What is Jose Feliciano’s net worth?
Jose Feliciano, a Puerto Rican composer and guitarist, has amassed a net worth of $8 million throughout his multi-decade musical career that began in the 1960s. He gained prominence in the US with his first two folk-pop soul albums and went on to work with notable artists such as Quincy Jones, Frank Sinatra, and Diana Ross.
Feliciano’s rendition of “Feliz Navidad” remains one of the best-selling and most-played Christmas songs of all time. In addition to his music career, Feliciano guest-starred in numerous TV sitcoms and appeared on albums of artists such as Bill Withers, John Lennon, and Joni Mitchell.
Throughout the 80s, Feliciano continued to produce Latin hits, earning him a string of Grammy awards and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Early Life and Musical Passion
Jose Feliciano was born on September 10, 1945, in Lares, Puerto Rico. He was born blind due to congenital glaucoma, and at the age of five, his family moved to Spanish Harlem in New York City. Feliciano’s musical talent was evident at age 7 when he taught himself to play the accordion. He later learned to play the guitar and spent up to 14 hours a day practicing. He took classical guitar lessons from Harold Morris, a staff music teacher at The Light House School for the Blind in New York City. Feliciano also began singing and drew inspiration from singers like Ray Charles and Sam Cooke. He left high school at 17 to help support his family and started playing music in coffee houses around the city.
José Feliciano’s Music Career
José Feliciano’s first professional contract was with The Retort in Detroit, Michigan. He returned to New York to continue building his career and was eventually signed by Jack Somer at RCA Victor. He released his first single, “Everybody Do the Click,” in 1964, which became popular in the Philippines. Two albums followed in 1965 and 1966, titled “The Voice and Guitar of José Feliciano” and “A Bag Full of Soul.”
While performing at a festival in Mar del Platta, Argentina in 1966, RCA Victor executives were impressed and asked Feliciano to stay in Argentina to record an album in Spanish. This resulted in an album featuring two hit singles, “Poquita Fe” and “Usted.” Feliciano continued to produce successful singles, albums, and gold records throughout Latin America and within Hispanic communities in the United States.
Jose Feliciano’s Music Career
In 1968, Jose Feliciano recorded the hit album “Feliciano!” with RCA Victor producer Rick Jarrard, which included a cover of the Doors’ “Light My Fire” and “California Dreamin” on the B-side. The album was a huge success, and Feliciano won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist of the Year and Best Pop Male Performance. He went on to record two more gold-certified albums with Jarrard, work on movie soundtracks, and appear on U.S. television shows performing duets with famous singers.
Feliciano has released over fifty albums worldwide in both Spanish and English languages, exploring various styles like Latin, jazz, soul, rock, and blues. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, was inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame and the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame, and was awarded the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2018, he celebrated the 50th anniversary of the release of “Feliciano!” and was honored in his homeland of Puerto Rico.
Feliz Navidad: A Christmas Classic
In 1970, Jose Feliciano released a Christmas album that featured an original track he wrote and composed in just a few minutes – “Feliz Navidad.” The song quickly became a massive hit and is now one of the most played and downloaded Christmas songs worldwide. It has been featured in countless movies and TV shows, is recognized as one of the 25 all-time most-played Christmas songs in the world, and is in the Grammy Hall of Fame. As a result, Jose likely earns hundreds of thousands of dollars in royalties from “Feliz Navidad” every year.
For comparison, Mariah Carey earns an estimated $600,000 – $1.2 million per year in royalties from “All I Want For Christmas.”
Marriages and Family
Jose Feliciano has been married twice. His first marriage to Janne Perez ended in 1978. He married his second wife, Susan Omillian, in 1982. The two had met years earlier while Feliciano had still been married to Perez. Omillian was an art student in Detroit at the time of their original meeting. They began dating while Feliciano was still married and dated for a total of 11 years before their marriage.
Together, they have two sons and one daughter.
Jose’s Primary Home in Weston Connecticut
In 1990, Jose Feliciano purchased a 2-acre estate in Weston Connecticut for $1.25 million. This remains his primary residence.
