Tito Rojas Dies at 65

There are very few salsa artists who had the level of success that Tito Rojas had during the 90s. One of the best selling Latino artists of that decade, he managed to stay relevant until pretty much he passed away a few weeks ago. His history goes back to the 70s when he started singing with the Pedro Conga band and also with the legendary Fania singer Juto Betancourt. About 40 albums recorded, 1000 of concerts and a life of giving great music, today we remember “El Gallo de la Salsa” who died at the age of 65 after a suspected heart attack on the 26th of December in his hometown Humacao, Puerto Rico.

by Natacha Andueza

The singer was spending the evening with some friends when the incident occurred. On his way home, he began to feel ill and stopped at a cousin’s house to get help, where he collapsed, paramedics were unable to bring him back to life, according to reports on Puerto Rican daily newspapers. Julio César Rojas was a prominent figure in the world of salsa.

"El Gallo de la Salsa" landed 49 tracks on Billboard’s Tropical Airplay chart from his beginnings in the mid-1990s to as recently as this year. His No. 1 hit include 1995’s “Esperándote” and 1999’s “Por Mujeres Como Tú,” a song that also hit No. 3 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart.

His last public appearance was on December when he performed "Nadie Es Eterno" on a YouTube broadcasted show.

From a verly age, Tito expressed his feelings with music and singing. Once he grew up, he decided to make that a career out of it . Originally, Tito had a hard time gaining the popularity he deserved and wanted. However, with time, success finally came. In 1990, Tito ventured out to sing his music as a solo for the first time and was accepted by the people right away. His music managed to win over others and even landed on the Billboard Latin chart. Tito went on to receive a lot of recognition and awards for his great talent, he also became the commercial image of Puerto Rican salsa.

The 'Gallo Salsero,' reached his greatest international success in the 90s with songs like "Esperarte," "Señora de Madrugada" and "Por Mujeres Como tú." He achieved a double-platinum album and extended his affection to the world from Humacao with a long discography that included a Christmas album and a list of collaborations with other legends, such as Tito Gómez and Gilberto Santa Rosa. This tenacity got him a Grammy nomination in 2003 with Perseverancia, among the best salsa albums of all time.

Everything can be said about him lies in his music. He irradiated closeness and affection which are reflected in his albums with intimate and sensual representations. A family man, a friend of his friends, and a great sense of humour person , he always seemed to enjoy life and live the moment. His faithfulness and great affection for Puerto Rico would never be forgotten by his paisanos.

Puerto Rico governor Wanda Vázquez and fellow Salsa colleague Gilberto Santa Rosa, among other Puerto Rican personalities turned to Instagram and Twitter to grieve the loss and expressed their condolences. "Nobody is eternal in this world, not even someon with a heart that feels and beats for life and love ... rest in peace," shared Don Omar on his Instagram profile. Rojas was close to the Puerto Rican exponents of the urban genre, and he used to see them as the new generation in the Latin musical culture.