While Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Carlos Santana is busy prepping for a series of tours involving a North American trek with Steve Winwood, a solo overseas trek and shows at the Hard Rock Café in Vegas, he’s got his hand fuller, and bound, as he recalls how the idea for his forthcoming album began.

It was Sony executive Clive Davis’ idea for Santana to do a “Supernatural”-esque album but unlike the 1998 smash hit record where the iconic guitarist collaborated with the likes of Rob Thomas, Wyclef Jean and Juelz Santana on an all-new material, this new compilation would still feature collaborations from an array of artists like Chris Daughtry and Nas, but on old material and not his old material, classic old material – Def Leppard, The Beatles, Deep Purple, Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones, to name some.

Which is why Santana greeted the idea presented by his boss and mentor with surprise and hesitation. “I was like, ‘No, I don’t know if I want to do this one, Clive. This one’s a little challenging,” said Santana in an interview with Billboard. But Davis was clearly persuasive, staying on the phone for close to an hour with him, and it proved to be effective. Santana was swayed by Davis’ passion and commitment. The same fervor which inspired the artist to create “Supernatural”, is the same kind of fervor and force behind Santana’s present work.

The album, which is yet to be named, doesn’t have a final track list yet but every track that Santana wanted to put a new spin and flavor on has already been recorded, all he has to do is choose which ones make the cut and apply the finishing touches. Among the songs recorded for the covers album are The Rolling Stones’ “Can’t You Hear me Knocking”, Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love”, Jimi Hendrix’s “Little Wing”, Def Leppard’s “Photograph”, Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water”, and Santana’s favorite, The Beatles’ “While My Guitar Weeps”, to name a few.

Chris Daughtry, rapper Nas, Chris Cornell, Joe Cocker, Scott Weiland, cellist Yo Yo Ma and R&B artist India Arie are just some of the artists who’ll be singing (except for Ma) the classic rock tunes as spun by Carlos Santana. Rob Thomas will also be appearing in this album, the same way he did in “Supernatural”.

What began as hesitation is now filled with confidence and vulnerability – both from the artist and his version of the classics. “What I brought to the table is my heart, knowing that I complement, I don’t compete,” spoken like a true artist aiming not for another chart-topper, but for a record to satisfy everyone’s listening pleasure and musicality, and also to pay homage to his contemporaries.

In fact, even before the album is released, Santana already has a fan in George Harrison’s widow, Olivia Harrison, whom Santana sent a copy of his rendition of The Beatles classic to and has this to say thru e-mail: “Carlos, I listened to the song and I started crying and jumping with joy at the same time. And I want you to know that George really loved you, because he understood your passion for compassion.”

Santana is also planning to entice his fans during his tour by sampling some of the tracks from the covers album with Steve Winwood. Winwood has been invited by Santana to do a recording session with him and his band, in a similar fashion as what he did for his covers album. Santana wants to go astray from the predictable, as what he has accomplished with “Supernatural”, and hopefully, if positive reviews would be granted, with the forthcoming covers album, too. “I would like to go to the Bob Marley repertoire or Marvin Gaye or African music by King Sunny Ade or really, really obscure other-side-of-the-tracks. So I’m crossing my fingers.” Clearly, the rock icon would want to test the waters now on an entirely different genre and if this pushes through, whether with Winwood, Rob Thomas or a new and different artist, as long as Santana’s there, it will surely be a revival masterpiece.

The covers album will be the artist’s studio follow-up to 2005’s “All that I Am” and will hit the shelves by September. After which, the guitarist will be releasing an all-instrumental compilation entitled “Shape Shifter”, most probably early next year.

Santana is also busy on the road with a North American tour and a series of Vegas residency shows in the summer, and a European tour in the fall.