'Feliz Navidad' Singer Stunned by Song's Success

Dec. 25, 2006 — -- Jose Feliciano is considered the first Hispanic to successfully cross over to the mainstream American music market with his Grammy-winning 1968 album "Feliciano!" Today he's still a hit in Spanish and in English.

In fact, his bi-cultural Christmas classic, "Feliz Navidad," first released 35 years ago, is one of the most downloaded songs on iTunes this holiday season.

When Feliciano wrote "Feliz Navidad," he never imagined it would become such a holiday standard, he said on ABC News Now's Hispanic news program, "Exclusiva."

"I thought that places like that were only reserved for songs like 'White Christmas' or 'The Christmas Song.' I never thought that I'd be counted in the same league," he said. "I'm very surprised that this song has gotten so big."

Feliciano, 61, was born blind in Puerto Rico, one of 11 boys growing up in a poor family, but the gift of a guitar changed his life forever.

"It was a wonderful gift, because I had been wanting a guitar for a very long time," Feliciano said. "My father couldn't afford it, so a friend of my father's gave me my first guitar. It's been my passport to travel. That's what I always say."

Feliciano is a living Latin legend. The acclaimed guitarist has earned more than 45 gold and platinum records and six Grammy awards.

Inspired by musicians like Duke Ellington, Miles Davis and Chet Baker, Feliciano is now in awe of two up and coming musicians -- his sons, Jonathon, 15, who Feliciano calls "a fabulous drummer," and Michael, 11, a bass player.

"He blows me away all the time," the proud father said. "I don't know if they want to have a career in music, so for now, we're enjoying being Two Kids and a Blind Guy," the band Feliciano and his sons recently started.

Feliciano's latest work is a Spanish-language album called "Jose Feliciano, Y Amigos," which includes duets with Mark Anthony and Latin stars like Lupillo Rivera and Luis Fonsi.

In February, he plans to release a new English-language CD called "Soundtracks of My Life."