Joy (featuring Chris Stapleton)

The Zoo Crew is spinning the uplifting track "Joy (featuring Chris Stapleton)" by Carlos Santana from his 2021 album Blessings and Miracles, and the Zoo Freaks are loving its soulful vibes. This song, a collaboration with country star Chris Stapleton, was born out of a powerful conversation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Santana, in a phone call with Stapleton, spoke about the global fear and darkness, urging that music should be a "healing force" to bring hope and courage. This inspired Stapleton to craft lyrics like "Joy, rolling like the thunder rumbles/Time to let the teardrops tumble," blending reggae, blues, gospel, and country with Santana’s iconic guitar solos. Santana later shared in an interview with Rolling Stone that he contributed the phrase "flying on the wings of angels," making it a true collaborative effort. The track’s choir, which Santana compared to the Staple Singers, adds a cinematic, spiritual depth, as noted in a Blues Rock Review piece.

Interestingly, Santana and Stapleton never met in person while creating "Joy." In a 2024 interview on The Howard Stern Show, Stapleton revealed they worked remotely, bouncing ideas via phone and digital platforms during the pandemic. Santana’s spiritual outlook left a lasting impression, with Stapleton describing their talks as feeling like a "religious experience." This remote collaboration, detailed in American Songwriter, showcases their ability to merge Santana’s Chicano guitar licks with Stapleton’s soulful country vocals, creating a song that Santana called a "celebration" of life. A post on X from Stapleton’s account on October 11, 2021, announced the song’s release, linking to a lyric video that Zoo Freaks can still find on YouTube. The song’s message resonated deeply, with Santana introducing it as “mystical medicine music” to heal fear, as mentioned in a 2022 San Francisco Chronicle post on X.

Carlos Santana began his musical journey in the 1960s in San Francisco, a hub of counterculture and creativity. Born in Autlán de Navarro, Mexico, on July 20, 1947, Santana moved to Tijuana as a child, where he learned to play the violin and guitar, influenced by his father, a mariachi musician. By his teens, he was performing in Tijuana’s vibrant music scene, drawing from blues, rock, and Latin rhythms. After moving to San Francisco in the early 1960s, Santana immersed himself in the city’s Haight-Ashbury scene, rubbing shoulders with artists like The Grateful Dead and Jimi Hendrix. His band, Santana, formed in 1966, fused Afro-Latin rhythms with blues-rock, creating a groundbreaking sound. Their performance at Woodstock in 1969, before their debut album was even released, catapulted them to fame, with hits like "Evil Ways" showcasing Santana’s soulful guitar. Over five decades, Santana has transcended genres, earning ten Grammy Awards, including nine for his 1999 album Supernatural, and a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.

Zoo Freaks can connect with Carlos Santana through his official website, where they’ll find tour dates, music, and news. His social media presence is active on Facebook, Instagram, and X, sharing updates, spiritual musings, and performance clips. Fans can also join the Santana Fan Club on Facebook, a lively group where enthusiasts discuss his music, share concert experiences, and celebrate his legacy. Another fan hub is the Santana Fan Club website, offering exclusive content, merchandise, and community forums for die-hard supporters. Whether you’re grooving to "Joy" or diving into Santana’s storied career, the Zoo Crew encourages all Zoo Freaks to keep the positive vibes flowing!