Written and first recorded by Ian Thomas (CAN #28 1981).
Other hit version by Santana (US #15/MOR #34/CAN #4/AUS #64/NZ #31/NETH #22 1982).
From the wiki: “‘Hold On’ is a song written and first recorded by the Canadian singer and songwriter Ian Thomas, on his 1981 album The Runner.
“Thomas was a successful Rock ‘n roll musician in Canada, at the height of his solo career during the 1970s, with his most memorable hit being 1973’s ‘Painted Ladies’ (US #34/CAN #4). Thomas has also done film scoring for about a dozen movies and television shows. Before breaking through with ‘Painted Ladies’, he was a producer at the CBC. Before that, he was part of the Folk music group Tranquility Base.