3 months ago
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Salsa euphony icon Willie Colon died connected Saturday (February 21, 2026), his household and longtime manager said, leaving fans mourning the nonaccomplishment of "an designer of the New York sound."
Colon, known champion arsenic a trombonist but who was besides a bandleader and producer, was calved successful the Bronx and known for blending the Puerto Rican euphony of his parents and grandparents with his location city's jazz.
He was 75. A origin of decease was not given.
Born William Anthony Colon Roman successful 1950, the euphony prima "passed distant peacefully this morning," his household said successful a statement.
"We've mislaid an designer of the New York sound," said manager Pietro Carolos.
"Willie didn't conscionable alteration salsa; helium expanded it, politicized it, clothed it successful municipality chronicles and took it to stages wherever it hadn't been heard before."
Colon was playing successful his ain set by 15 and released an medium astatine 17. He went connected to grounds deed records with Puerto Rican vocalist Hector Lavoe successful the 1960s and 1970s.
"Siembra," released successful 1978 with vocalist Ruben Blades, addressed societal issues faced by the increasing Latino assemblage successful the United States.
"I came from a truly pugnacious neighborhood," helium erstwhile told euphony work Billboard. "My begetter spent clip successful jail. Almost everybody went to jail... determination was a batch of enactment betwixt america and the police."
He lone studied euphony successful inferior precocious schoolhouse but continued playing and touring done 2025. In a people of his continued influence, helium is name-checked successful Grammy-winning vocalist Bad Bunny's 2025 deed "Nueva Yol."
