Rudy Pérez records new version of 'Feliz Navidad' with 30 music stars as a tribute to Feliciano

December 26, 2020

The Cuban-American producer Rudy Pérez has taken charge of creating a new version of José Feliciano's classic "Feliz Navidad", as a tribute to its author on the 50th anniversary of this composition.

In "Feliz Navidad 50th Anniversary (FN50)", available on Amazon Music, Pérez has brought together 30 stars from various countries in what has become a tribute to Feliciano and the Christmas hymn he composed in 1970.

The roster of participating artists who perform the adaptation in order of appearance are: José Feliciano, CNCO, Isabela Merced, Shaggy, Jon Secada, Jason Mraz, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Rachael Ray, Gloria Gaynor, Big & Rich, Michael Bolton, Los Temerarios, Emmanuel, Isabella Castillo, Jencarlos Canela, Pitingo, Patricia Manterola, Jesús Molina, La India, Julio Iglesias Jr., Tony Carreira, Bertin Osborne, Pablo Montero, El Dasa, Nikki Vianna, Adam Irigoyen, Gord Bamford, Leo Dan, Frankie J, Sam Moore and Styx.

In an interview with Anthem Entertainment, Rudy said: "it is very exciting to be able to do this project in collaboration with my mentor, the legendary José Feliciano, who gave me my first opportunity as a producer and songwriter."

Pérez, a Cuban-American composer, producer, arranger, sound engineer, music director, singer, entrepreneur and philanthropist, was born in Pinar del Río in 1958, and emigrated to the US at age nine, where he has worked with dozens of top artists, has won five Grammys and was the first Latino producer to be recognized by Billboard as producer of the year for four consecutive years.

Pérez met José Feliciano in 1983 and produced his album Ya soy tuyo which relaunched the singer's career. Rudy Pérez has written and produced songs for artists such as Beyoncé, Jennifer López, Julio Iglesias, Christina Aguilera, Luis Miguel, Marc Anthony, Jon Secada, Cyndi Lauper, Roberto Carlos, José Luis Rodriguez (El Puma), Arturo Sandoval, Juan Luis Guerra, among many others.

He is one of the founders of the Latin Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (LARAS), the Latin Grammys and co-founder of the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame. He currently sits on the board of directors of ASCAP (American Society of Composers and Publishers), is the president of Spirit Music Group Miami, as well as director of Classical Crossover of the Miami Symphony Orchestra (MISO).