Seven Days: Vermont's Independent Voice

Próspero Año y Felicidad

José Feliciano has been wishing crowds a heartfelt “Merry Christmas” for nearly 50 years. The Puerto Rican guitarist was only 23 when he soared to fame after releasing a Latin-style cover of The Doors’ “Light My Fire.” Two years later, the pop virtuoso wrote a holiday album containing “Feliz Navidad,” and the rest is history — it’s now one of the 25 all-time most played Christmas songs in the world. Along the way, Feliciano became the first “crossover artist” to make both the Latin and mainstream Anglophone airwaves, paving the way for Gloria Estefan, Ricky Martin and Enrique Iglesias. Born blind as a result of congenital glaucoma, Feliciano also gets cred for being the first musician to perform a stylized version of “The Star Spangled Banner.” Hear the legend in person at the Paramount.