Cheo Feliciano (3 July 1935 – 17 April 2014) was a Puerto Rican

singer Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or witho ...

and composer of

salsa Salsa most often refers to: * Salsa (Mexican cuisine), a variety of sauces used as condiments * Salsa music, a popular style of Latin American music * Salsa (dance), a Latin dance associated with Salsa music Salsa or SALSA may also refer to: A ...

and

bolero Bolero is a genre of song which originated in eastern Cuba in the late 19th century as part of the trova tradition. Unrelated to the older Spanish dance of the same name, bolero is characterized by sophisticated lyrics dealing with love. It ha ...

music. Feliciano was the owner of a recording company called "Coche Records". He was the first tropical singer to perform at the "Amira de la Rosa Theater" in

Barranquilla Barranquilla () is the capital district of Atlántico Department in Colombia. It is located near the Caribbean Sea and is the largest city and third port in the Caribbean Coast region; as of 2018 it had a population of 1,206,319, making it Col ...

, Colombia, and in 1987 he played the role of

Roberto Clemente Roberto Enrique Clemente Walker (; August 18, 1934 – December 31, 1972) was a Puerto Ricans, Puerto Rican professional baseball right fielder who played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates. After his early dea ...

's father in the musical ''Clemente''.

Early years

Feliciano (birth name: José Luis Feliciano Vega) was born in

Ponce, Puerto Rico Ponce (, , , ) is both a city and a municipality on the southern coast of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government. Ponce, Puerto Rico's most populated city outside the San Juan metropolitan area, was founded on 12 August 16 ...

, where he was raised and educated. His parents were Prudencio Feliciano and Crescencia Vega. As a child, he was nicknamed "Cheo" by his family - a colloquial version of his name José, normally used by close friends and family. However, the name stuck and became part of his everyday name (using the nickname avoided confusion with

José Feliciano José Montserrate Feliciano García (born September 10, 1945) () is a Puerto Rican musician, singer and composer. He recorded many international hits, including his rendition of the Doors' "Light My Fire" and his self-penned Christmas song " F ...

, another major Puerto Rican singer to whom he is not related). At a young age he was influenced by the bolero music of the

Trio Los Panchos Originally, Trio Los Panchos are a ''trío romántico'' formed in New York City in 1944 by Alfredo Gil, Chucho Navarro, and Hernando Avilés. The trio became one of the leading exponents of the bolero and the romantic ballad in Latin America. I ...

. When he was only eight years old he formed his first group with his friends and named it "El Combo Las Latas". They were so poor that their musical instruments were made out of cans. After finishing his primary education, Feliciano attended the Escuela Libre de Música Juan Morel Campos in Ponce, where he studied percussion.Interview
Descarga.com. Accessed 17 April 2014
Archived
on 22 February 2014.Biodata
aol.com; accessed 17 April 2014.Profile
salsaclasica.com; accessed 17 April 2014.

Musical career and singing debut

In 1952, Feliciano moved with his family to

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...

and settled down in

Spanish Harlem East Harlem, also known as Spanish Harlem or and historically known as Italian Harlem, is a neighborhood of Upper Manhattan, New York City, roughly encompassing the area north of the Upper East Side and bounded by 96th Street to the south, F ...

. Here he auditioned as a percussionist in the "Ciro Rimac's Review" band - giving him his first professional musical job.

Bandleader A bandleader is the leader of a music group such as a rock or pop band or jazz quartet. The term is most commonly used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhythm and blues o ...

Tito Rodríguez Pablo Rodríguez Lozada (January 4, 1923 – February 28, 1973), better known as Tito Rodríguez, was a Puerto Rican singer and bandleader. He started his career singing under the tutelage of his brother, Johnny Rodríguez. In the 1940s, both m ...

, heard Feliciano play and offered him a job in his

orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, c ...

