Ruben Blades bids farewell to Willie Colon with a heartfelt letter: “My admiration and respect will never....
The Panamanian singer dedicated a long and emotional letter in which he reflected on his complex relationship with the trombonist, with whom he revolutionized salsa
Following the death of Willie Colon, his longtime musical partner, Ruben Blades, published a heartfelt letter on his website titled “To Willie Colon” to say goodbye to the legendary trombonist.
In the text, Blades reflects on his complex relationship with Colon, marked by the worldwide success of albums like Siembra and by personal differences that were never fully resolved.
The “Poet of Salsa” begins his letter recalling the impact Colon had on his life since seeing him perform in Panama in the late 1960s: “The energy and rebellious spirit emanating from the young band made me a fan forever.”
Blades emphasized that from the moment they met, the connection between them was immediate and led them to transform salsa from a purely danceable genre into one with urban, political, and Pan-American identity content.
“In just a few years, we created a personal, emotional, and intellectual connection, capable of changing the traditional structure of salsa, from a scheme of songs with lyrics and arrangements geared toward dancing and strictly limited to the reality of the neighborhood, to music with urban and national content that did not shy away from addressing political issues.”
In a gesture of honesty, Blades did not shy away from the tensions that distanced them for decades, mentioning legal conflicts and political differences. However, I have clarified that none of those erases the professional respect or personal affection he felt for Colon.
“Our tendency is to generalize and demonize… for many, it is impossible to accept that one can recognize the positive aspects of a person and at the same time reject what we consider negative in their actions,” the Panamanian wrote.
Blades also revealed a recent and cordial encounter in 2023, during a colleague's wake, where they were able to talk, leaving the media noise behind. "I remember perfectly the last time I saw him... our conversation was cordial. We both always respected what we did,” he stated.The Panamanian singer ends his letter by affirming that the legacy of “El Malo del Bronx” is eternal and that the seed of Latin American unity they planted together remains alive in new generations. “You are not dead, my friend. On the contrary; now you are just beginning to live,” Blades concluded, closing a fundamental chapter in the history of Latin music.