Overview
- He “passed in peace” surrounded by loved ones, his relatives said in a statement that also asked for privacy during their grief.
- Bad Bunny paused his São Paulo concert to honor Colón, calling him “a great legend” and sending condolences to his family as the crowd applauded.
- Rubén Blades confirmed the death and offered condolences to Colón’s wife and children, a public gesture that follows a legal dispute between the artists resolved by a Puerto Rican court in 2013.
- Peers and institutions across Latin music—among them Fania Records, Papo Lucca, Sergio George, Carlos Vives and Grupo Niche—paid tribute to his influence on generations of musicians.
- Bronx-born and central to the Fania era, Colón helped shape modern salsa as a trombonist, arranger, bandleader and producer, from his 1967 debut El Malo with Héctor Lavoe to the landmark 1978 album Siembra with Rubén Blades.