CLARKSTON, MI (CelebrityAccess) – Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Carlos Santana collapsed on stage almost an hour into his performance Tuesday night (July 5), at the Pine Knob Music Theatre (formerly known as the DTE Energy Music Theatre), an amphitheater outside of Detroit. After the collapse, he was taken to the ER at McLaren Clarkston Hospital.
An official statement said guitarist and bandleader was “overtaken by heat exhaustion and dehydration” shortly after introducing “Joy,” a collaboration with Chris Stapleton from Santana’s latest album, Blessings and Miracles. As his band began playing the song, Santana sat down on a stage riser and passed out.
The house lights eventually came on and tour manager Paul “Skip” Rickert told the crowd of about 12,000, “As you can see, we have a severe medical emergency. Let’s share our prayers…we need that right now.” Rickert also told the crowd that Santana would not return to the stage on Tuesday, but promised a return at some point.
At approximately 1 am this morning (July 6), Santana posted to his official FB page the following: “to one and all … thank you for your precious prayers. Cindy and I are good just taking it easy .. forgot to eat and drink water so i dehydrated and passed out … blessings and miracles to you all.”
The evening’s heat was an issue throughout the show and according to USA Today, Pine Knob medics treated quite a few concertgoers for heat-related issues. Santana had played eight songs of his planned concert on Tuesday, including his hit renditions of “Evil Ways,” Fleetwood Mac’s “Black Magic Woman” and “Oye Como Va.”
Santana’s Wednesday show at The Pavilion at Star Lake in Pennsylvania has been postponed to a later date.
