the message of the song. “He took the components of our conversation, and he put in reggae, a gospel choir, and country, but for me, it’s a celebration,” said Santana.

“I want life to be a celebration,” he added. “People say, ‘What are you celebrating?’ We need to validate and celebrate the life that makes the molecules stay together, making wishes come true. We created this album to remind people you must take time to validate, celebrate, and activate your divine divinity.”  

Photo: Terry Wyatt/Getty Images