José Mari Chan

Jose Mari Lim Chan (; born José Mari Chan y Lim; March 11, 1945), is a Filipino singer and songwriter. Regarded as one of the country's most renowned balladeers and composers, he is popularly dubbed as the "King of Philippine Christmas Carols". As of 2001, Chan has sold two million albums and has garnered 37 platinum records to his credit, becoming one of the best-selling Filipino recording artists of all time. He is best known for his signature song "Christmas in Our Hearts", which is the biggest selling Filipino Christmas song in history, including hits such as "A Perfect Christmas", "Beautiful Girl" and "Please Be Careful with My Heart".

Chan began a career in 1967 and released his debut album Deep in My Heart in 1969. He has since released 14 studio albums, most notable being Constant Change (1989) and Christmas in Our Hearts (1990). The two albums became major successes for Chan, both were certified double Diamond by the Philippine Association of the Record Industry and becoming two of the best-selling albums in the Philippines. With a career spanning five decades, he has been honored by various award-giving bodies such as the Lifetime Achievement Award from PMPC Star Awards for Music, and two "Album of the Year" from Awit Awards.

Early life Chan was born José Mari Chan y Lim on March 11, 1945, in Iloilo City and was the first-born child of Antonio Chan and Florencia Lim. His father was an immigrant from Fujian, China who came to the Philippines at age 13 and started a sugar trading company in Bacolod. Chan's mother was the only child of a Chinese-Filipino couple.

He attended the Ateneo de Manila University where he met fellow musician Ramon Jacinto of RJ & the Riots. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics in 1967.

Early career Chan first appeared on the local scene as a guest on Pilita Corrales's program An Evening with Pilita in 1965. The next year, he became the host and singer of a television show called 9 Teeners of ABS-CBN 3 (now ABS-CBN 2) which aired on weekdays and Saturday in 1966. Since he was a junior student at that time at Ateneo and he was being encouraged to become a businessman, his father only consented his involvement if he was not paid salary for the stint. after he was approached by an independent record producer. In 1973, he represented the Philippines in at the World Popular Song Festival in Tokyo where his song "Can We Just Stop And Talk Awhile" went into the final entries. For more or less than four years from 1970 to 1974, Jose Mari Chan was able to compose more than 20 songs for movies and earned him different recognitions and nominations at the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Awards (FAMAS Awards). He also wrote several well-loved commercial jingles, among which are the Philippine Airlines' "Love at Thirty Thousand Feet", the Knorr Chinese Soup jingle, and the Alaska Milk jingle. Between 1974 and 1975, he was the Star of a series of Television Network Specials spotlighting his words and music.

1975-1988 In 1975, he moved to the United States to run a branch office of their family's sugar business and remained there for 11 years, continuously composing songs as well. Some of which were recorded by foreign artists. In 1986, he returned to the Philippines and made a comeback to the music industry with the release of his album A Golden Collection, a compilation of his hits, along with a brand-new composition "Tell Me Your Name" which re-introduced him to a younger audience. The album was released in the Philippines by WEA Records. On February 14, 1988, Chan performed at the Manila restaurant within the Manila Hotel as a guest act for Joey Albert's Valentine's Day dinner concert "Here's to Love", his first live performance in years.

1989-1994 In 1989, he released his album Constant Change. It reached triple platinum status that same year, eventually earning the Double Diamond Record Award in 1995, for selling over 20 million units. The significant popularity of his iconic Christmas songs and the album during the holiday season annually earned him the title "Father of Philippine Christmas Music".

1994-present In 1994, he released his eighth album, Thank You Love, where he has another song "Is She Thinking About Me" with Christine Bersola-Babao and another Christmas song, "Christmas Past".

In 2009, Chan was inducted to the Philippines Eastwood City Walk Of Fame. In 2010, Chan was awarded as MYX Magna Award Winner in the MYX Music Awards 2010 for awarding as a contribution for being a singer, composer and also a businessman & TV host. In 2011, he released his 13th full-length album, The Manhattan Connection: The Songs of Jose Mari Chan. The album, which was produced by Janis Siegel of The Manhattan Transfer. The songs were reimagined by music producer Yaron Gershovsky. In 2012, he released his 14th overall album Going Home to Christmas. It was his second Christmas album after 22 years since Christmas in Our Hearts was released in 1990.

