David Brown

Early life Brown was born February 15, 1947 to an African-American family in New York City. His father was a Baptist preacher. The family moved to Bayview–Hunters Point, San Francisco, where Brown was raised with Sly Stone as his neighbor. He sang and played bass in church. Rock organist Billy Preston was his second cousin. Brown formed a doo-wop group when he was 14, and played bass with touring bands such as the Four Tops when they gigged in San Francisco.

Brown was athletic: he was a high jump champion in high school, he was an archer, and he earned a second-degree black belt in karate. He enjoyed riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle, and participated in Hells Angels rides in the San Francisco Bay Area.

After the band played larger concerts in 1970, Brown became less reliable because of his growing drug habit. He was arrested several times on drug charges and served short jail sentences. In early 1971, Santana brought bassist Doug Rauch on tour in Europe as an understudy for the increasingly erratic Brown, and by the end of the year Rauch had replaced him. After Santana, Brown played as an occasional session musician. He died September 4, 2000 of liver and kidney failure.

Discography

With Santana

Studio albums AlbumAlbum detailsSantana Released: August 30, 1969 Label: Columbia Format: LP, CDAbraxas Released: September 23, 1970 Label: Columbia Format: LP, CD, CCSantana III Released: September 1971 Label: Columbia Format: LP, CDBorboletta Released: October 1974 Label: CBS Format: LP, CDAmigos Released: March 26, 1976 Label: Columbia Format: LP, CD

Singles SingleYear"Jingo"1969"Evil Ways""Soul Sacrifice"1970"Black Magic Woman""Oye Cómo Va"1971"Hope You're Feeling Better""Everybody's Everything"