Willie Colón has died aged 75, his family have confirmed. Heartbreaking tributes have poured in for the Grammy-nominated salsa legend.
The pioneering trombonist, vocalist and composer died on Saturday. His family said in a heartbreaking statement on his Facebook page: “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." The cause of death was not disclosed, however TMZ reported last week that the star had been hospitalised for respiratory problems. Bad Bunny led the tributes as he called the star “one of the legends who contributed to this beautiful and legendary genre”. Posting on Instagram, he added: “So, on behalf of myself and Los Sobrinos, we wish Willie Colón peace. Much strength to his family.
“The inspiration of so many of these great musicians who left their mark on this earth will never die as long as there are talented young people like those here, keeping the music, salsa and all Caribbean rhythms alive.”
Bad Bunny got to know Colon after the icon appeared in Bad Bunny’s music video for NuevaYol.
Colon's manager Pietro Carlos said: “Today, we’ve lost an architect of the New York sound, a trombonist who made metal his banner and wrote eternal chapters in our musical history.
“Willie didn’t just change salsa; he expanded it, politicized it, clothed it in urban chronicles, and took it to stages where it hadn’t been heard before.
“His trombone was the voice of the people, an echo of the Caribbean in New York, a bridge between cultures.”
He added: “Today we say goodbye to a master, but his legacy lives on.”
Colon’s music combined elements of jazz, rock and salsa, incorporating the rhythms of traditional music from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Brazil, and Africa. He collaborated with a long list of fellow icons, including the Fania All Stars, David Byrne and Celia Cruz.
Over his decades-long career, he produced more than 40 albums that sold more than 30 million copies worldwide.
In 2004, he received a lifetime achievement award from the Latin Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. The star was also nominated for 10 Grammys and one Latin Grammy.
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