Carlos Santana to Perform at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival

Carlos Santana has reached a crossroads

The 75-year-old Mexican legendary guitarist and his band, Santana, will perform at Eric Clapton’s 2023 Crossroads Guitar festival.

Carlos SantanaThis year’s event will take place over two nights (September 23-24) at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, where Clapton will again gather some of the best guitar players in the world for headlining sets and impromptu collabs.

Though not everyone on the roster will repeat over the weekend, Clapton will perform both nights, joined by Gary Clark Jr., Sheryl Crow, Santana, Jakob Dylan, Albert Lee, Los Lobos, Stephen Stills, Taj Mahal, ZZ Top, the John Mayer Trio, Robert Randolph, H.E.R., Marcus King and many more.

Tickets for the festival will go on sale on Friday, April 21, at 10:00 am

local time via Ticketmaster; there are no two-day passes, only single-day tickets.

Also slated to perform at the event are: Joe Bonamassa, Doyal Bramhall II, James Bullard, Jerry Douglas, Andy Fairweather Low, Samantha Fish, Sonny Landreth, Pedro Martins, John McLaughlin, Del McCoury Band, Roger McGuinn, Keb’ Mo’, Ariel Posen, Eric Gales, Vince Gill, Buddy Guy, Ben Haggard, Sierra Hull, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, The Bros. Landreth, Robbie Robertson, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Gustavo Santaolalla, Daniel Santiago, Molly Tuttle, Jimmie Vaughan, Breadley Walker and The War on Drugs.

Longtime co-sponsor Guitar Center will again host the Guitar Center Festival Village at the adjacent Xbox Plaza and Chick Hearn Court at L.A. Live, where some of the world’s best guitar and gear manufacturers will host interactive exhibits where fans can try out new products and instruments.

In addition to some multi-million-dollar historical guitars on display at the Legends Collection area, there will also be an unveiling of the 25th anniversary Crossroads Guitar Collection, a rare series of limited-edition guitars based on some of Clapton’s vintage gear; a significant portion of profits from the sale of the guitars will go to aid Clapton’s Crossroads Centre at Antigua treatment and education facility.

Gloria Estefan Nominated for the Songwriters Hall of Fame

Gloria Estefan has the write stuff of legends…

The 62-year-old Cuban singer/songwriter and former Miami Sound Machine member has been nominated for the prestigious Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Gloria Estefan

Estefan, a three-time Grammy winner and three-time Latin Grammy, has penned numerousinternational chart-topping hits in English and Spanish, including  “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You,” “1-2-3,” “Don’t Wanna Lose You,” “Here We Are,” “Coming Out of the Dark,” “Con Los Años Que Me Quedan,” “Mi Tierra” and “No Me Dejes de Querer.” 

Additionally, Estefan has penned songs for other artists, including “Let’s Get Loud,” performed by Jennifer Lopez, and “Whenever Wherever,” performed by Shakira. Additionally, she co-wrote “Reach,” one of two official songs of the 1996 Atlanta Games, with Diane Warren.

In all, 24 acts are in contention for the 2020 class. In addition to Estefan, performing nominees include Patti SmithJourneyVince Gill, the Isley Brothers, former Eurythmicsmembers Annie Lennoxand Dave StewartMike LoveBread’s David Gates and Steve MillerThe Neptunes, the creative, innovative production-songwriting duo of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, rap icons Outkast and rock pioneers R.E.M.Mariah Carey, who co-wrote 17 of her 18 No. 1 hits and earned her first Songwriters Hall nomination last year, is up for the prize again. 

The Songwriters Hall gave The Associated Press the list of nominees Tuesday (Nov. 5), a day ahead of its official announcement.

Non-performing solo nominees are William “Mickey” StevensonRick NowelsSonny CurtisJerry FullerTony MacaulayBob McDill and Roger Nichols. Non-performing songwriting duos nominated include the late Tommy Boyceand Bobby Hart,Lynn Ahrensand Stephen FlahertyL. Russell Brownand the late Irwin Levine, and Kye Flemingand Dennis Morgan.

Songwriters are eligible for induction after writing hit songs for at least 20 years. Six songwriters, or songwriting groups, will be officially inducted at the Hall’s 51st annual Induction & Awards Gala in New York on June 11, 2020. Eligible members can vote for three non-performing songwriters and three performing songwriters until December 16.

Mariah Carey Nominated for the Songwriters Hall of Fame

Mariah Carey has the write stuff, and could soon have the prize to prove it…

The 48-year-old half-Venezuelan American songstress is one of the 2019 Songwriters Hall of Fame nominees.

Mariah Carey

Carey, a five-time Grammy winner, has penned or co-written some of her biggest hits, including her insta-classic holiday song “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” “Fantasy,” “We Belong Together,” “Emotions,” and “Make It Happen.”

