Willie Colón, Salsa Legend and Social Activist, Dies at 75
- Willie Colón, the Grammy-nominated architect of urban salsa music and a longtime social activist, died Saturday, February 21, 2026.
- Over a career spanning decades, the trombonist, composer, arranger and singer released more than 40 albums, selling over 30 million copies worldwide.
- Colón’s most celebrated collaboration was with Rubén Blades, resulting in the 1978 album “Siembra,” which became one of the best-selling salsa albums of all time.
Willie Colón, the Grammy-nominated architect of urban salsa music and a longtime social activist, died Saturday, . He was 75.
Over a career spanning decades, the trombonist, composer, arranger and singer released more than 40 albums, selling over 30 million copies worldwide. He collaborated with a diverse range of artists, including the Fania All Stars, David Byrne, and Celia Cruz.
Colón’s most celebrated collaboration was with Rubén Blades, resulting in the 1978 album “Siembra,” which became one of the best-selling salsa albums of all time. The pair were known for addressing social issues through their music.
The news of Colón’s passing was confirmed by his family through social media posts.
“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 manager, Pietro Carlos, wrote in a statement. “His trombone was the voice of the people, an echo of the Caribbean in New York, a bridge between two cultures.”
Colón received 10 Grammy nominations and a Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004. He was celebrated for hits such as “El gran varón,” “Sin poderte hablar,” “Casanova,” “Amor verdad,” and “Oh, qué será.”
Rubén Blades acknowledged the news on the social platform X, stating he had confirmed “what I was reluctant to believe” and offering his condolences to Colón’s family.
From the Bronx to the Trombone – and Fame
Born in New York’s Bronx borough on , Colón was raised by his grandmother and aunt, who instilled in him a love for traditional Puerto Rican music and the rhythms of Latin American repertoire, including Cuban son and tango.
He began his musical journey at age 11, initially with the flute, then the bugle and trumpet, before finding his signature instrument in the trombone. He was inspired to pick up the trombone after hearing Barry Rogers play it on Mon Rivera’s song, “Dolores.”
“It sounded like an elephant, a lion… an animal. Something so different that, as soon as I heard it, I said to myself: ‘I want to play that instrument,’” he recalled in a 2011 interview with the Colombian newspaper El Tiempo.
At 17, Colón joined the roster of artists at Fania Records, founded by Jerry Masucci and Johnny Pacheco. Fania was instrumental in developing the new sound that would become known as “salsa” within the Latin music scene of New York.
Colón’s defining characteristic as a musician was his fusion of rhythms, blending jazz, rock, funk, soul, and R&B with the traditional Latin sounds of Cuban son, cha-cha-cha, mambo, and guaracha, while also incorporating the nostalgia of traditional Puerto Rican music – jíbara, bomba, and plena.
A Community Leader and Activist
Beyond his musical achievements, Colón was a dedicated community leader and advocate for civil rights, primarily in the United States. He was involved with organizations such as the Hispanic Arts Association, the Latino Commission on AIDS, the Arthur Schomburg Coalition for a Better New York, and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, among others.
In 1991, he was honored with the Chubb fellowship from Yale University, a public service recognition previously awarded to figures like John F. Kennedy, Moshe Dayan, and the Rev. Jesse Jackson.
Colón also engaged in the political arena, serving as a special assistant to New York City’s first Black mayor, David Dinkins, and later as a special assistant and advisor to Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
He made unsuccessful bids for public office, challenging then-U.S. Rep. Eliot Engel in the 1994 Democratic primary and finishing third in the 2001 Democratic primary for New York’s public advocate.
Colón publicly supported Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in 2008, but later revealed he voted for Donald Trump in 2016.
Throughout his career, Colón was not afraid to voice his opinions, leading to public disagreements with artists and politicians. His friendship with Rubén Blades experienced a rift following a breach of contract lawsuit over the 2003 concert “Siembra … 25 years later” in Puerto Rico. He also drew controversy for calling Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez “rotten” on social media.
Colón also appeared in films such as “Vigilante,” “The Last Fight,” and “It Could Happen to You,” and on television shows like “Miami Vice” and “Demasiado Corazón.” More recently, he made an appearance in Bad Bunny’s music video for “NuevaYol.”
He is survived by his wife and four sons.
Former Associated Press writer Sigal Ratner-Arias contributed biographical material for this obituary. AP journalist Berenice Bautista also contributed.