The film chronicles where he came from, what he's been through, and where he is now, taking moviegoers through the life of the acclaimed music star.
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Santana says he was sure music would be his career very early.
"I knew I had 'it' when my father first invited me to be part of this contest in Tijuana at a radio station," he said, "I kept winning. I probably won like 12 out of 12 times."
He found confidence, not arrogance, as a factor in his success. When he plays, no matter how long he plays, he says his fingers never get tired "because it is a supernatural energy that takes over you."
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Today, Carlos Santana is a music legend. As a boy in Mexico, he lived through some tough times. Santana says he was sexually abused almost daily between the ages of 10 and 12 by a man who had befriended his parents.
"I have this incredible ability to not think like a victim mentality," he said. "I am not what happened to me. I am still with purity and innocence. I am not the body. I am free. I still am as God created me, which is purity and innocence. And with that, I can do the impossible."
When it comes to what you want in life, Santana said, "Don't think little. Think big! Pray big, you know? Go deep and long, you know? I don't like little yards. Go deep and long!"
"Carlos" premieres in limited theaters Sept. 23, 24 and 27 before going wider on Sept. 29.