Reporter Finds Santana's Old Bandmate—Homeless

An unlikely TV segment brought them together after 40 years
By Kate Seamons,  Newser Staff
Suggested by Ghille
Posted Dec 23, 2013 10:17 AM CST

It's probably not often that California's KRON's "People Behaving Badly" news segment ends with heartwarming news. But that has been the case this month, following Stanley Roberts' piece on illegal dumpsites in Oakland. In the course of his reporting, Roberts interviewed Marcus Malone, who was searching through garbage. Their conversation touched on great finds ($800 once, in a pair of jeans) and Malone's past—he claimed he was once a member of Carlos Santana's band. And his story checked out.

"Marcus the Magnificent" was a drummer in the Santana Blues Band—which had its first practices in Malone's mother's garage, reports KRON—until 1968. Things went downhill from there: A crime landed him in San Quentin that next year, just before Santana et al took to the stage at Woodstock; Malone ended up living on the streets. KRON reports that Santana had tried to find his old friend over the years, and after watching the segment, left his North Bay home to search out his friend. Unsuccessful, he turned to Stanley, who was indeed able to reunite the pair. "Man!" says Malone. "You don’t know how hard I prayed to get to see you again." Responds Santana, "I always cherish you, man." In an interview with CNN yesterday, Santana says "I want to offer him a place to stay in an apartment, get him some clothes, and just get him out of the street." And that's not all: He wants Marcus to record on his next album. (More Carlos Santana stories.)

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