Willie Colon Obit
FILE - Willie Colon accepts the award for best musica afroamericana at the Lunas del Auditorio Nacional awards ceremony in Mexico City, Oct. 31, 2018. Colón, considered by many to be the "architect of urban salsa," died Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. He was 75.
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Willie Colón, a key creator of urban salsa and a longtime social activist, has died. He was 75. His family and manager confirmed his death in social media posts Saturday. Colón was a trombonist, composer, arranger and singer. He recorded more than 40 albums that have sold tens of millions worldwide. He collaborated with a wide range of artists, including the Fania All Stars, David Byrne and Celia Cruz. He blended jazz and rock with classic Latin rhythms. His album “Siembra” with Rubén Blades became a genre landmark. Colón also worked in civil rights groups and city government. He later acted in films and TV shows.
NEW YORK (AP) — Family, friends and fans gathered Monday morning in New York to pay tribute …
