After decades of playing guitar and making music, “Lightning” Larry Dupio is living his dream with a live performance dedicated to the music of Carlos Santana.
Dupio, 70, is a two-time Na Hoku Hanohano award winner, and his “Tribute to Carlos Santana” concert is Saturday, Aug. 12, at the Palace Theater in downtown Hilo.
While Santana has not graced the Big Island since 1993, this concert will recreate a live Santana performance, with Dupio leading an eight-piece band of local musicians.
Dupio fell in love with Santana’s music and his unique guitar style after seeing him play at the Diamond Head Crater Festival in the 1970s.
“I played guitar and was so inspired by his performance — just like thousands of other guitarists,” Dupio said. “I started learning all of his music.”
Dupio always was an avid guitar player until he was in a car accident in the early 1990s that changed his life tremendously. For a long time, Dupio did not have control of his body from the neck down and had to endure a risky surgery to get control of his body back.
“I had to do some soul searching, because my doctor told me that if I didn’t have this surgery, I would lose all function from the neck down,” Dupio said. “I had already played music for 25 years, and I was considering quitting playing music all together. It put me into a deep and dark depression.”
While in this state of limbo, Dupio’s wife, Caroline Dupio, found out that Santana was playing in Maui, so she booked a flight and took him to the show to help with his depression.
Although in a neck brace, Dupio was able to enjoy the show and watch Santana play live for a second time. What he didn’t expect was meeting the rock star the very next morning.
While eating breakfast before their flight home, the Dupios saw Carlos Santana come inside the restaurant, and he walked toward them almost immediately.
“I could not believe it was him. He saw the hat I bought from the concert and asked me if I enjoyed the show,” Dupio said. “I told him, ‘Yes, very much so.’ Then, he asked if I was guitar player. When I replied that I was, he told me that no matter what happens, to never give up playing guitar. I took those words to heart.”
After the chance encounter, Dupio decided to undergo operation that had a 50-50 risk of a bad outcome.
“The operation was successful, and I was in rehab for about a year. I didn’t touch my guitar for six months, so I wondered if I could even still do it,” Dupio said. “It took a lot of baby steps to learn to play the guitar again, but I made it back and haven’t stopped since.”
As a way to give back what Santana gave to him, Dupio decided to create this performance as a tribute to the rock star that changed his life.
“This has been 25 years in the making. I’ve covered songs by him in performances, but I’ve never been able to dedicate a whole show to his music,” Dupio said. “I’m not trying to be Santana with this performance. It’s more of a way to pay homage to his music, his energy and the great feeling I got at that concert in Maui in 1994.”
Dupio spent time creating the show and putting together the lineup for the band, which includes Yumbel Marassi, Trever Veilleux, Leo Brayman, Reggae McGowan, Jason Sherbundy, Joshua Timmons and Noa Eads.
“I can’t believe I was able to get this group together. We click on a higher level, and I’m so excited to play with these musicians, who are now like my brothers,” Dupio said. “They are incredible, and I can’t wait to show Hilo what we have in store.”
Although he’s made six albums and has played shows across the state and country, for Dupio, putting this concert on feels like the culmination of all his work as a musician.
“This is the first time I’ve ever tried to do something so monumental. The fact that this is a reality and the momentum keeps building up is unreal,” Dupio said. “I’ve covered a lot of music through the years, but I know it’s time to pay homage to the person who inspired me to keep playing.”
The concert will begin at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 12. Tickets are available at the Palace’s box office and website at hilopalace.com. A portion of the proceeds will go back to the Palace Theater.
Email Kelsey Walling at kwalling@hawaiitribune-herald.com.