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Feliciano, Jose - Other/Pop

Jose Feliciano was born blind on 10 September, 1945 in Lares, Puerto Rico. One of eleven boys, his love affair with music began at the age of three. He started to teach himself to play the guitar at age 9 and by the time he was 23, he had won two Grammy Awards, had performed over much of the world, and had recorded in four languages.

After early fame as a flamenco-style interpreter of pop and rock material, Feliciano turned more to mainstream Latin music, becoming one of the most popular artists in the Spanish-speaking world. From 1962 performed a mixture of Spanish and American material in the folk clubs and coffeehouses of Greenwich Village.

Signed to RCA, he released a gimmicky single Everybody Do The Click before recording an impressive debut album in 1964. Its impassioned arrangements of recent hits were continued on Feliciano! With jazz bassist Ray Brown among the backing musicians, Feliciano's Latin treatment of the Doors'  Light My Fire, became his first hit song, which sold over a million copies and brought him into the spotlight in 1968.

That success was followed by a version of Tommy Tucker's R&B standard "Hi-Heel Sneakers' and such was Feliciano"s popularity that he was chosen to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the 1968 baseball World Series. However, the application of his characteristic Latin-jazz styling to the US national anthem caused controversy among traditionalists.

In the UK, where he recorded a 1969 live album, Feliciano's version of the Bee Gees' "The Sun Will Shine" was a minor hit, but the 1970s saw RCA promoting Feliciano's Spanish-language material throughout Latin America. He recorded albums in Argentina, Mexico and Venezuela and had a television show syndicated throughout the continent. He also sang the theme music to the United States' television series Chico And The Man.

Feliciano never neglected his Spanish-speaking audience and has produced many records para su gente over the years. Among his best Spanish records are La Copa Rota, Nuestro Juramento, Reloj, and Por Que Te Tengo Que Olvidar?. With vibrant and romantic songs such as  Madrigal, true to his Puerto Rican roots.

In parallel with the Latin albums, Feliciano continued to record English-language songs, notably on Compartments, produced by Steve Cropper. In 1976, Feliciano switched labels to Private Stock where producer Jerry Wexler was brought in to recreate the feeling of Feliciano's early work on Sweet Soul Music.

When Motown set up its own Latin music label in 1981 Feliciano headed the roster, recording the Rick Jarrard-produced Romance In The Night as well as Grammy-winning Latin albums. In 1987 he with EMI to record classical guitar music and English-language pop ( I'm Never Gonna Change ) as well as further Spanish-language recordings ( Tu Immenso Amor ).

He also pursued his jazz interests, and one of his more recent albums, Steppin' Out, was recorded for Optimism. He joined PolyGram Latino records in 1995 and released El Americano in 1996.

Feliciano has been acclaimed by critics throughout the world as "the greatest living guitarist". He has been awarded over forty Gold and Platinum records; he has won sixteen Grammy nominations--earning six Grammy Awards and has been in receipt of countless prestigious awards and accolades over the years. He has recorded over 60 albums during an incredibly impressive career.

Other websites by this publisher: jimserrat.com  AND  carletteandjim.com