Veteran musician Carlos Santana is hotly tipped for success at Wednesday's Grammy award ceremony in Los Angeles - after over 30 years in the business.

The 52-year-old performer - who first made his name at the 1969 Woodstock Festival - is nominated 10 times for prizes at the US music industry's annual awards.

Before this year he had only been nominated five times during his career, winning once in 1988 for Best Rock Instrumental.

But his album Supernatural - which features collaborations with some of US music's younger stars - was his first number one album in 28 years, propelling him back into the spotlight.

Nominations include Album of the Year for Supernatural, Record and Song of the Year for his single Smooth, recorded with Rob Thomas, the singer from US band Matchbox 20.

Santana said of his new-found success: "It's what makes this business exciting, that a 50-something can be making a great, vital statement that touches so many people along with an 18-year-old."

Supernatural has sold over seven million copies in the US. In the UK, where it was given a low-key release six weeks ago, it has sold over 100,000.

But the Grammys also shine on America's young pop acts - Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera will fight it out for best new artists, while the Backstreet Boys have four nominations, including Album of The Year and Record of The Year for Millennium and I Want It That Way.

Santana's nearest rivals are girl group TLC - the R 'n' B act have six nominations, including album of the year for Fanmail and best pop performance for the song Unpretty.

Lauryn Hill and Whitney Houston have four nominations each while Ricky Martin and Cher have three apiece.

British interest will focus mainly on Sir Elton John, who will receive a Grammy Legend award for his career in music to add to the four he has won in his career so far.

Sting - who already has 12 Grammys - is nominated for Best Pop Album for Brand New Day, while Phil Collins is nominated for his soundtrack for Disney's Tarzan and his Golden Globe winning and Oscar-nominated song from it, You'll Be In My Heart. The former Genesis frontman has won seven Grammys during his career.

But in general, the nominations highlight the continuing gulf between US and UK musical tastes.

Of the UK's newer acts, only Fatboy Slim, aka DJ Norman Cook, 36, get a significant mention. The husband of broadcaster Zoe Ball is nominated for two categories: Best Alternative Music Performance for the album You've Come A Long Way, Baby, and Best Dance Recording for the single Praise You.

The 98 categories include all forms of music, from rock to jazz to classical, and even include a best Album Notes category.

Highlights of the Grammys can be seen on BBC One on Saturday night, starting at 2340 GMT.

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Leading nominations:

Record of the Year
I Want It That Way - Backstreet Boys
Believe - Cher
Livin' La Vida Loca - Ricky Martin
Smooth - Santana
No Scrubs - TLC


Album of the Year
Millennium - Backstreet Boys
Fly - Dixie Chicks
When I Look in Your Eyes - Diana Krall
Supernatural - Santana
Fanmail - TLC


Song of the Year
I Want It That Way - Andreas Carlsson and Max Martin (Backstreet Boys)
Livin' La Vida Loca - Desmond Child and Robi Rosa (Ricky Martin)
Smooth - Itaal Shur and Rob Thomas (Santana Featuring Rob Thomas)
Unpretty Dallas Austin and Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins (TLC)
You've Got A Way Robert John "Mutt" Lange and Shania Twain (Shania Twain)


New Artist
Christina Aguilera
Macy Gray
Kid Rock
Britney Spears
Susan Tedeschi


Pop Album
Genie in a Bottle - Christina Aguilera
Beautiful Stranger - Madonna
I Will Remember You - Sarah McLachlan
Thank U - Alanis Morissette
...Baby One More Time - Britney Spears


Rock Album
Breakdown - Melissa Etheridge
Significant Other - Limp Bizkit
Echo - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Californication - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Supernatural - Santana


Rap Album
E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event - The Final World Front) - Busta Rhymes
Da Real World - Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott
The Slim Shady LP - Eminem
I Am - Nas
Things Fall Apart - The Roots


Country Album
Ride With Bob - Asleep at the Wheel
Fly - Dixie Chicks
Trio II - Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt and Dolly Parton
Cold Hard Truth - George Jones
Forget About It - Alison Krauss