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Artist
Willie Colón
12+ albums
salsalatinjazzfaniaWillie Colon
about
Willie Colón (born William Anthony Colón Román in New York City on 28 April 1950; died 21 February 2026) was an American musician and social activist remembered as a pioneer of salsa music. In September 2004, Colón received the Lifetime Achievement Award from The Latin Recording Academy. In 2015 Billboard magazine named Willie Colón one of the 30 most influential Latin Artists of All Time. Colón began his career as a trombonist but also sang, wrote, produced and acted. Despite some initial criticism, Colón's album El Malo has become known as one of the first albums to feature the "New York Sound" that sparked a renewed interest in Latin music during the 1970s. Colón has been instrumental in the careers of such Latin musicians as Rubén Blades, who first sang with Colón's band in 1975, and Celia Cruz, for whom Colón has produced such albums as Only They Could Have Done This Album in 1977 and the highly successful duet album Celia & Willie in 1981. Colón has also produced albums for Ismael Miranda, Sophy, Soledad Bravo, and the late Hector Lavoe, who sang with his band in the early '70s. Inspired by the music of various cultures, Colón has recorded with such musicians as Puerto Rican cuatro player Yomo Toro and David Byrne. Colón's composition "Che Che Coli," adapted from a Ghanaian children's song, was used by Ntozake Shange in the musical play For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf. In addition to 11 Grammy nominations and one Grammy award, Co
