Musician Carlos Santana (R) plays the guitar as his son Salvador plays the piano as they perform at the Latin Grammy Person of the Year dinner honoring Carlos with the Person of the Year award in Los Angeles August 30, 2004. The Latin Grammys was presented in Los Angeles September 1 from the Shrine Auditorium.

PHOTO - REUTERS

LOS ANGELES - Brazilian songbird Maria Rita, the daughter of one of her homeland's greatest singers, took home Best New Artist at the fifth annual Latin Grammys last Wednesday, leading the diverse field of talented artists mostly unknown to American audiences.

In July, Maria Rita, Sanz and octogenarian Cuban pianist Bebo Valdes shared honors as the most nominated performers for the show with four nods each, including best-album for Maria Rita's "Maria Rita," Sanz's "No Es Lo Mismo" ("It's not the Same") and Valdes' "Lagrimas Negras" ("Black Tears"). In the first award handed out during the telecast from The Shrine Auditorium, Maria Rita won best new artist, against California hip-hop duo Akwid, Puerto Rican-born singer-songwriter Obie Bermudez, Colombian rockers Superlitio, and rock-reggae fusion band Mauricio & Palodeagua, also from Colombia. Maria Rita, daughter of the late Elis Regina, who has soared to fame in Europe and Brazil in the last year-and-a-half, also took home the Latin Grammy for "Most Popular Brazilian Music Album." Spain's Alejandro Sanz, one of the few well-known musicians vying for a Latin Grammy, took the honor for best song in a round of pre-telecast awards kicking off the glitzy event celebrating the best in Latin music. The Spanish heartthrob, a top-selling artist in Spain and Latin America, who won his first U.S. Grammy in February for best Latin pop album for "No Es Lo Mismo", won the Latin Grammy for best song for the title track of the album, which is also nominated for a best album Latin Grammy.

The Latin Grammys are expected to provide a boost for many of the young and alternative contenders, marking a shift from prior years when big mainstream superstars like Ricky Martin swept the top categories. Also competing for best album are "Cuatro Caminos" ("Four Roads") by alternative band Cafe Tacuba and Argentine singer Kevin Johansen's "Sur O No Sur" ("South or Not South"). Oddsmakers favor "Lagrimas Negras," a collection of flamenco-tinged standards by Valdes and Spain's Diego El Cigala for best album. It nabbed three nominations and has been likened to "Buena Vista Social Club," another hit by elderly Cuban musicians. Brazilian music producer Tom Capone led the field of Latin Grammy contenders overall with five nominations -- for his work on "Maria Rita" and three other albums, including "Cosmotron," the latest release from popular Brazilian band Skank. Reuters