. He accepted, but after playing for some time with Tito, he left the band to play the

conga The conga, also known as tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed drum from Cuba. Congas are staved like barrels and classified into three types: quinto (lead drum, highest), tres dos or tres golpes (middle), and tumba or salidor (lowest ...

for Luis Cruz. Despite leaving, he always remained on friendly terms with Tito. Feliciano also played percussion for Kako y su Trabuco orchestra. He was also a

roadie The road crew (or roadies) are the technicians or support personnel who travel with a band on tour, usually in sleeper buses, and handle every part of the concert productions except actually performing the music with the musicians. This ca ...

for

Mon Rivera Mon Rivera is the common name given to two distinct Puerto Rican musicians (both born in Mayagüez), namely Monserrate Rivera Alers (originally nicknamed Rate, later referred to as "Don Mon", or Mon The Elder, and sometimes erroneously credite ...

. In 1955, Rodríguez found out that

Joe Cuba Joe Cuba (April 22, 1931 – February 15, 2009), was an American conga drummer of Puerto Rican descent widely regarded as the "Father of Latin Boogaloo". Early years Joe Cuba (birth name: Gilberto Miguel Calderón) was born in Harlem, New York ...

was in need of a singer for his sextet. Aware that Feliciano was also a talented singer, he recommended Cuba that he try out for the position. Feliciano auditioned and became a vocalist for the Joe Cuba Sextet. He was the rare baritone among salsa singers, and his deep voice and quick wit as an improviser made him a favorite among the Latino public. On October 5, 1957, Feliciano made his professional singing debut with the Joe Cuba Sextet, singing the song "Perfidia". He remained with the sextet for 10 years. In 1967, he joined the Eddie Palmieri Orchestra and sang for them for two years. However, at the same time he began using drugs at 21 years old. His increasing

addiction Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to engage in certain behaviors, one of which is the usage of a drug, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repetitive drug use oft ...

led him to heroin, which in turn threatened his life and career. He decided to quit drugs "cold turkey" and eventually joined Puerto Rico's rehabilitation center,

Hogares CREA Hogar CREA is an international drug rehabilitation institution founded in Puerto Rico. It is often referred to in the plural, Hogares CREA. History In 1968, José Juan García founded Hogar CREA. The acronym is for a Spanish phrase, meaning ' ...

. Feliciano credits

Tite Curet Alonso Catalino "Tite" Curet Alonso (February 26, 1926 – August 5, 2003) was a Puerto Rican composer of over 2,000 salsa songs. Early years Curet Alonso (birth name: Catalino Curet Alonso) was born in Guayama, a town located in the southern region ...

, the author of most of his hits and his best friend, with pushing him through his rehabilitation. As a result, he was a vehement anti-drug spokesperson, who volunteered to assist in the rehabilitation of fellow salsa artists who fell prey to drug addiction.

Return to music

In 1971, Feliciano came back to music with the album ''Cheo'', his first solo recording. The album, which featured compositions by Feliciano's friend Tite Curet, broke all sales records in the Latino music market. The album included: *"

Anacaona Anacaona (1474?–1504), or Golden Flower, was a Taíno cacica, or female ''cacique'' (chief), religious expert, poet and composer born in Xaragua. Before the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492, Ayiti or Quisqueya to the Taínos (the Spaniar ...

" and *"Mi Triste Problema" During the 1970s, Feliciano recorded fifteen albums for Fania Record Co. and had hits with "Amada Mia" and "Juan Albañil". He also recorded one of his first albums

music titled ''La Voz Sensual de Cheo''. The album was recorded in Argentina, with a band directed by

Jorge Calandrelli Jorge Calandrelli is an Argentinian-born composer, arranger and conductor known for his work with Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Arturo Sandoval, Yo-Yo Ma, Tony Bennett, Elton John, Lady Gaga and John Legend. He has won 6 Grammy Awards and has rece ...

. Feliciano also participated in the first salsa

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libre ...

''Hommy''. In 1982, Feliciano started his own recording company called "Coche Records". In 1984, he was honored by artists like

Rubén Blades Rubén Blades Bellido de Luna (born July 16, 1948), known professionally as Rubén Blades (, but in Panama and within the family), is a Panamanian musician, singer, composer, actor, activist, and politician, performing musically most often in th ...

and

in a concert entitled ''Tribute to Cheo Feliciano''. The next year, he became the first tropical singer to perform at the Amira de la Rosa Theater in

, Colombia. In 1987, he landed the role of

's father in the musical ''Clemente''. Feliciano also became a hit in Spain, and was a regular in the Tenerife Carnival. He also sang in the 1992 Universal Exposition in

Seville Seville (; es, Sevilla, ) is the capital and largest city of the Spanish autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the River Guadalquivir, in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsul ...

