Salsa superstar Willie Colón, 75, died in his native New York on Feb. 21. He was 75. The composer, singer, musician (trumpet and trombone), and producer had his first hit album at 17, and has been recording (some 40 albums) and touring ever since. His jazz, rock, and salsa-infused music reflected both his Puerto Rican parents, and the New York music scene of the past 60 years. Colón also took a fling at acting (Miami Vice, It Could Happen to You, The Last Fight, The Cosby Show) and was active in New York politics (he supported both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, so your guess is as good as mine as far as what was going on in his head). Colón advised up-and-comers, “Listen to as many different kind of music as possible, not only to just one thing. Listen to everything to give you different kind of ideas and as soon as possible, start writing your own stuff because even if it comes out a little dirty or whatever, nobody has ever done it before so you’re the best who’s done it so far.”
Willie Colón in action https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIcDWHxR-ao&list=RDCIcDWHxR-ao&start_radio=1
