Ke baby boomer o Gen X o millennial o Gen Z, kilala si Jose Mari Chan.
Binansagan siyang King of Philippine Christmas Carols dahil sa mahabang panahon, hudyat ang kanyang mga Christmas songs na holiday season na.
Taun-taon tuwing dumarating ang Ber months, maririnig sa mga radyo at public places ang mga pinasikat niyang Christmas songs, kagaya ng "Christmas In Our Hearts," "A Perfect Christmas," "When A Child Is Born," at marami pang iba.
Read:
Did you know: Lea Salonga almost sang “Christmas in Our Hearts" with Jose Mari Chan
Did you know “A Perfect Christmas” was written by Jose Mari Chan in two days?
Pero pagtutuwid ng respetadong singer, "No, you know I’m not the King of Christmas Carol.
"It just so happened that my 33-year-old Christmas song has been handed down to generations, so that even young people now knows the song.
"I am very blessed."
Ganito rin ang sinabi niya nung tinawag siyang Father of Philippine Christmas Music noong 2018.
Read: Jose Mari Chan, ayaw tanggapin ang titulong Father of Philippine Christmas Music
JOSE MARIE CHAN AS A MEME
Sa edad din niyang 78, aba, effortless ang pagti-trending niya sa social media as a meme.
Aniya, "I feel very complimented. But most importantly, I feel blessed that my song has lived on all these years.
"God-willing, they will be remembered and sang long after I’m gone."
Bihira ang veteran singers na kilala ng mga millennials at zoomers.
At bagamat sinabi niya noon na hindi na siya gagawa ng album, hindi raw hihindi sa isang collab kahit pa sa mga Gen Z artists.
Aniya, "When the offer comes, I will always say yes.”
JOSE MARIE CHAN AS CEO
Pahapyaw na naikuwento ng singer-songwriter na pinangarap nito noon na maging bahagi ng Philippine Air Force sa presscon para sa YuleStars Concert, na ginanap sa Philippine Air Force Museum sa Villamor Air Base, Pasay City, noong November 3, 2023.
Lahad niya, "I was inspired by watching movies like The Long Gray Line [1955 Hollywood movie]. So as a child, I was influenced by those."
Pero pinili niyang mag-aral ng Economics sa Ateneo de Manila University para sundan ang yapak ng kanyang ama na isang negosyante.
Aniya, "He was very poor when he came to the Philippines, and this is the country where he built his success. And I owe it to him to learn his business and to take after him.
"I can never fill the shoes of my dad. I admire and I pray for him every day. He’s long gone, but the values that he taught us will live on for as long as we live."
Si Jose Mari Chan ay panganay na anak nina Antonio Chan at Florencia Lim.
Pag-aari ng kanilang pamilya ang Binalbagan-Isabela Sugar Company Inc. (BISCOM), na minana ito ni Jose Mari Chan nang pumanaw ang kanyang ama.
Ayon sa September 2023 report ng esquiremag.ph, ang BISCOM ay isa sa top sugar producers sa bansa.
Read: Not Just Music: Here're Jose Mari Chan's Businesses
Marahil ay hindi alam ng karamihan, pero hindi pagkanta ang pangunahing career ni Jose Mari Chan.
Siya ang tumatayong owner/CEO/president ng kumpanya na ang plantation ay matatagpuan sa Brgy. San Vicente, Binalbagan, Negros Occidental.
Siya rin ang may-ari ng A. Chan Sugar Corporation, na nakabase sa Makati City.
Read: Jose Mari Chan breaks silence on his “sleeping” ABS-CBN stocks, ABS-CBN shutdown
JOSE MARI CHAN AS A FAMILY MAN
Matibay ang pagsasama ng veteran singer at ni Mary Ann Ansaldo, his wife of 53 years.
Ang sikreto sa kanilang lasting marriage, "Love and trust. We share experiences because with each experience, we grow as a person."
Si Jose Mari Chan ay may limang anak, lahat ay mahilig sa musika.
Ang daughter niyang si Liza ang female voice sa "Christmas in our Hearts."
Ang mga sons niyang sina Joe and Mike Chan ay Star Music artists.
Meron siyang siyam na apo.
And every Christmas, "it’s all family," aniya. "It’s a good time to strengthen family ties."
JOSE MARI CHAN AS A SINGER-SONGWRITER
Trivia: Ang dalawang albums ni Jose Mari Chan ang itinuturing ng best-selling albums of all time sa Pilipinas.
Ayon sa dalawang articles na nailathala sa The Philippine Star, ang Christmas In Our Hearts (1990), with 801,000 albums sold, at ang Constant Change (1989), with 800,000 albums sold, ang number 1 and 2, respectively.
Isa rin siya sa best-selling artists of all time.
Ilan sa mga pinasikat niyang kanta ay ang "Beautiful Girl," "Please Be Careful With My Heart," "Can We Just Stop and Talk Awhile," "Constant Change," to name a few.
Gumagawa ba siya ng cover songs?
Sabi niya sa recent presscon, "Well, yes. There’s one song called 'May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You,' which I recorded on my first Christmas album.
"And there’s a song that Frank Sinatra recorded called 'Christmas Memories,' and I also do love that song.”
Read: Jose Mari Chan, hindi akalaing magiging Christmas tradition ang "Christmas In Our Hearts"
CHRISTMAS CONCERT WITH CHRISTIAN BAUTISTA AND ROSELLE NAVA
Samantala, makakasama ni Jose Mari Chan sa concert sina Christian Bautista at Roselle Nava.
Gaganapin ito sa December 1 sa Performing Arts Theater sa Circuit Makati.
Excited si Jose Mari Chan sa show na ang producer ay ang Philippine Military Academy Alumni Association Inc.
"By the way, Christian had an album before called Romance Revisited with my songs.
"I would like to think that this show of ours will also revisit romance because there’s so much anger and hate in the world.
"At least, here in the Philippines, Christ is at the center of our lives so there’s romance, love, kindness, generosity, and benevolence."
Dagdag niya, "What’s more important about Christmas is the message of Christ, our Lord. We’re celebrating Christmas to celebrate the birth of Baby Jesus."
Ipinaalala rin ni Jose Mari Chan ang spirit of giving sa panahon ng Kapaskuhan.
"I always tell people that we have been abundantly blessed, but it’s not for us to keep so we have to share these blessings to those in need.
"There is so many out there that needs our help.
"So we should not think twice, we should be benevolent, we should be generous."