Tito Gomez, a veteran vocalist who fronted some of the top salsa bands of New York, Colombia and his native Puerto Rico, died Tuesday of a heart attack in Cali, Colombia, during a reunion tour with dance band Grupo Niche. He was 59.
Mr. Gomez fell ill at his hotel and later died at a hospital, according to news reports from Colombia. His death surprised colleagues who had worked with the singer in recent days and found him to be in good voice and in his usual jovial mood.
“Tito always worked with a lot of spirit,” salsa singer Ruben Blades told the Los Angeles Times on Wednesday. “He was a good colleague, and his sense of humor always helped make our professional tasks a little less difficult.”
Mr. Gomez started his career at age 15 and made an early mark with powerhouse Puerto Rican bands, particularly La Sonora Poncena. He moved to New York in the heyday of the 1970s salsa boom, and soon joined the band of the late Ray Barretto, giving his career a star turn with hits such as Guarare.
The Los Angeles Times is a Tribune Co. newspaper.
