Corporate Entertainment - Jose Feliciano booking information

Looking for something special for your next convention? The Grammy Award winning Latin sounds of incomparable Jose Feliciano are now available for your next corporate event. Treat your convention goers to a night they won't forget - the legendary Jose Feliciano on stage and in concert at your customer appreciation party. Call us today to arrange the details!

Until then - here is a little more information for to give you an idea of his credentials:

Many industry professionals, as well as prestigious musicians and Artists around the world consider Jose Feliciano to be "the first Latin Artist to crossover into the English music market". Due to Feliciano's crossover status, he has opened the door allowing other Latin Artists into the mainstream music market who today now occupy a favorable status in the American Music industry. Additionally, critics the world over, have acclaimed Jose Feliciano as "the greatest living guitarist". Guitar Player Magazine has awarded him, "Best Pop Guitarist" for five years running and they have placed him in their "Gallery of the Greats". Jose has been voted both Best Jazz and Best Rock Guitarist in the Playboy Magazine Reader's Poll numerous times. Jose has been awarded over forty-five Gold and Platinum Records, having recorded over sixty-five albums over during his impressive career. He has been honored with sixteen Grammy Award nominations, the most recent nomination for his "Senor Bolero" CD, in 1999. To date, the Artist has won six Grammy Awards and is in receipt of countless other prestigious awards the world over. In 1996, Jose was selected to receive the honor of Billboard magazine's Lifetime Achievement Award.

Jose was born blind, to humble beginnings, on September 10, 1945, in Lares, Puerto Rico. One of eleven boys, his love affair with music began at the age of three when he first accompanied his uncle on a tin cracker can. When Jose was five years old, his family immigrated to New York City. Young Jose learned to play the concertina, at age six, using a handful of records as his teacher. At eight, he performed for his classmates at PS 57 and at nine, Jose performed at the Puerto Rican Theater in the Bronx, New York City. Wanting to venture beyond the accordion, however, he taught himself to play the guitar with undaunted determination and again, with nothing but records as his teacher, practicing for as many as 14 hours a day. Exposed to the Rock & Roll of the 50's, Jose was then inspired to sing.

jose feliciano booking At 17, Jose quit school. His father was not working at the time and he needed to help his family. He played coffeehouses in Greenwich Village and for his salary, as was a customary practice during that time period in those small clubs, they'd "pass the hat". Jose played his first professional engagement that same year in Detroit. Shortly thereafter, a music critic, writing of Jose's performance at Gerde's Folk City, referred to Jose as " A 10-fingered wizard who romps, runs, rolls, picks and reverberates his six strings in an incomparable fashion." And then added, "If you want to witness the birth of a star, be sure not to miss the opportunity to catch Mr. Feliciano's performance before he leaves tomorrow night."

Jose's first major break in the industry, however, happened in the Spanish market when, in 1966, after an amazing performance at the Mar del Plata Festival in Argentina, the RCA Executives in Buenos Aires encouraged Jose to stay there and record an album of Spanish music. "They really didn't know what to do with me in the studio," Jose recalls. "So I suggested that we record a number of old boleros songs I had heard from the time I was a kid." Feliciano's stylized interpretation of the classic bolero at the time was revolutionary. The first single, "Poquita Fe", was a 'smash' hit and "Usted" was even bigger. Jose had taken long-time standards and made them brand new. He re-worked and re-fashioned them with his own style of acoustic guitar artistry and the vocal inflections of the Jazz and American influences he had acquired during his adolescence.

Two more albums followed, in the same fashion and the name Jose Feliciano was know all throughout South and Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean. Then, the RCA exec's in Los Angeles coupled him with producer, Rick Jarrard, who recommended that Jose record a Doors' song that he had been doing in his concerts, locally a tune entitled, "Light My Fire".

By the time Jose was 23, he had earned five Grammy Award nominations and won two Grammy Awards for his album, "Feliciano!" (1968). He had performed throughout much of the world and had recorded songs in four languages.

From a historical point of view, it should be noted that Jose was the first Artist to ever stylize the National Anthem and perform it publicly. He did so during the fifth game of the World Series on October 7, 1968. It was the first time the National Anthem became a charted Top 40 recording, opening the door for new generations of stylization. Since this historical rendition, the National Anthem is rarely sung in its traditional form.