. In 1990, Feliciano recorded another album of

music, titled ''Los Feelings de Cheo''. He also traveled all over Europe, Japan, Africa, and South America. In Venezuela, he had a reunion with Eddie Palmieri. In 1995, Feliciano won a Platinum Record Award for ''La Combinación Perfecta''. In 2000, Feliciano recorded ''Una Voz, Mil Recuerdos'' as a tribute to various Puerto Rican singers. The album was listed among the 20 outstanding recordings of the year by the National Foundation of the Popular Culture of Puerto Rico. In 2002, he recorded ''Cheo en la Intimidad''. In 2012, Feliciano and

Ruben Blades Reuben or Reuven is a Biblical male first name from Hebrew רְאוּבֵן (Re'uven), meaning "behold, a son". In the Bible, Reuben was the firstborn son of Jacob. Variants include Rúben in European Portuguese; Rubens in Brazilian Portuguese ...

released a collaboration album titled ''Eba Say Aja'' where both artists performed each other's previously recorded songs. In the same year, Feliciano became part of

Sergio George Sergio George (born May 23, 1961) is an American pianist, arranger, and record producer, known for working with many famous performers of salsa music, although he has worked in other genres of the music industry as well. He has worked with some ...

's group called Salsa Giants whom he was touring with at the time of his death. Feliciano was very active and continued traveling and performing all over the world until his last day.

Personal life

Feliciano met Socorro "Cocó" Prieto León in New York, when she was 15 years old. They married on October 5, 1958 and had four children together. Feliciano dedicated his 1993 album, ''Motivos'', to his wife.

Health

In June 2013, Feliciano confirmed that he was suffering from

liver cancer Liver cancer (also known as hepatic cancer, primary hepatic cancer, or primary hepatic malignancy) is cancer that starts in the liver. Liver cancer can be primary (starts in liver) or secondary (meaning cancer which has spread from elsewhere to th ...

and was already undergoing

chemotherapy Chemotherapy (often abbreviated to chemo and sometimes CTX or CTx) is a type of cancer treatment that uses one or more anti-cancer drugs (chemotherapeutic agents or alkylating agents) as part of a standardized chemotherapy regimen. Chemothe ...

. Doctors discovered the illness when they were treating him for a dislocated shoulder. Early in 2014, Feliciano celebrated being "cancer-free".

Death

Feliciano died in the early hours of 17 April 2014 in a single car accident on Highway 176 in the

San Juan San Juan, Spanish for Saint John, may refer to: Places Argentina * San Juan Province, Argentina * San Juan, Argentina, the capital of that province * San Juan, Salta, a village in Iruya, Salta Province * San Juan (Buenos Aires Underground), ...

’s

barrio ''Barrio'' () is a Spanish word that means " quarter" or " neighborhood". In the modern Spanish language, it is generally defined as each area of a city, usually delimited by functional (e.g. residential, commercial, industrial, etc.), social, a ...

Cupey Cupey is one of the 18 barrios of the municipality of San Juan, Puerto Rico located in the mountainous area of the municipality. It is the largest barrio or district in the San Juan and the third most populous with 36,058 inhabitants according t ...

, after losing control of his vehicle and hitting a concrete

utility pole A utility pole is a column or post typically made out of wood used to support overhead power lines and various other public utilities, such as electrical cable, fiber optic cable, and related equipment such as transformers and street lights. It c ...

. His wife, Coco, told reporters that Feliciano did not like to wear a seat belt. Puerto Rico Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla declared three days of mourning. A memorial service in honor of Feliciano was held at the

Roberto Clemente Coliseum Roberto Clemente Coliseum ( Spanish: ''Coliseo Roberto Clemente'') is a sports and concert arena located in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It was, for many years, Puerto Rico's largest indoor event facility, and remains one of the largest. General info ...

on 20 April 2014. The service was attended by thousands of people from all over the island. Many fellow artists paid their respects to Feliciano with songs and by keeping guard by Feliciano's coffin. Artists and groups like

Danny Rivera Danny Rivera (born 27 February 1945) is a singer and songwriter born in San Juan whose career spans nearly 50 years. He is well known in Puerto Rico for his political activism. In 2008, Rivera acquired Dominican Republic citizenship. After 12 ye ...

