Carlos Santana and Marcus Malone reunited by reporter Stanley Roberts

A San Francisco television station reporter has reunited rock guitarist Carlos Santana with a former bandmate he has not seen in decades and who now lives on the streets of Oakland.

Reporter Stanley Roberts met percussionist Marcus "The Magnificent" Malone while working on a story about illegal dumping last week, KRON-TV in San Francisco reported.

Although he initially was sceptical of the homeless man's claim that the Santana Blues Band got its start in his mother's garage in the late 1960s, Roberts checked and confirmed it. He then took Santana to the camper where Malone has been staying.

"You don't know how afraid I am to let you see me," Malone said softly after he and the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer embraced.

"We cherish you," Santana replied. "It's an honour to be in your presence."

Santana has credited Malone with being an important influence on his Afro-Latin sound, according to former magazine writer Ben Fong-Torres' book