CARLOS SANTANA TO BE INDUCTED INTO NAACP IMAGE AWARDS HALL OF FAME

Carlos Santana to Be Inducted Into NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame 37th NAACP Image Awards Ceremony to Air March 3 on FOX

Legendary musician and guitarist extraordinaire Carlos Santana will be inducted into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame, NAACP Image Awards Executive Producer Vicangelo Bulluck announced today. The prestigious Hall of Fame Award will be presented during the February 25th taping of the 37th NAACP Image Awards in Los Angeles. The awards ceremony will air Friday, March 3 (8:00–10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

Bruce S. Gordon, President and CEO of the NAACP, said: "Carlos Santana is a visionary artist whose work has inspired and motivated people of all races and cultures. He has created music that has become the soundtrack for the world and I have always had great respect for his musical genius as well as his spirit. We are honored that he is joining us to celebrate his remarkable life and accomplishments."

Image Awards Chairperson Clayola Brown noted: "Carlos Santana is a true virtuoso and guiding light in the music world. Through his music and humanitarian efforts he has influenced generations, and we are proud to bestow this honor on him."

The Hall of Fame Award is bestowed on an individual who is a pioneer in his or her respective field and whose influence will shape the profession for generations to come. This individual is recognized for his or her impact nationally and internationally, and for a career which exemplifies high artistic achievement, professionalism and public service.

Best known worldwide for the group that bears his name, Carlos Santana has been reinventing and reshaping the landscape of musical culture for close to four decades. His fluid sound laid claim to the concept of "world music" before the term ever surfaced on the pop culture radar. A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Santana has sold more than 90 million records and has performed for over 100 million people around the world. He is the recipient of 10 Grammy Awards, and has also won three Latin Grammy Awards. In 2004, he received the Latin Recording Academy's prestigious "Person of the Year" honor.

In addition to his musical accolades, Santana has a long history of social activism and contributes his time and funds to humanitarian causes. He and his wife, Deborah, founded their Milagro Foundation in 1988. With close to $2 million in grants to date, the Milagro Foundation supports organizations promoting the welfare of underserved children in the areas of health education and the arts.

Founded in 1909, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its half-million adult and youth members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities and monitor equal opportunity in the public and private sectors.

DaimlerChrysler returns as the diamond sponsor of the 37TH NAACP IMAGE AWARDS. Other major supporters include American Airlines, Bank of America, FedEx, General Motors and Verizon.