José Nogueras José Nogueras (born 1951, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico) is a composer, music producer, singer, guitarist, and performer of modern-day Puerto Rican music. Early Years At the age of eight, he came to reside in the city of Río Piedras, during his ...

Fania All-Stars The Fania All-Stars is a musical group formed in 1968 as a showcase for the musicians on Fania Records, the leading salsa music record label of the time. History Beginnings In 1964, Fania Records was founded in New York City by Jerry Masucci ...

Gilberto Santa Rosa Gilberto Santa Rosa Cortés, nicknamed "El Caballero de la Salsa" (The Gentleman of Salsa) (born August 21, 1962), is a Puerto Rican bandleader and singer of salsa and bolero. He is a six time Grammy Award winner and has sold over three millio ...

Víctor Manuelle Víctor Manuel Ruiz Velázquez (born September 27, 1968), known professionally as Víctor Manuelle, is an American salsa musician, known to his fans as ''El Sonero de la Juventud'' ("The Singer Of Youths"). He is identified primarily with '' ...

Andy Montañez Andrés Montañez Rodríguez (born May 7, 1942), better known as Andy Montañez, is a Puerto Rican singer and songwriter. Early life Montañez is a native of the ''Tras Talleres'' area of Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico. He is known by the nic ...

, and

Tito Nieves Humberto "Tito" Nieves (born June 4, 1959; also known "El Pavarotti de la Salsa") is a Puerto Rican musician who became one of the leading salsa singers of the 1980s and the early 1990s. Born in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico, and raised in the Unit ...

were present. The next day, his body was taken to the city of

Ponce Ponce may refer to: *Ponce (surname) * *Ponce, Puerto Rico, a city in Puerto Rico ** Ponce High School ** Ponce massacre, 1937 * USS ''Ponce'', several ships of the US Navy *Manuel Ponce, a Mexican composer active in the 20th century * British sla ...

, where he was born. A public service was held at the

Ponce Convention Center Complejo Ferial de Puerto Rico, is a 3,000-seat indoor arena and convention center in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It is intended to be used primarily for trade shows, conventions and sporting events. It opened in June, 2012. One of the first pre-ina ...

, led by Governor

Alejandro García Padilla Alejandro Javier García Padilla (; born August 3, 1971) is a Puerto Rican politician and attorney who served as the governor of Puerto Rico from 2013 to 2017. Prior to this position, García Padilla held various roles in the politics of Pu ...

and Mayor María "Mayita" Meléndez. After that, a private ceremony was held for the family and close friends inside La Piedad Cemetery. Although the public was not allowed entrance at first, the gates were opened once the family finished their memorial. Feliciano's petition was to be buried at the

Panteón Nacional Román Baldorioty de Castro The Panteón Nacional Román Baldorioty de Castro (English: Román Baldorioty de Castro National Pantheon) is a tract of land in Barrio Segundo of the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico, originally designed as the city's cemetery, but later converted ...

. Puerto Rico Department of Health does not allow for burials at the Panteon, but

interment Burial, also known as interment or inhumation, is a method of final disposition whereby a dead body is placed into the ground, sometimes with objects. This is usually accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing the deceased and objec ...

of remains are permitted after five years. Ponce Mayor Maria Melendez stated she would issue a municipal order to transfer Feliciano's remains to the Panteon, if possible after one year.

Influence

Through his career, Feliciano was recognized as a pioneer in the

genre, and many artists considered him an influence.

, Alex D'Castro, Jerry Rivas (of

El Gran Combo El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, commonly known as El Gran Combo, is a Puerto Rican salsa orchestra based in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2012, it was often considered Puerto Rico's most successful musical group. The ...

) and his friend Gerardo (of NG2) are among some of the singers that mentioned Feliciano as an influence. Rivas referred to him as "my inspiration", while Blades has admitted that he began his career copying Feliciano's style and tone.

