In 1971, he traveled to Italy to participate in the Sanremo Music Festival, singing the song "Che Sarà" in Italian, earning second place in that contest along with a standing ovation from the Italian public. Jose later recorded the song with Rick Jarrard, which became a success in Italy, and in much of Europe, including the Eastern Bloc countries, as well as in Asia. They recorded it in Spanish as "Qué Será," which became a hit in Central and South America, and in English as "Shake a Hand," which was a hit in the Scandinavian countries.