American salsa legend Willie Colón died Saturday at the age of 75. His family announced the news in a statement. “While we mourn his loss, we also rejoice in the eternal gift of his music and the precious memories he created that will live on forever,” the family said on Colón’s Facebook page. The cause of death of the pioneering trombonist, vocalist and composer was not released.
Born in the Bronx to parents of Puerto Rican origin, Colón recorded dozens of albums, including La Gran Fuga (The Great Escape) in 1970 and El Juicio (The Judgment) in 1972. As CNN writes, he signed a contract with Fania Records at the age of 15 and two years later, in 1967, he released his first album El Malo, which has sold over 300 copies, according to his biography on the LA Philharmonic website.
Colón’s music combined elements of jazz, rock, and salsa, incorporating traditional rhythms from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Brazil, and Africa. A major theme in his music was the exploration of Puerto Rican identity between the connection to his homeland and the United States. He used his songs to describe the challenges of living as an immigrant from Puerto Rico in the United States and to highlight the cultural contributions they make. In 2004, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Latin Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.
A social activist for many years, Colón was a member of the Latino Commission on AIDS and the United Nations Immigrant Foundation, as well as part of the board of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute.