Felix Peterson was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico on

September 23, 1939.  He went to live in Brooklyn, New York in June, 1949 when he was not quite 10 years old.  He attended public schools in New York and as a young man he found that he loved to entertain people.  He was always having friends over to dance and spent all his money buying the latest music.

He attended a food trade school during his high school years and became a very proficient baker.  After graduation he went to work in a bakery where he made inauguration cakes for such well known figures as President Eisenhower and President Kennedy and a birthday cake for Prince Philip of England.  Even though he was in the food business, his first love was being a promoter.

In 1960, while he was still working in the bakery, he put on his first public dance in a small neighborhood club.  It was such a success that he and a partner opened their own club where they remained for about 4 years.  During that time, Phil was promoting larger and larger dances in various hotels and halls in New York.  He began promoting more well known bands, including bands from outside the United States.

In 1971 Phil left the bakery and devoted himself entirely to promoting events at such well known places as Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Garden, Carnegie Hall and the world’s most famous ballroom, ROSELAND BALLROOM.  He also held dances on The Dayliner, a cruise ship in the New York area.  He became very busy traveling around the world as a representative of various bands and music groups.  He has taken these groups to perform in such places as Central and South America, Germany, Africa and Mexico.

Over the years, his events were very successful.  Some of his main accomplishments were his annual Christmas Dance, Merengue Festivals, Charanga Festivals, annual Thanksgiving Dance, annual boat rides to Bear Mountain, annual Valentine’s Day Dance, annual New Year’s Eve Dance, annual Colombian Independence Day Dance and the most successful of them all, was his innovative idea of having a “Women’s Liberation” Dance in which the ladies did the asking.

Phil not only promoted latin shows, he also brought in “oldie” groups and black artists such as James Brown and Kool and The Gang.

In 1973 Phil began having latin dances at Roseland Ballroom every Friday night.  In addition to these Friday dances, he put on 10 to 12 big dances a year at Roseland where all the most famous and popular performers from Puerto Rico, Central and South America performed.

In 1981 Phil developed the idea for a cruise aboard what he called the “Latin Love Boat” which sailed out of New York aboard the Vera Cruz over Memorial Day weekend.

In 1987, after 28 years in the entertainment business, Phil threw his last dance, a Doo-Wop night at Roseland Ballroom, and moved to Florida in 1988 to enjoy an early retirement.

Some of the major artists who Phil brought to entertain the public over the years are:  Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Hector Lavoe, Willie Colon, Ruben Blades, Perez Prado, Tito Rodriguez, Eddie and Charlie Palmieri, Iris Chacon, La Lupe, Joe Cuba, Machito, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar D’Leon, Cheo Feliciano, El Gran Combo, Ray Barretto, Mongo Santa Maria, Larry Harlow, Graciela, Mario Bauza and Jose Feliciano.  These are just a few.  He was also associated with Ralph Mercado in promoting various events over a 25 year period.

After settling down in Tampa, Florida, Phil started a food vending business at Tampa International Airport.  He had maintained his contacts in the latin entertainment industry and due to popular demand was encouraged to leave retirement to promote some major events in this area.  His years of experience and contacts in the industry, coupled with the creative and innovative ideas he had for themes and concepts, are worth a million dollars.  However, the timing and right sponsorship did not present itself and retirement was much more attractive than all the hard work required in producing major events.

A few of the corporate sponsors who have worked with Phil in promoting his events are:  Miller, Eastern Airlines, Capital Airlines, Smirnoff Vodka, Budweiser, Coca Cola, Kool Cigarettes,  Bacardi and Colgate.

Phil has always been a great proponent of creative and original advertising in the newspapers, radio and television in order to reach the broadest spectrum of the public.  He not only reached out to the latin community, but all residents in the area.

Phil is currently enjoying his retirement with his wife of 30 years, Linda; cruising the world.