Santana III is the third studio album by the band Santana, released in September 1971. It was the last album with the original lineup, as after its release, several members split to form the jazz-rock fusion band 'Santana' and other projects. The album reached number one on the Billboard 200 chart.
The album includes the hit 'No One to Depend On' and features a blend of rock, blues, and Latin rhythms, with a greater influence of jazz and improvisation. The song 'Toussaint L'Ouverture' is a tribute to the leader of the Haitian revolution. Production was collective, with all band members credited as producers, and recordings took place at Columbia Studios and Pacific Recording Studios.
Santana III was certified double platinum by the RIAA in 1986. It is considered a transitional album that shows the band's musical evolution towards more progressive and experimental sounds, while maintaining the energy and fusion that characterized them.