From Drums to Love: Cindy Blackman Santana’s Musical Journey with Lenny Kravitz and Carlos Santana

“We have a variety of original pieces as well as some tunes by artists like Wayne Shorter that we’ve given our own twist to,” Blackman Santana explained to WTOP. “This band is incredible; everyone has such keen ears that the music takes on new journeys and twists effortlessly. It keeps the energy high, and each member brings their own unique sound to their instrument.”

Born in Yellow Springs, Ohio, in 1959, Blackman Santana was raised on a mix of funk, jazz, classical, and rock ‘n roll. After her family relocated to Connecticut, she pursued music at the Hartt School of Music in Hartford and Berklee College of Music in Boston before joining The Drifters, a doo-wop and R&B group.

“It was a valuable experience despite not being the music I wanted to play,” she reflected. “It provided stability and consistent gigs, which was great.”

In 1993, she received a call from Lenny Kravitz, inviting her to audition for his “Are You Gonna Go My Way” music video. This marked the beginning of her nearly two-decade-long tenure as his touring drummer featured prominently in the concert film “Alive from Planet Earth.”

“I met Lenny through a friend who mentioned he was looking for a drummer,” she recalled. “After auditioning, he chose me, and the next seventeen years on the road were incredible.”

During a music festival in Germany in 2005, she crossed paths with her future husband, Carlos Santana.

“I met Carlos briefly while performing with Lenny Kravitz,” she recounted. “We didn’t have sparks then, but five years later, he reached out to me to fill in for a drummer. We connected musically and spiritually.”

Carlos proposed to her during a concert in Chicago on July 9, 2010.

“I was playing ‘Corazón Espinado’ when he called me to the front of the stage,” she remembered. “There was a golden silence, and then he popped the question in front of thousands. I was stunned but said yes.”

Fourteen years later, the couple continues to thrive as both musicians and partners.

“It’s incredible to share what we love most with each other,” she expressed. “Music is like prayer; it transcends barriers, and sharing it with Carlos is the ultimate joy.”