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Dozens of Trombones Play at Salsa Musician Willie Colón's Funeral
Willie Colón, nominated for 10 Grammys and with over 30 million albums sold, was honored with musical tributes and eulogies celebrating his legacy in salsa and civil rights.
- On Monday, a public funeral Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City honored Willie Colón, where family, friends and fans gathered to pay tribute to the salsa pioneer.
- After his Feb. 21, 2026 death at 75, private and public viewings were held Saturday and Sunday at McMahon, Lyon & Hartnett Funeral Home, White Plains, New York.
- Family members and clergy led bilingual readings and musical tributes at the Mass, where Diego Colón, son and eulogist, called his father 'a giant' and Alejandro Miguel Colón shared personal remembrances.
- The service was livestreamed on St. Patrick's Cathedral's website and YouTube for remote viewers, and the family said Colón died peacefully surrounded by relatives with a private burial planned.
- Beyond music, Colón produced more than 40 albums that sold more than 30 million copies, earned 10 Grammys and one Latin Grammy nominations, and received Yale's Chubb fellowship.
55 Articles
55 Articles
The legendary salsa musician Willie Colón, who died at the age of 75, was fired by his followers with applause and the rhythm of the trombone after a mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York at the rhythm of ‘La Murga’. ‘La Murga’, also known as ‘La Murga de Panamá’, is one of his great successes. The song was recorded in 1970 with Héctor Lavoe, with whom he formed one of the most important binomials of the salsa. Fans of the musician nicknam…
In the midst of applause and the chords of one of its most emblematic classics,
He does not leave who with his voice will continue to fill with romance with his songs... He does not leave who with his voice will inspire many...
The legendary trombonist Willie Colón, pioneer of salsa, received an emotional funeral in New York after his death on February 21, 2026 at 75. At St. Patrick’s Cathedral, colleagues and friends fired him with music, while trombonists led by Ozzie Meléndez performed “La Murga” on the way out of the coffin. Outside, a moved crowd applauded and shouted “We Love Him!”, reflecting Columbus’ legacy as an icon of Fania Records and a collaborator of Héc…
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