José Feliciano

José Feliciano (born September 10, 1945 in Lares) is a Puerto Rican singer. A victim of congenital glaucoma, he was left permanently blind at birth. Feliciano overcame the effects of his handicap to score many international hits.

José Feliciano (born September 10, 1945 in Lares) is a Puerto Rican singer. A victim of congenital glaucoma, he was left permanently blind at birth. Feliciano overcame the effects of his handicap to score many international hits.

He was first exposed to music at age 3. At five, his family moved to Spanish Harlem, New York City. At age 9, he played on the Teatro Puerto Rico. He could play various instruments (such as the accordion) by then but he wanted to learn to play the guitar. To learn, he locked himself in his room for up to 14 hours a day to listen to 1950s rock albums, and had assistance from Harold Morris.