Guitar legend Santana triumphs, ties record with eight Grammy Awards

Grammy voters changed their evil ways and showered Carlos Santana with eight awards Wednesday night, tying the long-neglected rocker with Michael Jackson's 1983 record for most trophies in a year.

Thursday, February 24th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Grammy voters changed their evil ways and showered Carlos Santana with eight awards Wednesday night, tying the long-neglected rocker with Michael Jackson's 1983 record for most trophies in a year.

The 52-year-old guitar whiz took home album-of-the-year honors for the chart-topping Supernatural and the record-of-the-year trophy for "Smooth," his duet with Matchbox 20 singer Rob Thomas.

"You're an inspiration to every young musician around the world because when they break in, they don't know how long it can last and how long you can soar," said Arista Records president Clive Davis, who signed Mr. Santana in 1968 and teamed him up with a slew of young pop stars for Supernatural.

Like Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt and other late-career landslide winners, Mr. Santana had been unjustly ignored for years by the Grammys: He'd won just one trophy during his 34-year career before cleaning up Wednesday at the 42nd annual show, which was held at Los Angeles' new Staples Center arena.

"Smooth" also was named song of the year, an award that went to Mr. Thomas and Itaal Shur, the tune's co-writers.

The Dallas-bred Dixie Chicks won for country album and country duo or group with vocal, for Fly and "Ready to Run," respectively. Fiddler-singer Martie Seidel, who recently went through a divorce, accepted the country album award in tears and commented, "My personal life took a beating last year."

The third time was the charm for Denton's avant-polka band Brave Combo, which won for best polka album after losing the same award in 1996 and 1998.

"What this [award] says is the climate in polka is changing," bandleader Carl Finch said Wednesday, calling from a gas station on the road to Omaha, Neb., where the band has a gig Thursday. "The polka community knows there's a chance to reach more people, and that's what we represent."

Dallas singer Erykah Badu shared the best rap duo or group award with the Roots for their duet, "You Got Me," and brought her 2-year-old son Seven onstage with her.

Teen heartthrobs the Backstreet Boys lost in the album-, song- and record-of-the-year categories, but Grammy voters recognized the boom in bubble-gum pop by naming formerNew Mickey Mouse Club star Christina Aguilera best new artist over the critical favorite, Macy Gray.

Several hip-hop and R&B acts took home multiple trophies: TLC won R&B album for Fanmail and R&B group for "No Scrubs," while Barry White's aptly titled Staying Power garnered him male R&B performance and traditional R&B vocal honors, his first Grammys ever. Eminem won two awards, for rap solo performance and rap album.

Sting won in the pop-album and male-pop-vocal categories. Midriff-baring country-pop singer Shania Twain also won two awards but wasn't present to pick them up. "She's home waxing her stomach," quipped presenter Clint Black.

More than a dozen stars performed on the three-hour telecast, ranging from an obviously lip-syncing Britney Spears to a classy trio of Ms. Badu, Diana Krall and George Benson, who performed a jazzy "I Can't Give You Anything but Love."

Several performers employed a giant screen above the stage - including the Dixie Chicks, who unveiled a comic video to their gangsta-country single "Goodbye Earl," which starred Dennis Franz as an abusive husband who eats a dose of poisoned peas and ends up swimming with the fishes.