Who was Willie Colón? All about pioneer of Urban Salsa who died at 75

Salsa music pioneer Willie Colón has passed away at the age of 75.

Willie Colón died this Saturday, according to his family. Willie, who was a trombonist, bandleader, and composer from Puerto Rico, passed away peacefully with his family, as per the statement released by his family.

The statement, which was posted on Instagram, read,

"It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father and renowned musician, Willie Colón. He passed away 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.”

It concluded, "Our family is deeply grateful for your prayers and support during this time of mourning. We kindly ask for privacy as we navigate our grief.”

Prior ot his passing, he had been hospitalised due to an “apparent respiratory problem," according to Latin jazz musician Rubén Blades, who tweeted on Friday, February 20.

Willie Colón has released more than a dozen albums, including his classics from the 70s, Cosa Nuestra, La Gran Fuga, Asalto Navideño and more. Raised in the South Bronx, his debut album, El Malo, came out in 1967 and ended up selling over 300,000 copies.

Several years ago, he told Billboard, "I came from a really tough neighborhood. And my father spent time in jail. Almost everybody went to jail. A lot of people were getting home from the Korea war and Vietnam; there was rampant drug use in the streets. So this was kind of a way of symbolically showing the world what was going on. "

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He further added, "Since my father was arrested, my friends were arrested, there was a lot of interaction between us and the police. I was able to be a badass gangster and not do it for real. And since that was part of what was going on, it made my music relevant.”

Colón's last performance was held on August 9, 2025, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, with the Puerto Rico Philharmonic Orchestra, and was a sold-out show.

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