Salsa music superstar Willie Colón dies
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The music he would go on to make was heavily influenced by his grandmother, who taught him to speak Spanish and instilled in him a love of the family’s Puerto Rican culture.
The family of Willie Colón, a beloved Nuyorican musician and a legend in the salsa scene both in New York City and around the world, has announced his death.
He reportedly died on Saturday at the age of 75.
The announcement made on social media said “It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father and renowned musician, Willie Colón.
“He departed peacefully this morning, surrounded by his loving family.
“While we grieve his absence, we also rejoice in the timeless gift of his music and the cherished memories he created that will live on forever.”
No cause of death was given in the statement, but Colón was reportedly hospitalized earlier this week with respiratory problems among other medical complications, according to Colombia One.
The salsa sensation was born on April 28, 1950, in the South Bronx of New York City.
The music he would go on to make was heavily influenced by his grandmother, who taught him to speak Spanish and instilled in him a love of the family’s Puerto Rican culture.
He took to music fairly early in life, picking up the trumpet at an early age before eventually finding his love for the trombone.
At just 15, he signed with Fania Records and a year later released his debut album, 1967’s “El Malo,” alongside Héctor Lavoe, which sold more than 300,000 copies.
Colón followed up his initial success with the seminal track “Che Ché Colé” in 1969, the Christmas album “Asalto Navideño” in 1971, and then “El Baquiné de los Angelitos Negros,” a ballet set to salsa music.
From there, he launched his own singing and producing career, putting out two solo albums: “The Good, Bad and The Ugly” in 1976 and “Solo” in 1979.
His visionary blending of traditional salsa with elements of jazz, rock and funk drove a definitive transformation of the genre, and propelled Latin music in the ’70s and ’80s. Colón’s discography eventually included more than 40 albums and 16 LPs, the DAILY NEWS recollected.
It added that over the course of his nearly 60-year career, Colón was nominated for 10 Grammy Awards, including eight in the tropical Latin category, and has sold more than 8 million records worldwide.
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