Willie Colón

Willie Colón ( born April 28, 1950 in New York City, New York, United States) is a Puerto Rican - American salsa musician and producer.

Life

Colon signed with 15 years of a contract with Fania and issued his first album at 17. There he worked as a trombonist and supporting vocalist with musicians like the singers Héctor Lavoe, Celia Cruz, Rubén Blades and percussionist Ray Barretto together. Héctor Lavoe with whom he had taken into his own orchestra, he formed a close friendship. After a period of professional isolation - partly because of Lavoe's drug addiction - they played together again. After Lavoe's death Colón himself took over the vocals. One of his albums, Siembra - a co-production with Blades - has long been the most successful salsa album of all times, until he replaced Jerry Rivera.