If you attend the Carlos Santana show at Detroit Energy Music Theatre on June 25, you might spot a familiar face in the opening act.
Matt Heulitt, who was born in New Jersey but moved to Lake Orion at age 9, has landed a gig as a guitarist in Carlos? son’s band, The Salvador Santana Band, who will open for Carlos on his tour this summer.
Heulitt’s mother, Nancy Heulitt, graduated from Oxford High School, and she and Heulitt’s father Charles still live in Lake Orion.
‘My dad was from New Jersey,? Heulitt, 30, said. ‘I went to Lake Orion High School for three years.?
Heulitt attended Interlochen Arts Academy his senior year, graduating from the same school in Interlochen where pop singer Jewel was once a student.
‘I went for guitar,? he said. ‘I was wrestling with the piano and saxophone as a kid.?
According to Heulitt, he found his dad’s acoustic guitar one day, and started learning to play it on his own.
‘It was my brother Mike that first said my parents should get me lessons,? he said. ‘That was when I was 13. I spent six months teaching myself, then I started working with a teacher in Lake Orion.?
At Heulitt’s first lesson, the teacher asked him if he was thinking about guitar as a hobby or a profession.
‘I said profession…it just seemed right,? he said.
Heulitt has lived in the San Francisco Bay area of California for seven years now, in Richmond. His brother Mike, 37, lives in Carlton, Michigan, and his sister Chris, 40, lives in Saline, Michigan.
‘My brother helped me buy my first electric guitar,? said Heulitt. ‘He always had music on constantly.?
Heulitt usually visits Lake Orion about once a year, and his parents visited him in California recently for the first time.
‘Before I was going to college in Miami,? he said. ‘My parents have probably only been able to see me play two or three times.?
Heulitt landed his most recent job with Salvador Santana thanks to a friend.
‘This stuff is always about who you know,? he said. ‘I have a friend I play guitar with and he knows Salvador’s manager.?
Heulitt’s friend was asked to audition for the job first, but didn’t get it. Then Heulitt was asked to audition.
‘Then they sent me a CD and I learned the music..it was very casual, we just jammed for a couple of hours,? he said.
He got the job, and will be part of Salvador’s band, opening for Carlos Santana beginning in North Carolina on June 5.
‘I haven’t met Carlos yet, but in Europe he would often sit in with Salvador’s band,? said Heulitt. ‘So there’s a good chance I’ll be on stage with him.?
Heulitt remembers seeing Carlos play live for the first time, when Heulitt was 12 and attended a show at what was then known as Pine Knob (now DTE).
Besides Santana, Heulitt has also played with Joseph (Zigaboo) Modeliste, a famous drummer from the New Orleans funk band ‘The Meters.?
‘I played off and on with him for five years,? he said.
Heulitt said his parents have always been ‘extremely supportive,? and his mom understands his drive to be a musician as she plays piano and organ herself.
‘I think my biggest inspirations were from jazz, like Miles Davis and John Coltrane,? Heulitt said. ‘For their dedication, and not being afraid to mix it up.?
According to Heulitt, choosing a favorite guitar player is ‘a loaded kind of thing? for him, because he usually either loves them or hates them.
‘I admire Bill Frisell, he has worked with people like Elvis Costello,? he added. ‘The kind of music I listen to is all over the place…I like classical, metal, jazz. I’m just starting to play with a West African band.
‘It’s just music to me,? Heulitt said.
Heulitt described pursuing music as a career as a challenge, especially in his vocation because there are a lot of guitar players.
‘I didn’t rely on that for my sole income right away,? he said. ‘I worked with computers, and I teach guitar and a rock band class.
‘That helped me keep my head above water so I could be a little more selective in what I’m doing (with guitar.?
When Heulitt first moved to California, he knew it would be a challenge and said he made it harder on himself by thinking negatively.
‘Then I started thinking about it differently,? he explained. ‘There are so many possibilities. I think the most important thing is if you discover you really love music, just honor that.?
Heulitt said, as a potential musician, you can think up a million reasons to quit.
‘There’s a million guitar players, or a million drummers…but if you’re able to tap into something unique, you’ll always have something to offer,? he said.