Billboard and Telemundo announced today that internationally renowned singer José Feliciano, will be honored with the first ever Billboard Legend Award during the 2022 Billboard Latin Music Awards, which will broadcast live on Telemundo on Thursday, September 29th at 7pm/6c from the Watsco Center in Miami, Florida. The coveted event will also be simulcast on the Hispanic entertainment cable channel, Universo, Peacock, the Telemundo App, and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean on Telemundo Internacional.
José Feliciano will become the first artist to receive the Billboard Legend Award, created to honor artists with a career and personality that are larger than life. A person whose contribution to music makes them a household name and who maintains a career that has withstood the test of time.
José Monserrate Feliciano García, better known as José Feliciano, is an international music pioneer with a 60-year career. He created a unique style of his own and is recognized as the first Latin artist to successfully cross over into the English music market, opening the doors to other generations of artists.
He is considered a virtuoso performer of the Spanish guitar, and with his powerful and unmistakable voice has successfully transited through genres such as pop, rock, soul, jazz, ballad, bolero, mariachi, and bachata, publishing over 600 songs, composing 100 and recording more than 60 albums. His record sales are estimated at 50 million copies.
José Feliciano‘s name is synonymous with an international presence that has influenced popular music for more than five generations and has united musical styles in a way that has never been equaled. He was also the first person to publicly stylize the American national anthem in 1968, resulting in his version making its way to the American pop music charts for the first time in its history.
His interpretations of songs such as “Feliz Navidad,” “Light My Fire,” and “Que Será” are unmistakable and endure through generations. Other songs of his such as “Paso La Vida Pensando,” “Me Has Echado Al Olvido,” and “Para Decir Adiós” are part of the Latin American songbook.
Born in Lares, Puerto Rico, and settling with his family in New York at the age of five, José Feliciano was playing the concertina and accordion by the age of six, then studied guitar briefly with Harold Morris and by the age of 17 was playing in Greenwich Village clubs, the same venues as Bob Dylan and Joan Baez. He recorded his first album in 1964 when he was 19 and by the age of 22, he was already one of the best-selling recording artists. Since then, he has achieved 45 Gold and Platinum Records.
Feliciano, who was born blind, is considered a multi-award-winning bilingual icon who remains relevant in both English and Spanish-speaking cultures. He has performed with Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Helen Hayes, Barry Manilow, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Paul Simon, James Taylor, and Michael Jackson; and for Presidents Ronald Reagan, Barack Obama, and François Mitterrand; and three Popes: John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis.
The artist signed to Anthem Records is still going strong and has a new album coming out this fall. Last year the label celebrated the 50th anniversary of the release of his iconic holiday anthem “Feliz Navidad,” which at the time earned him his second top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This milestone was marked with a special performance on Jimmy Fallon’s “Late Night Show,” as well as the release of a special celebratory re-recording of the holiday classic, dubbed “Feliz Navidad 50th Anniversary (FN50),” produced and directed by Helen Murphy and Rudy Perez and featuring 30 international artists. Throughout his career, Feliciano‘s gifts of time, treasure and talent have earned him a reputation as a great humanitarian and goodwill ambassador throughout the world.
Next week, the critically acclaimed documentary, “José Feliciano — Behind This Guitar” will be released on September 29th on Peacock in the U.S. The documentary is produced and directed by Helen Murphy, Frank Licari, and co-directed by Khoa Le. The film is executive produced by Emilio and Gloria Estefan, Carlos Santana, and Rudy Perez, and chronicles the performer’s 60-year career. Watch the trailer HERE.
The awards coincide with Billboard Latin Music Week, which returns to Miami Sept. 26 — Oct. 1, 2022, celebrating Latin music, culture, and entertainment all week long with exclusive performances, one-of-a-kind conversations, workshops, showcases and exclusive fan experiences. Learn more about Billboard Latin Music Week and register at billboardlatinmusicweek.com.
For the latest news, follow the awards show on Telemundo.com/PremiosBillboard and on social media:
- Facebook: @LatinBillboards
- Twitter: @LatinBillboards
- Instagram: @LatinBillboards
- YouTube: TLMDentretenimiento
- TikTok: @Telemundo
- Join the conversation: #Billboards2022
More about 2022 Billboard Latin Music Awards:
Nicky Jam will receive the Billboard Hall of Fame Award
Christina Aguilera will be recognized with the Billboard Spirit of Hope Award
No te pierdas el especial Billboard Mujeres Latinas en la Música