Lalo Rodriguez, a noted Salsa musician, was found dead on Thursday. The singer, who was once part of Eddie Palmieri’s band, was 64. 

Rodriguez was found dead outside a residential building in Carolina, in the north of Puerto Rico. Although the Puerto Rican police confirmed no signs of violence on the late musician’s body, the reason for his death could not be confirmed. They further said that the body will be sent for an autopsy to settle the same. 

Several prominent stars and fans have poured their tributes on the internet. Palmiere honored the latter’s legacy in a Tweet. 

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“It is with deep sadness that I learn of the death of Lalo Rodríguez,” Palmieri wrote. “I don’t need to tell you how much he has meant to me, our music and culture, and the world community.” 

Who was Lalo Rodriguez?

Ubaldo Rodríguez Santos was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico on May 16, 1958. Rodriguez developed an interest in singing quite early on, as he began singing at traditional Puerto Rican festivals alongside performing on radio and television programs at the age of nine. 

Rodriguez slowly rose to stardom after he became part of Eddie Palmiere’s band as a teenager in 1973, where he picked up the stage name Lalo. Featuring as a vocalist on Palmieri’s Grammy Award-winning album Sun of Latin Music, the salsero gained wide recognition as the song went on to win a Grammy award in 1976, being the first Latin song to be awarded with the Grammy. 

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Rodriguez embarked on his solo career in 1980, which was received well, as the singer was compared to other great salseros like Eddie Santiago, José Alberto “El Canario”, and Frankie Ruiz. He also stepped into the realm of music production, garnering similar success. 

Although the late singer received critical acclaim for his contribution to the music industry, he struggled with drug and alcohol addiction in his personal life and was charged previously on the grounds of cocaine possession, according to reports by Associated Press. 

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Rodriguez was married to Wanda Torres for more than 20 years before the couple filed a divorce, as Rodriguez revealed in a 2020 interview with El Vocero. The couple had 4 children, one of whom was adopted in 2006.