By Shawn Perry
Singer/keyboardist Gregg Rolie is the co-founder of two international super groups: Santana and Journey. As a member of Santana, he played the Fillmore and Woodstock, and sang classic hits like “Black Magic Woman,” “Evil Ways,” “No One To Depend On,” “Everybody’s Everything” and “Oye Como Va.”
He left Santana in 1972 with the intention of ditching the music business for good. Then guitarist Neal Schon called about starting a new group, and before he knew it, Rolie was back in the game as a member of Journey.
Once Journey achieved multiplatinum success in the 80s, Rolie decided it was time to move on once again. He returned briefly to the Santana fold before going on hiatus to start a family. Rolie eventually came back to music, working on various one-off projects before establishing a group of his own.
Today, the Gregg Rolie Band plays between 40 and 50 dates a year. It’s a no-pressure situation for the musician, who presently lives and thrives in the casual, slow pace of Austin, Texas. As he prepares to release his very first concert DVD, Rolie shared his experiences with us for the intimate interview that follows.
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