José Feliciano facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
José Feliciano
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Feliciano in 1998
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | José Montserrate Feliciano García |
| Born | September 10, 1945 Lares, Puerto Rico |
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| Years active | 1962–present |
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José Montserrate Feliciano García (born September 10, 1945) is a famous musician from Puerto Rico. He is known for his amazing guitar playing and singing. José Feliciano has created many popular songs around the world. These include his version of the Doors' song "Light My Fire" and his own Christmas song, "Feliz Navidad".
His music mixes many styles like Latin, blues, jazz, soul, and rock. He often uses his special acoustic guitar sound to create his unique music. In the United States, José Feliciano became very popular in the 1960s. His 1968 album Feliciano! even reached number 2 on the music charts. Throughout his career, he has released over 50 albums in both English and Spanish languages.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
José Montserrate Feliciano Garcia was born on September 10, 1945, in Lares, Puerto Rico. He was the fourth of eleven children. José was born blind because of a condition called congenital glaucoma.
He first started playing music at just three years old. He would play on a cracker tin can while his uncle played the cuatro, a Puerto Rican instrument. When José was five, his family moved to Spanish Harlem, New York City. There, he performed for the first time in public at the Teatro Puerto Rico in The Bronx.
José's talent for music was clear from a young age. At seven, he taught himself to play the accordion. About two years later, when he was nine, his father gave him his first guitar. He would spend up to 14 hours a day playing his guitar in his room. He learned by listening to 1950s rock and roll, classical guitar music, and jazz. Some of his favorite musicians were Andrés Segovia and Wes Montgomery. As a teenager, José took classical guitar lessons from Harold Morris. Morris was a music teacher at The Light House School for the Blind in New York City. José also said that soul music, especially Ray Charles and Sam Cooke, influenced his singing.
At 17, José left high school to help his family. He started playing in coffee houses in Greenwich Village, New York. People would give him money by "passing the hat" after his performances. His first official paid show was at The Retort, a coffee house in Detroit, Michigan.
A Career in Music
Rising to Fame in the 1960s
In 1963, José Feliciano became well-known in clubs across the US and Canada. He was discovered while playing at Gerde's Folk City in Greenwich Village, New York. An executive from RCA Victor, Jack Somer, quickly signed him. José even remembers doing an impression of Bob Dylan once, only to find Dylan was in the audience!
In 1964, he released his first song, "Everybody Do the Click." This song became a hit in the Philippines. He was also invited to the 1964 Newport Folk Festival. In 1965 and 1966, he released his first albums: The Voice and Guitar of José Feliciano and A Bag Full of Soul. These albums showed off his talent on radios across the US. A newspaper columnist called him a "10-fingered wizard" in 1963.
In 1966, Feliciano visited Mar del Plata, Argentina, for a music festival. He impressed the RCA Victor executives so much that they wanted him to record an album in Spanish. José suggested recording some bolero music, which his parents loved. He added his own blues and folk styles to it. This led to two huge hit songs: "Poquita Fe" ("Little Faith") and "Usted." This was the start of many successful songs and albums in Latin America. José Feliciano changed the sound of bolero music. Some of his popular Spanish songs include "La Copa Rota" and "Extraños en la Noche."
A year later, Feliciano was supposed to perform in the United Kingdom. However, officials would not let his guide dog, Trudy, into the country. Dogs had to be quarantined for six months to prevent rabies. José was very upset by this. He wrote a song about his experience called "No Dogs Allowed." This song became a Top 10 hit in the Netherlands in 1969.
After two more successful albums, Feliciano moved to Los Angeles. He met RCA Victor producer Rick Jarrard. Together, they recorded the hit album Feliciano!. This album included the Doors' song "Light My Fire." José's unique style was clear by then. It mixed soul, folk, and rock with a strong Latin flavor. RCA first released "California Dreamin'" as a single with "Light My Fire" on the other side. A DJ in Seattle, Washington liked "Light My Fire" and played it. The song quickly became a hit, reaching number 3 in the US. It sold over one million copies and was a number 1 hit in many other countries. Even Doors guitarist Robbie Krieger praised José's version.
Because of this success, José Feliciano won two Grammy Awards in 1968. He won for Best New Artist and Best Pop Male Performance. This made him famous worldwide. He was seen as a new kind of pop star because he blended Latin music with English pop/rock. He is known as the first amazing classical guitarist to bring the sound of a nylon-string guitar into pop/rock music.
