Salsa has known more than its share of star vocalists and virtuoso instrumentalists. But among the artists who defined the rich, layered specificity of its sound was Willie Colón, who died on Feb. 21.

With his gangster image, Colón ruffled the feathers of the musical establishment, but thrilled millions of fans as he displayed the raw rhythmic possibility of salsa Willie Colón, who has died in New ...

The world is mourning the loss of Willie Colón, who died Saturday at the age of 75. Since the announcement of the Nuyorican icon’s death, musicians have shared tributes to one of the greatest salsa ...

Willie Colon, Puerto Rican trombonist and legendary composer, has died. He was 75. This comes hours after local media reports stated that Colon was hospitalized in New York on Friday. Born William ...

Over his decades-long career, the trombonist, composer, arranger and singer produced more than 40 albums that sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. He collaborated with a wide range of artists, ...

The salsa music pioneer died Saturday at 75. By Sigal Ratner-Arias Deputy Editor, Billboard Español From Rubén Blades and Marc Anthony to Grupo Niche, Elvis Crespo and Olga Tañón, major figures in ...

American salsa legend Willie Colón, the pioneering trombonist, vocalist and composer, died on Saturday at age 75, his family said in a statement. “While we grieve his absence, we also rejoice in the ...

Salsa music icon Willie Colon died on Saturday (February 21, 2026), his family and longtime manager said, leaving fans mourning the loss of "an architect of the New York sound." Colon, known best as a ...

The legendary musician Willie Colón, one of the most iconic figures in salsa and the Nuyorican salsa movement, died Saturday at the age of 75, his family confirmed in a message posted on his social ...

A trombonist, singer, bandleader, composer and arranger, he collaborated with Rubén Blades on “Siembra,” a 1978 release that became one of the top-selling salsa albums of all time. By Derrick Bryson ...

“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," his family shared in a statement. By McKinley Franklin ...

Music superstar Willie Colón, who helped define the salsa genre in the 1970s and '80s, died on Saturday, Feb. 21, his family confirmed on social media. He was 75. "It is with profound sadness that we ...