Discography

with Joe Cuba Sextet

*''Cha Cha Cha's To Soothe The Savage Beast'' (1958) *''Steppin' Out'' (1962) *''Hangin' Out'' (1963) *''Diggin' the Most'' (1963) *''El Alma Del Barrio'' (1964) *''We Must Be Doing Something Right'' (1965) *''Comin' at You'' (1965) *''Bailadores'' (1965) *''Red Hot and Cha Cha'' (1966)

With Eddie Palmieri

*''

Champagne Champagne (, ) is a sparkling wine originated and produced in the Champagne wine region of France under the rules of the appellation, that demand specific vineyard practices, sourcing of grapes exclusively from designated places within it, ...

'' (1968); *''

Eddie Palmieri Eddie Palmieri (born December 15, 1936) is an American Grammy Award-winning pianist, bandleader, musician, and composer of Puerto Rican ancestry. He is the founder of the bands La Perfecta, La Perfecta II, and Harlem River Drive. Early life Pal ...

'' (1981)

Solo

*''Cheo'' (1971) *''La Voz Sensual de Cheo'' (1972) *''Felicidades'' (1973) *''With a Little Help from My Friend'' (1973) *''Looking for Love'' (1974) *''The Singer'' (1976) *''Mi tierra y yo'' (1977) *''Estampas'' (1979) *''Sentimiento, tú'' (1980) *''Profundo'' (1982) *''Regresa el amor'' (1985) *''Sabor y sentimiento'' (1987) *''Te regalo mi sabor criollo'' (1987) *''Como tú lo Pediste'' (1988) *''Los Feelings de Cheo'' (1990) *''Cantando'' (1991) *''Motivos'' (1993) *''Soñar'' (1996) *''Un Solo Beso'' (1996) *''El Eterno Enamorado'' (1997) *''Cheo en Cuba'' (1997) *''Pinceladas Navideñas'' (1998) *''Una voz... Mil recuerdos'' (1999) *''En la Intimidad'' (2002) *''Salsa Caliente De Nu York'' (2003) *''Romántico'' (2004) *''Navidad más excelente de Cheo Feliciano'' (2005) *''Pura salsa'' (2006) *''La herencia'' (2007) *''A Man And His Music'' (2009) *''Historia de la salsa'' (2009)

Popular singles

*"A las Seis" (1962), *"El Pito" (1967) *"Busca lo Tuyo" (1968), Eddie Palmieri *"Anacaona" (1971) *"Mi Triste Problema" (1971) *"Salomé" (1973) *"Nabori" (1973) *"Mapeye" (1973) *"El Ratón" (1974), Fania All Stars *"Canta" (1976) *"Los Entierros" (1979) *"Amada Mía" (1980) *"Juan Albañil" (1980) *"Sobre Una Tumba Humilde" (1980) *"Ritmo Alegre" (1981), Eddie Palmieri *"Trizas" (1982) *"Yo No Soy Un Ángel" (1991) *"Mentiras" (1991)

Awards and recognitions

* 1975 - The Golden Cup - Venezuela * 1976 - "Most Popular Artist" by ''Latin New York'' magazine * 1977 - ''Daily News'' Front Page Award for "Best Latin Vocalist" * 1985 - Owl of Gold (

Panama Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Co ...

); The Silver Chin Award (

Miami, Florida Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at th ...

)' Golden Agueybana Award (Puerto Rico) * 1983 & 1984 - Honorable Son of Ponce * 1999 - A tribute in his honor from the Puerto Rican Senate * 2008 - June 20 declared Cheo Feliciano Day in New York City * 2008 -

Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award The Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award is an honor presented annually by the Latin Recording Academy, the same organization that distributes the Latin Grammy Awards, to commend performers "who have made contributions of outstanding artistic ...

* In Ponce, he is recognized at the Park for the Illustrious Ponce Citizens.Profile
travelponce.com; Retrieved 3 October 2013.

Notes

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Feliciano, Cheo 1935 births 2014 deaths Burials at Panteón Nacional Román Baldorioty de Castro 20th-century Puerto Rican male singers Puerto Rican male composers Salsa musicians Singers from Ponce Fania Records artists Road incident deaths in Puerto Rico Universal Music Latino artists Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners RMM Records artists Latin music songwriters People from East Harlem