- Feliciano's "Star-Spangled Banner"
On October 7, 1968, during a time of protests against the Vietnam War, José Feliciano was asked to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Tiger Stadium in Detroit. This was before Game 5 of the 1968 World Series. His slow, Latin jazz style of singing the national anthem was very different. It caused a lot of discussion and even hurt his career for a while. Some people thought he had "disrespected" the anthem. But José explained that he wanted people to truly listen to the song. In 2017, he said he was proud to have opened the door for other artists to sing the anthem in their own ways. His recording of the anthem became a hit song, reaching number 50 on the Billboard charts. It was the first time the US anthem appeared on music charts. This recording is now kept in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.
In 1969, Feliciano recorded two more successful albums: 10 to 23 and Alive Alive-O!. Both albums sold very well. Around this time, he also worked with Quincy Jones on the Mackenna's Gold movie soundtrack. He sang the theme song "Old Turkey Buzzard." He also appeared on many US television shows. He sang duets with stars like Johnny Cash, Bing Crosby, and Diana Ross.
In 1970, José Feliciano released a Christmas album. It was originally just called Jose Feliciano. Later, it became known by its most famous song, "Feliz Navidad." During the recording, his producer suggested he write a new Christmas song. José thought it might be hard, but he started thinking about his childhood in Puerto Rico. Soon, "Feliz Navidad" was created.
"Feliz Navidad" has been sung by hundreds of artists worldwide. It has become a traditional part of Christmas music. Every year, it is one of the most played and downloaded songs during the holiday season. It is also recognized as one of the 25 most-played Christmas songs ever. It is even in the Grammy Hall of Fame.
In 1971, Feliciano went to Italy for the Sanremo Music Festival. He sang the song "Che Sarà" in Italian. He won second place and received a huge cheer from the audience. He later recorded the song, and it became a hit in Italy and much of Europe. He also recorded it in Spanish as "Qué Será" and in English as "Shake a Hand."
Feliciano wrote and sang the theme song for the 1970s TV show Chico and the Man. He also appeared in one episode as Chico's cousin. In the 1970s, he acted and composed music for other TV shows and movies. He also sang on albums by other artists like Bill Withers and John Lennon. He performed concerts with Carlos Santana and Paul Simon.
In 1975, on his last RCA album, Just Wanna Rock'n'Roll, Feliciano released his instrumental song "Affirmation." This song was later re-released by jazz guitarist George Benson.
In 1979, Feliciano recorded a new version of his 1968 hit "Light My Fire." He sang it as a duet with singer Minnie Riperton. This duet was on Minnie Riperton's last album before she passed away. José remembers that the duet was not planned. He was working in a nearby studio and just stopped by to say hello to his friend Minnie.
The 1980s and New Achievements
In the 1980s, José Feliciano released more successful albums. He also appeared on the 1983 NBC television show Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever. His managers helped him record Spanish albums, which became very popular. His album Escenas de Amor was a big hit and was nominated for a Grammy. His next album, Me Enamoré, was even bigger and won a Grammy for Best Latin Pop Performance.
During this time, José Feliciano won 4 more Grammy Awards for best Latin Performer. He sang a duet called Por Ella with popular Mexican singer José José, which was a Latin hit. He also sang with other stars like Natalie Cole and Gloria Estefan. In 1987, he performed two concerts in East Germany with the Berliner Sinfonie-Orchester.
- Hollywood Walk of Fame
José Feliciano received his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on December 1, 1987. The City of New York also honored him by renaming a school, Public School 155, as the José Feliciano Performing Arts School. His hands are even on the Wall of Fame at Madame Tussauds Museum. He also has a star on the Walk of Fame in his home of Puerto Rico. In 1987, his song "The Sound of Vienna" was number 1 in Austria for four weeks. He recorded it with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.
The 1990s and Beyond
When José Feliciano became a father in 1988, 1991, and 1995, he enjoyed staying closer to home. He always loved radio and wanted to be a disc jockey. So, he teamed up with Mark Graham at radio station WMMM. They hosted a weekly live radio show called Speaking of Music. On the show, they talked about all kinds of music. José shared his knowledge of the music industry, played live, and interviewed guest artists.
In 1990, Feliciano released a cover of Richard Marx's "Right Here Waiting." In 1994, he released a dance song called "Goin' Krazy" under the name JF?. This song became popular with younger fans.
In 1996, he made a short appearance as himself in the movie Fargo, singing as a lounge performer.
The 2000s
José Feliciano received the 2000 Grammy Legend Award at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards. He also sang the theme song "Behind the Mask" for the TV show Queen of Swords in 2000.
