Overview
- Colón’s family said he died peacefully surrounded by relatives, with his manager Pietro Carlos confirming the news on social media.
- Tributes poured in from peers and officials, including Rubén Blades and Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González.
- Born in the Bronx to Puerto Rican parents, Colón rose from teenage recordings to become a singer, composer, trombonist and activist.
- He released about 40 albums over more than 50 years with roughly 30 million sales, highlighted by the 1978 classic Siembra with Rubén Blades.
- Early milestones included his 1967 Fania Records debut El Malo with Héctor Lavoe, which helped launch both artists to stardom.