“Feliz Navidad” Inducted Into the Grammy Hall of Fame!

THE RECORDING ACADEMY® ANNOUNCES
2010 GRAMMY HALL OF FAME® INDUCTEES
Selections Represent Some of Music’s Lasting and Legendary Recordings

The Recording Academy® announced the newest additions to its GRAMMY Hall Of Fame®, adding 25 recordings to a timeless list that now includes 851 titles. The Hall Of Fame serves as a celebration and reminder of the triumphs and achievements of the recording arts. Selections are drawn from all categories of music, acknowledging the diversity of musical expression for which The Recording Academy has become renowned. The list and recordings now reside as a collection on display at the GRAMMY Museum®.

“This year’s GRAMMY Hall Of Fame inductees highlight a diverse array of masterpiece recordings that have had a profound impact on our musical history,” said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy. “The selections are timeless staples that span six decades and represent a wide range of genres from comedy to rock, reggae, jazz and R&B. They all greatly deserve to be memorialized.”

The selected recordings range from 1923’s “Dipper Mouth Blues” by King Oliver & His Jazz Band to 1977’s “Birdland” by Weather Report. Other recordings also chosen this year include Louis Armstrong’s “Lazy River,” the Beach Boys’ “California Girls,” James Brown’s “It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World,” George’s Carlin’s Class Clown, the Doors’ “Riders On The Storm,” Jose Feliciano’s “Feliz Navidad,” and Bob Marley & The Wailers’ Catch A Fire. Other artists with selections include the Isley Brothers, Bo Diddley, Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, Mahalia Jackson, Harry James & His Orchestra, Janis Joplin, Johnny Mercer, Jelly Roll Morton, and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.

The Recording Academy’s National Trustees established the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in 1973 to honor recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance that are at least 25 years old. Hall Of Fame recordings are reviewed annually by a special member committee of eminent and knowledgeable professionals from all branches of the recording arts, and final approval is made by The Recording Academy Trustees.

In reaction to the honor Feliciano said, “It’s really amazing to consider how a little song of mine could impact the Holiday traditions for generations of families around the world as Feliz Navidad. I’ve watched this happen for years and it just staggers me. I’m very grateful for it.”

As importantly, Jose especially wants to acknowledge the producer who originally recorded “Feliz Navidad” with him, Mr. Rick Jarrard. Jose and Rick have maintained a special relationship over the years, more than just business; very personal, very profound and it endures to this day. It was Rick who saw Jose’s great potential and genius ability as well as poetic commercialism in the recording studio, so during a session in the creating of their now famous Christmas album of 1970, Rick said to Jose, “Hey Man, why don’t you write a new Christmas song to add to our album, whaddya say?” And “Feliz Navidad” was born…

• Posted by josenews at 20:32:08 in Archives