Santana Honored By Latin Recording Academy as 2004 “Person of the Year”

Publication: Billboard
Date: Tuesday, May 25 2004
Carlos Santana has been named the Latin Recording Academy's 2004 Person of the year. The organization will bestow the accolade on the veteran rock guitarist during an Aug. 30 tribute dinner and concert in Los Angeles, two days before the Latin Grammy Awards. Santana has been honoured for his social, professional and cultural achievements, including his work with Aids schemes.

In 1998, Santana and his wife Deborah also founded the Milagro Foundation, which supports young people involved in the arts, health and education.
Santana will be honoured at a dinner and concert in Los Angeles in August. Some of the proceeds from the evening at the Century Plaza Hotel, in Century City, will benefit the MusiCares Foundation, a charity for musicians in need.

Last year, Santana donated the proceeds from the US leg of his tour to Artists for a New South Africa which distributes money for Aids sufferers and research.
The fifth annual Latin Grammy Awards will be held on 1 September at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Santana, as a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, has sold more than 80 million records.

"His exceptional talent, expansive body of music, social activism, honesty and wisdom are the qualities that make Santana the epitome and embodiment of [this honor]," Latin Recording Academy president Gabriel Abaroa says. "By recognizing Santana, the Latin Grammy community honors a man who has shown the rare ability to wear his remarkable talent with humility."

Santana will be the fifth Latin Recording Academy person of the year honoree, following Gilberto Gil, Vicente Fernandez, Julio Iglesias and Emilio Estefan. The tribute will take place Los Angeles' Century Plaza Hotel and will benefit the Recording Academy's MusiCares Foundation.