Overview
- Family attorney Víctor Rivera confirmed Ithier’s death late Saturday, with no cause or exact date disclosed.
- Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer Colón said the island will observe an official mourning date in his honor.
- Ithier founded El Gran Combo in 1962 and led it for decades, guiding more than 40 albums, tours on five continents, and the 'la universidad de la salsa' legacy.
- Tributes poured in from across Latin music, including Bad Bunny, Marc Anthony, and Gilberto Santa Rosa, with Bad Bunny spotlighting the group’s influence and sampling 'Un Verano en Nueva York' on a 2025 album.
- A self-taught multi-instrumentalist and U.S. Army veteran who served in Korea, Ithier credited military discipline for his approach to bandleading, and he is survived by his wife and five children.