Jose Mari Chan: Journeying through Music, Film and Business (Part 2 of 6)
“The journey is what brings us happiness, not the destination.”[1] This quote is basically what many people in this generation tend to not notice about when it comes to the different experiences one encounters as one journeys towards success while facing the different challenges of life. This is what Jose Mari Chan was and is still showing to everyone given his journey towards his continuous success in the music industry. Despite the struggle to make a successful living out of the field of his profession, this didn’t serve as a hindrance to Jose Mari Chan.
He is not only known as only a musician and composer, he is also a very prominent businessman as he is the director and CEO of BISCOM, Inc. and the A. Chan Sugar Corporation. Chan is considered to be one of the country’s most popular music writers.[2] It’s quite interesting to see how he has managed to maintain and run a very big industry and still manages to perform in an art that he has grown to love and commit to.
He is well known with the different compositions and songs he has produced ever since he started his career back in 1966. His first television appearance as the host and singer of the popular teenage musical show “9 Teeners" back in 1966 jumpstarted his musical career. His first hit single mainstreamed and entered the local pop music scene despite competing with famous international performers such as The Beatles and other similar icons. He continued to create and perform many more pieces of music until eventually trying out composing for a whole film.
As seen in Jose Mari Chan’s personal website, the biography page displays almost every achievement he has accomplished all throughout his career. It could clearly be seen how he has been active in many departments, particularly in television, videograms, concerts, and even recordings of him and other artists doing his compositions.[4] This shows how diverse and active Jose Mari Chan has been from the past up to the present.
According to the Philippine Music Registry, Jose Mari Chan has composed more than 20 theme songs for different movies. He was able to write these compositions at around 1970 – 1975. These compositions have even earned him different nominations and awards from different industry, such the FAMAS Awards.[5] Several of the films that Jose Mari Chan has composed include ‘Cadena de Amor’, ‘Stardoom’, ‘Crush Ko Si Sir’, ‘Ang Gangster at Ang Birhen’, ‘Pacific Connection’, ‘Tararajing Pot Pot’, ‘Siete Infantes De Lara’, ‘Lady Luck’, ‘Carioca Etchos De Amerika’, ‘Two Worlds of Adam and Eve’, ‘May Isang Brilyante’, ‘A Woman Is A Woman’, and many more.[6]
It’s quite amazing to see that after all of the achievements that Jose Mari Chan has passed through, particularly in the field of music, he was eventually able to establish his very own music publishing company named “Signature Music Inc.”.[7] This particular company is now where he mostly administers most of his compositions in 2008.
With all the achievements and accomplishments that Jose Mari Chan displayed from the very moment his career started, and even until now, we can see how successful and triumphant he has become. As seen, Chan’s journey hasn’t even come to an end yet and is continuously growing and being even more fruitful. Jose Mari Chan’s journey towards success was what motivates and continues to inspire him to excel and even work harder to reach and satisfy what he loves to do. The awards and nominations he receives, which tends to be the destination of every journey or struggle he encountered, seem to be just bonuses and isn’t that significant as compared to the different works he has created. Jose Mari Chan truly is a man that has lifted the field of music in the way it is growing in the country. Also proving how one’s perseverance and aspirations to succeed in life is not limited into selected professions. It’s up to you on how you face the challenges ahead and enjoy the journey it is destined to lead you.
[1]Dan Millman. “Way of the Peaceful Warrior: A Book That Changes Lives. https://www. goodreads.com/author/quotes/1539.Dan_Millman (accessed May 16, 2016)
[2] Philippine Music Registry, Jose Mari Chan http://philippinemusicregistry.com.ph /main/artist/view/162 (accessed May 16, 2016)
[4] Ibid.
[5] Philippine Music Registry, Jose Mari Chan http://philippinemusicregistry.com.ph /main/artist/view/162 (accessed May 16, 2016)
[6] Jose Mari Chan, About Jose Mari Chan. http://josemarichan.com/?page_id=5215 (accessed May 16, 2016)
[7] Ibid.