Jose, however, was not satisfied. He had a desire to expand his career, to include acting and made a number of dramatic TV appearances.

Jose has also appeared on major television shows worldwide and has done a number of his own television specials. Venturing into another artistic genre, Jose was invited, in the early 90's by legendary Author, Ray Bradbury, to write the music to his play, "The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit". He did so, truly with the grace of a seasoned veteran.

Being constantly in demand to appear all over the world, Jose has performed with and for some of the most important people in the world. He has also enjoyed playing with many top Symphony Orchestras, including the London Symphony, and Los Angeles Philharmonic and the famous Vienna Symphony.

One of Jose's most memorable moments came one day in 1987, when he joined other entertainment legends in having his star permanently implanted in the world renowned Hollywood Walk of Fame. Similarly, Jose has also been given a star on the Walk of Fame in his native Puerto Rico, alongside Jose Ferrer and Raul Julia. During 1999, Jose had his hands cast for the world famous Wall of Fame at Madame Tussaud's in London, England. His 'hands' are now on display among Artists such as Phil Collins, Andrew Lloyd Weber, Michael Jackson and The Backstreet Boys.

Feliciano earned his sixth Grammy Award in 1991 and is the only performer who has won Pop Music Awards in two language categories. In 1997, Jose's "Americano" album was nominated for a Grammy Award, marking his fifteenth nomination and in 1998, the "Senor Bolero" album earned him his sixteenth nomination.

Interestingly enough, Jose is one of the only Artists to have ever been signed to a multi-tiered record contract with a major label to record in both English and Spanish Pop, as well as Classical! Even the local government of New York City has honored Jose, by re-naming Public School #155 in East Harlem, dedicating it as "The Jose Feliciano Performing Arts School".

Three songs that have been milestones for Feliciano are, "Light My Fire", which was #1 on the charts in 1968 and according to the song publisher is now a "standard" due to Jose's interpretation. The second is, "Che Sera", a mega success in Europe, Asia and South America and of course, "Feliz Navidad", the Christmas song that has now become a tradition worldwide during the holiday season. In fact, ASCAP has placed this song among the 25 Greatest Holiday Songs of the Century.

Moreover, the world has enjoyed many Feliciano songs, including "Rain", "Chico and the Man", "California Dream'", "Destiny", "Affirmation", "Ay Carino", "Ponte A Cantar", "Cuando El Amor Se Acaba", "Porque Te Tengo Que Olvidar?", and countless others. Feliciano's contributions to the music industry have been far reaching, spanning generations and continents, while emphasizing cultural diversity and mutual acceptance, enhanced significantly by his unsurpassed musical integrity.

Feliciano and his wife, Susan, have been together since 1971. In 1988 they were blessed with a daughter, Melissa Anne, and in 1991 with their first son, Jonathan Jose. In 1995 Jose and Susan had their third child, Michael Julian. They live in a 270 year-old riverfront colonial home in Fairfield County, Connecticut. His passions include writing and recording in his studio, baseball --both playing and listening to it on the radio, and being a dad!.

During mid 1994, Jose charted on Billboard with a dance single called "Goin' Krazy" under the moniker of "JF". This was unprecedented for a classic Pop Artist such as Jose, who had never recorded or released a dance single. The end of 1994 brought one of Jose's greatest honors, an invitation to Rome to star on "Christmas at the Vatican" and to have a private audience with Pope John Paul II.

Likewise, Jose has been part of many historic co-headlining events, where he has shared the stage with other internationally renowned Artists. One such event that Jose enjoyed, occurred during August of 1995. Jose co-headlined with Paul Simon and James Taylor at the internationally acclaimed "Back To The Ranch Benefit" in Long Island for an estimated twelve thousand people. In the past, artists such as Billy Joel and Sting have been invited to perform at this event. Jose was honored in being ranked among the caliber of these past performers, who had been invited to co-headline at this unique benefit.

