Guitarist Santana Adds Shoes to His Repertoire

Grammy-winning guitarist Carlos Santana stepped out this week into the shoe business, launching a range of bright, strappy women’s footwear inspired by his best-selling “Supernatural” album.

The “Carlos” collection, launched in California, Las Vegas, parts of Arizona and Miami, bears the names of some of the 53-year-old musician’s biggest recent hits, including “Maria, Maria” and “Smooth.”

The shoes--a collaborative effort between Santana and St. Louis-based Brown Shoe Company--hit selected stores just a year after Santana crowned a music career spanning three decades by winning nine Grammy awards in February 2000.

A portion of the proceeds from each sale will go to the Milagro Foundation started by Santana and his wife Deborah in 1998 to promote educational efforts for children, Brown Shoe Company said.

After a phenomenal 2000, Santana announced in December he was taking a break from touring and recording to spend more time with his wife and children at their home near San Francisco.

He is due to start work on his next album in May but has no plans for tours this year, his publicist said.