US salsa legend Willie Colón, vocalist, trombonist and composer, dies aged 75 | US news
Willie Colón, a pioneering trombonist, singer and songwriter, died Saturday at the age of 75, his family announced.
With over 30 million albums sold, multiple platinum records, and 11 combined Grammy and Latin Grammy nominations, Colón is among the most successful salsa artists of all time.
The cause of death has not been released.
The family said on Colón’s Facebook page: “It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father and musician, Willie Colón. He passed away peacefully this morning surrounded by his loving family.
“While we mourn his absence, we also rejoice in the timeless gift of his music and the treasured memories he created that will live on forever.
“Our family is deeply grateful for your prayers and support during this time of grief. We kindly ask for privacy as we work through our grief.”
Born in the Bronx to Puerto Rican parents, Colón recorded dozens of albums, including La Gran Fuga (The Big Break) in 1970 and El Juicio in 1972.
He signed with Fania Records, a label that promoted salsa music, at the age of 15. Two years later, in 1967, he released his first album, El Malo, which sold more than 300,000 copies, according to his biography on the LA Philharmonic website.
Colón’s music combined elements of jazz, rock and salsa, incorporating the rhythms of traditional music from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Brazil and Africa.
Pietro Carlos, his longtime manager, wrote on Facebook: “Willie didn’t just change his salsa.
“He expanded it, politicized it, dressed it in urban chronicles and took it to levels where it had never been before. His trombone was the voice of the people.”
The performer’s list of genre-defining songs includes Ché Ché Colé and Aguanile, recorded with Héctor Lavoe on vocals.
His 1978 album Siembra, recorded with Rubén Blades, included the hit Pedro Navaja and remains the best-selling salsa album of all time.
Fania Records said in a statement: “Today we bow our heads as the world mourns the loss of one of the greatest artists of our time – the incomparable Willie Colón: legendary trombonist, visionary composer, master arranger, emotive singer, daring producer, fearless director and tireless innovator.
“We are heartbroken by the passing of an icon whose sound transcended the dancefloor and defined an era. A pillar of Fania Records, Willie helped bring Latin music from the streets of New York to audiences around the world.
“His music expressed identity, pride, resistance and joy. His music was not just heard; it was lived.”
Bruce McIntosh, Vice President of Latin Catalog at Craft Recordings, said: “Willie was much more than an iconic artist; he was a true visionary who forged a new genre of Latin music that we all love today called salsa.
“His legacy is etched into the very soul of Latin culture. He will forever be ‘El Maestro’.”
In 2004, Colón received a lifetime achievement award from the Latin Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.
Billboard magazine named the musician one of the 30 most influential Latin artists of all time in 2015.
He was inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2019.
