The untold story behind one of the biggest Latin rock songs ever recorded.

Alberto Salas played the original piano on “Corazón Espinado” — the Mana and Santana collaboration from the Supernatural album — recorded it in a single take at the Record Plant, performed it live at the very first Latin Grammys with Carlos Santana and Celia Cruz in the front row, and played it again on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno the very next day. And almost no one knows his name.

Andy Vargas sits down with Alberto for a deeply personal conversation about growing up in South Central LA as the son of a Costa Rican father and Cuban mother, teaching himself piano by sneaking into jazz clubs and watching players’ hands, the spiritual bond with late Santana drummer Raul Rekow, faith and sobriety in the music industry, and what it means to spend a career as one of the most in-demand session keyboardists in Latin music.

Alberto has gone on to teach at Musicians Institute, USC, and UCLA — all without ever attending music school himself. He calls it “Sink or Swim University.”

Key topics: Santana Supernatural album, Corazón Espinado, Mana, first Latin Grammys, session musician life, South Central LA, Cuban music, faith and music, piano, Latin jazz, teaching music

Connect with Alberto: @albertosalas68 (Instagram) | Alberto Salas (Facebook)

Follow Andy Vargas: andyvargas.com | @andyvargasofficial

Produced by Build Your Authority — buildyourauthority.co