Throughout 1995, there were numerous television specials in which Jose appeared. He taped a TV special for PBS where he performed with the Puerto Rican Symphony. He traveled throughout the United States, Canada, England, Switzerland, Italy, Vienna, Germany, Poland, Hungary, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Australia, the Philippines, Chile, Argentina and Brazil. Also that year, Jose had a cameo appearance in the Academy Award winning motion picture "Fargo", in which he performed "Let's Find Each Other Tonight", another Feliciano composition.

In 1996, the double album entitled; "Present Tense" was released in Europe. It is a retrospective collection of songs that spans Jose's 30 years in the music industry. The following year, the same recording was released in North America. This release is entitled, "On Second Thought". It has become a popular anthology of Feliciano's best-loved music, to date.

In November of 1997, PolyGram released, "Americano" worldwide and Jose, again, began to tour non-stop in support of this album. It earned Jose his fifteenth Grammy Award nomination while the single, "No Me Mires Asi", reached the Top 10 position in many markets and attained #1 status in New York and Miami.

On September 3rd, 1998, PolyGram released Jose's most important recording in many years entitled, "SENOR BOLERO". This album marked at return to Jose's musical roots. Having revolutionized the sound of the bolero early in his career, Jose rose to a new standard with this classic and very romantic torch song, for which he had long been associated. PolyGram designed an elaborate promotional campaign to underscore this most exciting collection of boleros and has plans on releasing between four to six singles from the album. Public response has been phenomenal, for in the first two weeks of its release; it had out-sold the previous Spanish album, which had already been out for two years. The first single from "Senor Bolero" entitled. "Me Has Achado Al Olvido", shot straight to #1 in New York, Puerto Rico and in countries throughout Central and South America.

In less than six weeks after the release of " Senor Bolero", it has earned its first platinum status in the United States and Puerto Rico. Shortly thereafter, it was nominated by NARAS for "Best Latin Pop Album of The Year", marking Jose's sixteenth Grammy Award nomination. Thus far, "Senor Bolero" has attained double platinum status in the United States, Puerto Rico and Venezuela and Gold status in Mexico, Costa Rica and Argentina.

The Christmas Season of 1998 was particularly festive, as Jose was invited to attend and perform at the 75th Annual "Pageant of Peace" Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in Washington, D.C., along with artists Tony Bennett and opera great, Leona Mitchell. Afterwards, Jose and his family were invited by the President and Mrs. Clinton to attend a Christmas Reception at the White House.

Jose enters the next Millennium with great impact. His record label, Universal/Polygram has released the third single from the "Senor Bolero" CD. This single, entitled, "Cuando Te Toque Llorar", is currently charting around the United States of South America. The next single, which will be released during November of 1999 is entitled, "La Ultima Noche". Jose continues to share the stage with music and film legends and internationally renowned artists. Jose's PBS Television Concert Special, "Jose Felciano – A Legend In Concert" began airing nationwide during August of 1999. In this special, Feliciano sings many of his classic hits and current songs from "Senor Bolero". During the same month, Jose was the co-star of another PBS Television Concert Special entitled The Kennedy Center Presents – "The Americanos Concert" produced by Edward James Olmos, in which Gloria Estefan joins Jose in a duet. Jose was also featured as a special guest performer for "The Holocaust Museum Benefit" in El Paso, Texas, where he shared the stage with keynote speaker – actor/director/producer Christopher Reeves. In addition, Jose, along with Carlos Santana, joined Ricky Martin for the taping of a CBS Television Special, "Ricky Martin Live", airing on November 26, 1999. In addition, Feliciano's voice and guitar will be heard on a major motion picture release, "KNOCK OUT", where Jose performs the movies theme song entitled, "With All My Heart".

During the last two years, Jose had performed over 160 concerts in over 40 countries. In the planning stages are a documentary on the "Life and Music of Jose Feliciano", a home video entitled, "Around The World with Jose Feliciano", a "How To" instructional guitar video, a line of custom made "Jose Feliciano Model" guitars and the opening of the first "Jose Feliciano's" restaurant in Las Vegas. Coffee and fragrance companies are also pursuing him to lend his name to a line of distinctive upper-market products.

Jose has recorded over 65 albums in his impressive career. Still humble with all the success he has had, Jose feels that his career is just beginning and that he has just started to share his talents with the world.