Salsa Legend Willie Colón to Be Honored at St. Patrick’s Cathedral Monday

Grammy-nominated salsa music pioneer Willie Colón will be remembered at a public funeral Mass Monday morning at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan. The 75-year-old trombonist and composer, who revolutionized urban salsa music, passed away peacefully last month in a Westchester County hospital.

NEW YORK — A celebrated salsa music legend will be honored Monday morning as family, friends and admirers come together at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan to remember Willie Colón, the trailblazing musician and activist who passed away last month at age 75.

The public funeral Mass at the iconic midtown cathedral follows a weekend of both private family gatherings and public visitations for mourners. Family members have chosen to keep the burial ceremony private.

The renowned trombonist, songwriter, arranger and vocalist passed away on February 21st. While his family has not disclosed the specific cause of death, they shared on social media that he died peacefully with loved ones by his side at a Westchester County medical facility, located just north of New York City.

“While we grieve his absence, we also rejoice in the timeless gift of his music and the cherished memories that will live on forever,” his family said in a statement.

A native of the Bronx, Colón created an impressive musical legacy spanning more than 40 albums that achieved worldwide sales exceeding 30 million copies. Throughout his career, he worked alongside numerous renowned performers, including the Fania All Stars, David Byrne and Celia Cruz.

The accomplished musician earned recognition with 10 Grammy nominations and one Latin Grammy nomination, becoming famous for memorable tracks such as “El gran varón,” “Sin poderte hablar,” “Casanova,” “Amor verdad” and “Oh, qué será.”

Pietro Carlos, who served as Colón’s manager, paid tribute on social media, noting that the artist didn’t simply transform salsa music but also “expanded it, politicized it, clothed it in urban chronicles, and took it to stages where it hadn’t been heard before.”

Beyond his musical achievements, Colón dedicated himself to community advocacy and civil rights causes, primarily throughout the United States. His involvement in public service included roles as a special assistant to former New York City Mayors David Dinkins and Michael Bloomberg. In 1994, he mounted an unsuccessful campaign against then-U.S. Representative Eliot Engel in the Democratic primary election.