LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – Guitar legend Carlos Santana will deliver the commencement address to UCLA music graduates later this month.
Carlos Santana performs onstage during the Pre-Grammy Gala on Jan. 25, 2020, in Beverly Hills. (Getty Images)
The school announced Wednesday that Santana will give a virtual address to the 130 graduates of the the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music on June 19.
“The class of 2020 is resilient, and their voices are needed now more than ever,” Santana said in a statement. “I want them to use their music as a platform to empower and unite as we seek justice and creative solutions during these challenging times.”
The commencement will also feature several virtual performances from students.
The 72-year-old Santana has won 10 Grammys over his six-decade career and sold tens of millions of records. His group Santana was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.
College campuses across California have been shuttered since mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic. It remains unclear if they will reopen in the fall, or continue with online classes. In May, both the Cal State and University of California systems said their students will likely still be taking at least some of their classes online next year.
