Cheo Feliciano
José Luis 'Cheo' Feliciano started as a valet and drummer for New York Latin bands before becoming lead vocalist of the Joe Cuba Sextet, whose late-1960s boogaloo hits made him a star of the Nuyorican scene. He overcame heroin addiction to launch a solo career on Fania Records in the 1970s, becoming one of salsa's most soulful sonero voices until his death in 2014.
the sound in question
1971
AnacaonaCheo Feliciano
we haven’t charted Cheo Feliciano yet
this stretch of the river isn’t mapped. we trace the watershed one artist at a time — and we’re always heading further upstream.