Viva Santana, founded in 1987, is the earliest tribute band other than icons like Randy Hansen's tribute to Jimi Hendrix and Beatlemania. The band still features mostly original members and has also seen some incredible musicians join their ranks over the years. Their tribute to Santana began in 1988 during a battle of the bands at the Bachinal in San Diego, California. Originally, the group played a mix of original songs, Latin rock, and covers. But after rehearsals, they realized they had a special knack for playing B-side Santana tracks with impressive precision. This inspired them to take a chance and dedicate their performance to Santana's lesser-known hits—and it paid off. They won the competition, capturing the audience's attention and hearts with their high-energy renditions of Carlos Santana's music.
