Travel back to the political protests and civil unrest of the late 1960s that spawned the legendary Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young — America’s first supergroup comprised of members of previously successful bands. The result: clashing egos, legendary breakups, wild lives, yet timeless harmonies that stunned audiences and influenced The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Jackson Browne, and many more that followed. You'll learn:

1. The very different upbringings & personalities of each of the four members
2. How they played one of their first gigs in front of 500,000 people
3. Their incredible creation of a powerful protest song only 3 weeks after an American tragedy
4. The often bitter in-group rivalries that challenged their very existence
5. How one member committed serious federal offences and was jailed

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Guest Biography for this episode
David Browne is the author of Crosby Stills, Nash and Young: The Wild, Definitive Saga of Rock's Greatest Supergroup. David is a senior writer at Rolling Stone magazine and a former music critic at Entertainment Weekly. He's profiled legends like Bob Dylan, The Grateful Dead and Sonic Youth. He joined us from New York City.

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4. Visit GaragetoStadiums.com for bonus content on The Who, including concert footage, transcripts and other interesting facts.

In chaotic Tijuana, Mexico a young violinist, Carlos Santana, is pushed into music by his demanding Mexican band leader father. He secretly discovers blues and R&B guitarists and changes his instrument. After moving to San Francisco's explosive late-1960s rock scene, Carlos fusing those influences with his native Latin rhythms . Then an unlikely opportunity places his unknown band on an unimaginable stage and changes everything, introducing audience to a sound that was powerful, hypnotic, and deeply melodic. In this episode you'll learn:

1. The painful childhood secret Carlos carried for decades
2. How his demanding father shaped the musician he became
3. How an unexpected industry legend changed his destiny
4. Why Santana risked success by repeatedly reinventing their sound
5. How Santana achieved one of music’s most improbable comebacks

Guest bio:
Our guest is Ashley Kahn, a Grammy-winning American music historian, author, professor, and producer who co-wrote Carlos Santana's autobiography, The Universal Tone: Bringing My Story to Light, which won the prestigious American Book Award. Ashley teaches at New York University's Clive Davis Institute for Recorded Music and is a producer of the 2023 documentary on Carlos Santana that is available on many streaming platforms.

Follow the Show / Receive bonus content:

1. Follow GTS on Apple or Spotify podcasts to be alerted when our next episode drops
2. Follow Garage to Stadiums (GTS) on social channels
3. Download the Official Garage to Stadiums playlists for each episode on Apple Music or Spotify
4. Visit GaragetoStadiums.com for bonus content on Santana including concert footage, transcripts and other interesting facts.

A top 5% of podcasts in the world, Garage to Stadiums is a podcast for true music fans — the ones who want more than just headlines and hype. This show is for listeners who care about the full story behind the artists: their childhoods, musical influences, early gigs, personal battles, journey to stadium-level fame and the drama in between.

Why are we different? In each episode host Dave Anthony features guests who know their stuff and bring real insights from their time with the performers — from respected rock journalists to documentary filmmakers.

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