David Brown

b. 1947 in United States — d. 2000

David Brown (February 15, 1947 – September 4, 2000) was an American musician. He was the bass player for the band Santana from 1967 until 1971, then again from 1974 until 1976. Brown played in Santana at Woodstock and at Altamont in 1969 and on the band's first three studio albums before leaving after the "Closing of the Fillmore West" gig on July 4, 1971. In 1974, he rejoined for the album Borboletta and remained with the band for the follow-up Amigos before leaving again in the spring of 1976. In 1998, Brown was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Santana.

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.