Feliciano to Record Elvis-Tribute Album

He recently joined voices with Jencarlos Canela to release a Spanish version of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”… And, now Jose Feliciano is preparing to tackle the music of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.

The 66-year-old Puerto Rican singer-songwriter will release an entire album dedicated to Elvis Presley.

Jose Feliciano

In an interview with Efe, the legendary “Feliz Navidad” singer decided to record the new album because he’d followed Presley’s music since he was 11, while living in New York after his parents moved there from Lares, Puerto Rico.

Feliciano, who says he’s recorded eight of the 12 songs on the album in the studio at his home, says he also identified with Presley because both were born in poverty.

While living in the Big Apple, Feliciano became an Elvis fan without forgetting his roots. He still loved the music of Puerto Rican artists like Tito Rodriguez, Davilita, Felipe Rodriguez and Johnny Albino.

“I have a tremendous musical education because I listened to all of those together,” said Feliciano, who recently performed at the celebration of Presley’s birth in Memphis.

In addition, Feliciano said he was “happy” to receive the San Sebastian National Prize this past Thursday in Old San Juan “for his musical career on the world level for more than five decades.”

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