Santana's Grammy glory

Carlos Santana's triumphant night

Veteran musician Carlos Santana has won eight Grammys with his album Supernatural.

The feat equals the record set by Michael Jackson's Thriller for most wins at the US music industry's annual awards.

The 52-year-old performer - who first made his name with a searing guitar solo at the 1969 Woodstock Festival - scooped album of the year, and record of the year with his US number one single Smooth.

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

The Mexican artist has only been nominated five times during his career, winning once in 1988 for Best Rock Instrumental.

Santana said it was "a real honour" to tie with Jackson's record. He cryptically added: "I'm into promoting the gift, which is love and grace. I'm not promoting the river."

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

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At a ceremony before the main event, the veteran also took awards for rock album, group rock performance with vocal, group pop performance with vocal, pop instrumental performance, pop collaboration with vocals, rock instrumental performance.

Another winner whose career dates back to the 1960s, Cher, won her first Grammy for dance recording after scoring her biggest commercial success with the 1999 single Believe.

In the battle of the teen queens Christina Aguilera beat off rival Britney Spears to take best new artist - much to the 19-year-old's own surprise, as she had no acceptance speech, telling the audience she was "shaking right now".

Fellow newcomer Eminem won two awards, including rap album of the year for his Slim Shady LP. R 'n' B trio TLC won three awards.

But other young stars including the four-times nominated Backstreet Boys, had to settle for second best as Santana picked up awards in all categories he was nominated.

Sting wins best male pop vocal

British interest was on Sir Elton John, who received 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 - won two more for his Brand New Day, including best pop album.

The singer jokingly attributed the double success to his not being pitted against Santana.

"I'm glad I wasn't in any categories that he was in," said Sting, paying tribute to the guitarist's success.

Other British winners were heavy metal icons Black Sabbath, who won best metal performance for the song Iron Man.

"I didn't think that 31 years ago, I'd be standing up in a suit. I feel more like an accountant than the guy who plays drums in Black Sabbath," said the band's Bill Ward as he collected the award.

Sheryl Crow won her seventh Grammy for her cover of the Guns N' Roses hit Sweet Child O' Mine, while Tony Bennett won his ninth Grammy for his tribute to Duke Ellington.

The awards were held at Los Angeles' Staples Centre and hosted by US televisions personality Rosie O'Donnell. Even though the show is three hours long, it can only scratch the surface of the Grammys' 98 categories, which includes all forms of music, from rock to jazz to classical, and even include a best album notes category.

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Leading winners:

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

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

Song of the Year: Smooth, Itaal Shur and Rob Thomas (Santana Featuring Rob Thomas)
Nominees: I Want It That Way, Andreas Carlsson and Max Martin (Backstreet Boys); Livin' La Vida Loca, Desmond Child and Robi Rosa (Ricky Martin); 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
Nominees: Macy Gray, Kid Rock, Britney Spears, Susan Tedeschi

Pop Album:
Brand New Day, Sting
Nominees: 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: Supernatural, Santana
Nominees: Breakdown, Melissa Etheridge; Significant Other, Limp Bizkit; Echo, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers; Californication, Red Hot Chili Peppers

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

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