On February 21, 2026, a titan of salsa music, William Anthony Colón, better known as Willie Colón, has moved on. It was my fortune to find a musician with the intelligence necessary to understand the pan-American sense of my compositions and give them the opportunity to be heard internationally through his orchestra. Willie's ambition was not limited to salsa. Today, when the task of reclaiming the identity and just possibilities of our culture looks more urgent than ever, our work, made with love, affection, and faith, continues to contribute to promoting the pan-American ideal we always defended and that eternally unites us, for better or for worse. Rest in peace, Willie Colón, and I repeat what I always say: thank you, Willie! You are not dead, compadre. That little-known album is a sample of the risk Willie was willing to take to satisfy his curiosity for finding new paths, even at the expense of the demands that commercial success imposed on his career at the time. And despite all the difficulties that existed and will exist, we both always respected what we did and the experiences we went through during those six years and six albums together, creating unprecedented musical directions in a genre full of immense talents. It was in 1967 or 1968, when I met Willie and Héctor in Panama, the first time they went to enliven the carnivals. This is the aspect I consider important to highlight: the providential union of two young musicians, one from New York via Puerto Rico and the other from Panama, who managed to present and consolidate in salsa songs messages of unity and possibilities, of truths, solidarity, and hopes to the whole world, receiving massive popular support, especially in Spanish-speaking countries. Willie Colón has left us, but only physically. His extraordinary legacy will continue to be present through people who love music and dance, appreciate the strength, vitality, and taste in the musical arrangements of the salsa genre and identify with the lyrics of urban songs that detail and document, in a simple or complex way, realities and shared experiences throughout our America. Today, a new generation is responding and cultivating the seed that we sown almost five decades ago. I remember his solidarity with me in the 80's, when I sang my theme 'Tiburón' in Miami, despite having been threatened and warned not to do so, or when we played at the then famous 'Studio 54' in New York. On the contrary; now you begin to live. Rubén Blades February 23, 2026 Photo: rubenblades.com
