José Vélez

José Velázquez Jiménez was born in Telde, Gran Canaria, in 1951. CanariWiki presents him as José Vélez, a stage name formed from his surnames, and describes his early years singing at family events, neighbourhood festivities and with Trío Maravillas. The same source places his move to Madrid in the late 1960s, after a period performing in Canarian hotels, venues and festivals.

His public projection consolidated in the 1970s. CanariWiki identifies Vino griego as the song that made him an international success after his appearance on Directísimo, and RTVE and the European Broadcasting Union document that he represented Spain at the 1978 Eurovision Song Contest with Bailemos un vals, finishing ninth.

José Vélez’s cultural relevance for the Canary Islands comes from that circulation between Telde, Madrid and international popular-song stages. Telde town council named him Hijo Predilecto in 2010, according to municipal information reported by Europa Press. This profile summarises his place as a cultural figure; repertory, discography and the Latin American stage are developed in his specialised music profile.