According to the Associated Press, “Lalo” Rodrguez, a Puerto Rican salsa musician who previously played with Eddie Palmieri’s band, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 64, according to local officials.
According to the AP, the singer of “Ven, devórame otra vez” was discovered dead in a public housing complex in the U.S. territory. Although there was no obvious evidence of violence on Rodriguez’s body, the cause of death is still unknown, according to the AP.
The singer, who was given the name Ubaldo Rodrguez Santos when he was born in 1958, started his career when he was a little boy by performing at community fairs and festivals as well as on radio and television.
In 1973, when he was still a teenager, he finally joined Palmieri’s band and adopted the stage name “Lalo.” Salsero performed on Palmieri’s album “Sun of Latin Music,” which in 1976 became the first Latin record to ever get a Grammy.
After leaving the band, Rodriguez went on to enjoy a lucrative solo career and continued to produce music far into the late 2000s.
Despite making a name for himself in the music industry, the salsero suffered from drugs and alcohol in his personal life and had previously been accused of possessing cocaine, according to the AP. On social media, a number of well-known members of the Puerto Rican community and the salsa music scene paid respect to the late Rodrguez.
Eddie Palmieri, a musician, called his former bandmate “a giant in so many ways.”
I was extremely saddened to read about Lalo Rodriguez’s passing, Palmieri wrote. “I don’t need to tell you how much he has meant to the world community, our music, and myself,” the speaker said.
In a statement sent on Twitter, the Grammy-winning salsa group Grupo Niche referred to Rodriguez as “one of the most famous voices of salsa in the world.”
The organization wrote, “A lot of strength for his family, fans, and friends.”
In a tweet in tribute to Rodrguez, Puerto Rican artist Elvis Crespo said that he had “one of the most beautiful voices my ears have heard and will hear.”
According to Crespo, “His distinctive timbre, tune, and strength made his music unforgettable.” “My deepest sympathies to his family and fans.”
Journalist Benjamin Torres Gotay referred to the Grammy-winning musician’s memory as “immortal.”He will always be remembered through his numerous other works, including “Devórame otra vez,” “Máximo Chamorro,” and “Deseo salvaje,” according to Gotay. A true legend has come to a sad end today.