Business career He is the chairman and chief executive officer of Binalbagan-Isabela Sugar Company Inc. (BISCOM) and A. Chan Sugar Corporation as of 2018. Although currently based in and residing primarily in Metro Manila with his family, Chan maintains his homes in Iloilo and Cebu. Chan is a devout Roman Catholic. Jose Mari Chan is also an honorary alumnus of Central Philippine University in his hometown in Iloilo City.

Legacy Due to Chan's association with Christmas music in the Philippines, he has been a frequent subject of internet memes during the Christmas season in the country which traditionally starts in September. Because of his popularity during these seasons, he was known as the "King of Filipino Christmas Carols"; a title of which he later disavowed. He is also known as a "renowned Christmas singer" and has been compared to Mariah Carey. Due to this, he is known as one of the best-selling Filipino singers of all time.

Awards Award Award giving body Date Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines for the Arts Ten Outstanding Young Men Awards 1974 Lifetime Achievement Award Philippine Association of the Recording Industry -- Dangal ng Musikang Pilipino Award Philippine Association of the Recording Industry -- Antonio C. Barreiro Lifetime Achievement Award ABS-CBN 2005 Dangal ng OPM Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit 2011 Puso ng Saya Award GMA Network Sunday Pinasaya 2019

The Bacolod city government in 2018 named him as their adopted son by the Bacolod City Council, and as their honorary mayor during the administration of Mayor Evelio Leonardia for his role in the growth of the Bacolod's sugar industry.

Discography Albums Deep in My Heart (1969) Can We Just Stop and Talk Awhile (1973) Afterthoughts (1974) Here and Now (1975) A Golden Collection (1985) Constant Change (1989) - 2× Diamond Christmas in Our Hearts (1990) - 2× Diamond Thank You, Love (1994) Strictly Commercial: The Jingles Collection (1997) Souvenirs (1998) A Heart's Journey (2001) - Awit Awards, Album of the Year Love Letters and Other Souvenirs (2007) The Manhattan Connection (2011) Going Home to Christmas (2012) Christmas in Our Hearts: 25th Anniversary Edition (2015)

Songs "Afterglow"/"Pines" (1967) "Run Jimmy Run" "I Only Live to Love You"/"Night Time" "Love Me as Though There Were No Tomorrow" "High and Mighty"/"Seventh Dawn" (accompanied by the Sandpipers) "This Guy's in Love with You" "Deep in My Heart"/"Leave You" (1969) "Walk on Girl" "Love Is for the Two of Us" (with Pilar Pilapil) "Can We Just Stop and Talk Awhile"/"From Day to Day" (1973) - Philippine entry, Yamaha World Popular Song Festival "Refrain"/"Times We're In" (1973) "What Is a Sweetheart" (1976) "A Love to Last a Lifetime"/"A Love Song" (1978) "Tell Me Your Name"/"One of Many" (1985) "Beautiful Girl" (1989) (also covered by Martin Nievera, Christian Bautista, Parokya Ni Edgar & Ben&Ben) "Can't We Start Over Again" (1989) "A Perfect Christmas" (1990) (also covered by various OPM artists featuring Ben&Ben, December Avenue, Moira Dela Torre and more) "Christmas in Our Hearts" (1990) (also covered by American pop acapella vocal group Pentatonix featuring the Filipino singer Lea Salonga in 2022) "A Whole New World" (duet with Lea Salonga) - as part for the Philippine soundtrack release of Disney's Aladdin (1992) "Please Be Careful with My Heart" (1989) (duet with Regine Velasquez) - used as the theme for the TV series of ABS-CBN, Be Careful with my Heart "Constant Change" (1989) "Is She Thinking About Me?" (featuring Christine Bersola-Babao) "If We Only Had More Time Together" "Easier Said Than Done" "Love at Thirty Thousand Feet" (1976) - commercial jingle of the flag carrier of the Philippines, Philippine Airlines "My Girl, My Woman, My Friend" (1988) - featuring Janet Basco "Perhaps Love" - featuring Liza Chan "So I'll Go" "Here and Now" "Emmanuel" (2001) - official anthem of the 15th World Youth Day in 2000. "We're All Just One" (2005) - official anthem of the 2005 Southeast Asian Games (reworked for SM Supermalls during Christmas Season as "Celebrate Christmas at SM Malls") "Afraid for Love to Fade" (1976) Counterpoint to Lennon & McCartney's "Here, There & Everywhere" "Radio Romance" - station identification jingle of Radio Romance 101.9 (now MOR 101.9) "Big Beautiful Country" - station identification jingle of the now-defunct television station Banahaw Broadcasting Corporation (BBC2) "now ABS-CBN 2 or now currently known as Kapamilya Channel, A2Z 11 & ALLTV 2" "Good Old Fashioned Romance" "Part of Your Life" "Mr. Songwriter" "Sing Me Your Song Again, Daddy" - song by Samantha Chavez (Samantha) on its lead vocals and Mari Chan on its backing vocals "No Rewind, No Replay" (1989) "Thank You, Love" (2007) "The Sound of Life" (1990) "Empty Space" (2003) - original by the Bukas Palad Music Ministry "Going to the Past" "Christmas Past" (1994) "Constantly" (2012) "Pagdating ng Pasko" (2013) - first Filipino Christmas song

