About Willie Colón
William Anthony Colón Román (April 28, 1950 – February 21, 2026) was an American salsa musician and social activist. He began his career as a trombonist but also sang, wrote, produced and acted. Colón was a pioneer of salsa music and a best-selling artist in the genre, having been a key figure in the beginnings of the New York City scene associated with Fania Records. He was also noteworthy for having assumed the gangster image in his album covers before it was culturally popular. From the 1980s on, he was at times deeply involved in the politics of New York City. His hit songs include "Aguanilé" with Hector Lavoe, "Tiburón", and "El gran varón". == Early years == Colón was born in the South Bronx in New York City to Puerto Rican parents. He picked up the trumpet from a young age, and later switched to trombone, inspired by the all-trombone sound of Mon Rivera and Barry Rogers. He spent some summers at his maternal grandmother's sister's farm in the outskirts of Manatí, Puerto Rico, on the road to neighboring Ciales, Puerto Rico. At the age of 15, he was signed to Fania Records, and at 17, he recorded his first album, which ultimately sold more than 300,000 copies.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.