In 2000, a special TV show called Guitarra Mía was made to honor Feliciano. It featured him and many other stars singing his famous songs. It aired just two days after his mother passed away. The show's final scenes showed her giving him a standing ovation, which was recorded a month earlier.
On December 6, 2006, Feliciano released a Spanish album called José Feliciano y Amigos. On this album, he sang duets with other Latin American stars like Luis Fonsi and Marc Anthony. A special edition later included Ana Gabriel and Gloria Estefan.
In 2007, Feliciano released Soundtrax of My Life, his first English album where he wrote all the songs himself. On October 16, 2007, he appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman to sing "Old Turkey Buzzard."
In 2008, José Feliciano, who is a Roman Catholic, performed at the Papal Mass at Yankee Stadium in New York. In 2009, he won his 7th Grammy for the album Señor Bolero.
The 2010s
On December 15, 2010, Feliciano was a special guest on Daryl Hall's webcast Live From Daryl's House. They sang several songs together, including Feliciano's "Light My Fire." On November 9, 2011, Feliciano received the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
On May 10, 2010, Feliciano sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" again at Comerica Park in Detroit. This was to remember Detroit Tigers radio announcer Ernie Harwell, who had recently passed away. Harwell himself had asked José to perform it before he died. José played it just like he did in 1968, with his acoustic guitar and slow, Latin jazz style.
In 2012, he released a new album called The King, which was a tribute to Elvis Presley. In September 2012, he was invited to sing God Bless America at a New York Yankees game. Less than a month later, he sang his special version of the Star-Spangled Banner again in San Francisco before a baseball playoff game. Feliciano also sang on a song with reggaeton artist Farruko called Su hija me gusta.
In 2017, Feliciano performed a cover of Sting’s 'Every Breath You Take'. In November 2017, he released a jazz and R&B album with UK musician Jools Holland. The album was a hit and reached number 24 in the UK charts.
2018–Present: Celebrating 50 Years of Music
The year 2018 marked 50 years since José Feliciano became famous worldwide. This was thanks to his 1968 album Feliciano! and the song "Light My Fire." His 50th anniversary was celebrated in May with a special event in his homeland of Puerto Rico. The show, called José Feliciano: Transcendental 50th Aniversario de Oro y su Legado, was a huge success.
On Flag Day, June 14, 2018, Feliciano was a main speaker at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.. He spoke to 19 new US citizens. At this event, Feliciano donated his Candelas guitar to the Smithsonian Museum. This was the guitar he used when he first sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" in 1968, which caused a big stir.
On September 8, 2018, the Detroit Tigers baseball team invited Feliciano back to their field. He performed the "Star-Spangled Banner" again, just like he did in 1968. This time, the crowd cheered loudly. Fifty years later, José Feliciano felt at peace with being the first artist to sing the National Anthem in his own special way in public.
Feliciano's golden anniversary year ended with a Christmas performance at the Vatican. He performed in their yearly Christmas celebration, Concerto di Natale, 2018. While in Rome, Feliciano and his son, Jonnie, met Pope Francis in a private meeting.
In January 2019, Feliciano appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. They traveled to Puerto Rico with Lin-Manuel Miranda to show the world that Puerto Rico was "Open for Business" after Hurricane Maria in 2017. José sang with reggaeton singer Ozuna. They performed their island's song, "En Mi Viejo San Juan." A studio version of the song was released, and 20% of the money earned goes to Miranda's Flamboyan Arts Fund. This fund supports arts and culture programs for young people in Puerto Rico.
In June 2019, Feliciano was honored at the 62nd Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York City. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his music and his love for Puerto Rico.
During May and June 2019, Feliciano recorded a new album called Behind This Guitar. It was released on January 31, 2020.
Personal Life
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José Feliciano has been married twice. His first wife was Janna (born Hilda Pérez). They divorced in 1978.
In 1971, Ernie Harwell introduced Feliciano to Susan Omillian (born c. 1954), an art student from Detroit. Harwell and Omillian had first met during Feliciano's famous performance of the national anthem in 1968.
Feliciano and Omillian dated for 11 years before they got married in 1982. They have two sons and one daughter. The family lives in Weston, Connecticut.
Awards and Honors
- In Ponce, Puerto Rico, José Feliciano is honored at the Illustrious Ponce Citizens Plaza.
- In 1996, he received the El Premio Billboard.
- He was also given the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.
- In 2000, Feliciano was added to the International Latin Music Hall of Fame.
- He was also inducted into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2013.
Discography
See also
In Spanish: José Feliciano para niños
- List of best-selling Latin music artists
- List of Puerto Ricans
- List of Puerto Rican songwriters