In all, Carey wrote or co-penned 17 of her 18 Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers:

Songs, Weeks at No. 1
“Vision of Love,” Four Weeks
“Love Takes Time,” Three Weeks
“Someday,” Two Weeks
“I Don’t Wanna Cry,” Two Weeks
“Emotions,” Three Weeks
“Dreamlover,” Eight Weeks
“Hero,” Four Weeks
“Fantasy,” Eight Weeks
“One Sweet Day,” Sixteen Weeks
“Always Be My Baby,” Two Weeks
“Honey,” Three Weeks
“My All,” One Week
“Heartbreaker,” Two Weeks
“Thank God I Found You,” One Week
“We Belong Together,” Fourteen Weeks
“Don’t Forget About Us,” Two Weeks
“Touch My Body,” Two Weeks

Joining Mariah Carey as performing nominees are Missy Elliott, Chrissie Hynde, Vince Gill, Mike Love, Jimmy Cliff, Jeff Lynne, Cat Stevens, John Prine, Lloyd Price, Tommy James and The Eurythmics (Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart).

Non-performing nominees are Jack Tempchin, Dean Dillon, Jerry Fuller, Tom T. Hall, Roger Nichols and Dallas Austin, who wrote hits for TLC, Madonna, Monica, Pink and Boyz II Men.

Nominated non-performing songwriting duos include P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri, Russell Brown and the late Irwin Levine, musical theater writers Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, Dean Pitchford and Michael Gore, Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham, Bobby Hart and the late Tommy Boyce.

Songwriters are eligible for induction after writing hit songs for at least 20 years.

Six songwriters, or songwriting groups, will be officially inducted at the Hall’s 50th annual Induction & Awards Gala in New York on June 13, 2019. Eligible members can vote for three non-performing songwriters and three performing songwriters until December 17.

Estefan Nominated for 2017 Songwriters Hall of Fame

Gloria Estefan has the write stuff…

The 59-year-old Cuban singer and former Miami Sound Machine vocalist has been nominated for the 2017 Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Gloria Estefan

The Songwriters Hall announced the list of nominees Thursday, a day ahead of its official announcement. Other nominees that could be inducted next year are Jay Z, George Michael, Madonna, Bryan Adams, Vince Gill, Babyface, Max Martin, Kool & the Gang and more.

Estefan, a seven-time Grammy winner, found breakthrough success with her group’s 1985 single “Conga,” which made her a worldwide name.

She’s written several of the Spanish and English songs she’s performed, including “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You,” “Anything for You,” “1-2-3” and “Oye Mi Canto.”

Estefan has also written/co-written hits for other artists, including Shakira’s “Whenever, Wherever,” Jennifer Lopez’s “Let’s Get Loud” and Jon Secada’s “Angel.”

Eligible members can vote for three non-performing songwriters and two performing songwriters until December 16. Five songwriters, or songwriting groups, will be officially inducted at a gala in New York on June 15, 2017.

Other performing nominees include Cat Stevens, Sly Stone, Chicago, Jeff Lynne and David Gates.

Non-performing nominees are Kenny Nolan, Randy Goodrum, Tony Macaulay, William “Mickey” Stevenson, Allee Willis, Maury Yeston, Paul Overstreet and the songwriting duos Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham, and Steve Barri and the late P.F. Sloan, who died last year.

Songwriters are eligible for induction after writing hit songs for at least 20 years.

Estefan Nominated for the Songwriters Hall of Fame

Gloria Estefan’s name may soon appear in the annals of history…

The 57-year-old Cuban singer has been nominated for the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Gloria Estefan

Estefan, one of the world’s best-selling artists of all time, has penned several of her own memorable songs in English and Spanish, including “Anything for You,” “Coming Out of the Dark,” “Rhythm is Gonna Get You” and “No Llores.”

But the former lead singer of Miami Sound Machine has also written or co-written massive hit tracks recorded by other artists, including Shakira’s English-language crossover hit “Whenever, Wherever” and Jennifer Lopez’s “Let’s Get Loud.”

Other 2015 nominees include Tom Petty, Vince Gill, Cyndi Lauper, Elvis Costello, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Cat Stevens, Toby Keith, Steve Miller, Steve Winwood, Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson of Heart, and Harry Wayne “K.C.” Casey of KC & the Sunshine Band.

The selected songwriters will be inducted next June at a New York gala.

McCreery Getting in the Holiday Spirit…

Scotty McCreery will be spending his first Noel as a country singer with fellow Nashville musicians.

The 18-year-old American Idol winner is one of the featured performers for this year’s CMA Country Christmas television special, hosted by Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles.

Scotty McCreery Perfoms CMA Country Christmas

For the second straight year, the Country Music Association is hosting the down-home special, which brings together a cast of country stars to help ring in the holidays with performances and personal insight into their own memories of the season.

Taped last week in front of a live audience at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, the special features McCreery performing the classic Christmas carol “The First Noel.” He also takes the stage to sing “Jingle Bells” with other country stars like fellow Idol alum Kellie Pickler and Faith Hill.

Scotty McCreery Performing at CMA Country Christmas

Along with the part-Puerto Rican country artist—who scored his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart earlier this year with his debut album “Clear as Day—the special features appearances by Lauren Alaina, Keith Urban and Vince Gill.

CMA Country Christmas will air on Thursday, December 1 on ABC at 9:00 pm ET.

Click here to see more images from the taping of the special.