Vern Oblisk:

Jose Feliciano

Feliz Navidad

José Montserrate Feliciano García was born September 10, 1945 in Puerto Rico. He was born permanently blind due to congenital glaucoma. At five, his family moved to Spanish Harlem, New York City and, at age nine, he played on the Teatro Puerto Rico. He started his musical life playing accordion until his grandfather gave him a guitar. He reputedly sat by himself in his room for up to 14 hours a day to listen to 1950s rock albums, classical guitarists such as Andrés Segovia, and jazz players such as Wes Montgomery. He later had classical lessons with Harold Morris who earlier had been a student with Segovia. At 17, he quit school to play in clubs, having his first professional, contracted performance in Detroit.

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