Collaborations Gold Ito! (Dyna Music, 1988) Ginintuang Diwa ng Pasko (Universal Records/WEA Records, 1989) Maayong Pasko (Universal Records/WEA Records, 1989) Jamie Rivera – Lord, Heal Our Land (Star Music, 2001) Presence (Universal Records 2002) Only Selfless Love 2 (Universal Records, 2003) Something More (JesCom Music, 2004) Best of OPM Love Songs (Universal Records, 2005) Best of OPM Acoustic Hits (Universal Records, 2005) OPM Gold Christmas (Universal Records, 2006) OPM Superstars Christmas (Universal Records, 2006) Sail On...His Most Holy Face (Universal Records, 2006) OPM Platinum Christmas (Universal Records, 2007) Isang Kinabukasan: A GMA Kapuso Foundation Benefit Album (GMA Music, 2007) HOPE... Healing of Pain and Enlightenment (Star Music, 2007) No. 1 Signature Hits OPM's Best (Vicor Music Corp., 2008) Senti 18 Pinoy Love Hits (Vicor Music Corp., 2008) Bongga! (The Biggest Retro OPM Hits) (Universal Records, 2008) Bongga! 2 (The Biggest Retro OPM Hits) (Universal Records, 2009) Paalam, Maraming Salamat Pres. Aquino (A Memorial Tribute Soundtrack) (Star Music, 2009) RJ Duets (MCA Music, 2012) A Love to Last (The Official Soundtrack) (Star Music, 2017)

Music videos Christmas in Our Hearts (Original released in 1990, music video + karaoke video releases in 1991 featuring his real life daughter Liza Chan-Parpan; re-released music video exclusive by MYX Channel for MYX Live featuring Julie Ann San Jose as a new version in 2019, and a re-released as a music video with the Chan Clan in 2020) A Perfect Christmas (Original released in 1990, music video releases in 1991; re-released music video exclusive by MYX Channel for MYX Live as a new version in 2019) A Wish On Christmas Night (Original released in 1990, music video releases in 1991; re-released music video exclusive by MYX Channel for MYX Live as a new version in 2019) Do You Hear What I Hear? (Original released in 1990) Beautiful Girl (Original released in 1989, music video released in 1991) Tell Me Your Name (Original released in 1985, music video released in 1991) Christmas Past (Original released in 1994, music video released in 1995) Constantly (2012, featuring his best friend guitarman RJ Jacinto) Afterglow (2013, featuring his best friend guitarman RJ Jacinto)