Anani Kaike 

February 15, 2019

Bolero singer Santito/Santos Colon, ‘The Man With The Golden Voice’ is(was) one of the greatest voices in Latin Music and Boleros. Santito recorded more than 47 albums throught his 60 year career. Santito was truly a bolero singer, not just someone who could sing boleros. Even though he was influential and performed with Tito Puente for 17 years, he is rarely, if ever, mentioned in documentaries such as HBO’s ‘A Latin Explosion: A New America’. However these documentaries do not fail to talk about ‘new’ singers of this music and certainly speak of Maestro Tito Puente.

Angel Santos Colon Vega was born on November 1, 1922 in Sabana Grande, Puerto Rico. His parents were Felicita Colon and Fransico Vega. When Santos was young his parents moved to Mayaguez. His career started at a young age. He would work for neighborhood bands singing. At the age of 17, he got a job with the Frank Madera’s band and was extremely popular. He stood with Madera’s band for approximately 6 years. He then went to Mon Rivera’s band and sang there. However he was not getting recognition in Borinquen and decided to move to New York.

After moving to New York, Santito worked and recorded with Jose Curbelo. Once Gilberto Monroig left Tito Puente’s orquestra, Santito went to the Puente Orchestra and worked with him for 17 years. This was unusual because usually musicians working with Puente didn’t stay very long, the few exceptions being: Celia Cruz and Santito Colon. He recorded many hits with Puente. Most of his albums were Boleros and Boleros remained the majority of his compositions and songs. Santos also         recorded some Mambo albums with Puente, which were very popular.

 

After leaving the Puente Orchestra, Santito signed onto Fania Records. At the same time Johnny Pacheco was going to be recording a Bolero album with Justo Bentancourt and Monguito “El Unico” but decided to record it with Santito and Cheo Feliciano. (He put Justo and Monguito on a less prominent Salsa album. Santito recorded 10 albums with Fania including my 6 year old brother’s favorite song ‘Dime’. After Fania, Santito recorded solo albums and continued to perform aroud the world.

That same year, shortly before Santito’s death, his youngest son, Hector, died of liver disease. 5 days before he died Santito was singing his hit Bolero ‘Horas y Minutos’(link) a song he had performed 30 or more times and recorded many times, when he forgot the lyrics for a moment. This had never occured in his entire 60 year career. This concerned him but he refused to go to the hospital. After this incident Santito was recording an album, when he complained of severe stomach pains, however he did not go to hospital and went home instead. He was known not to like doctors and did not routinely go for ‘check ups’. The next morning Santito was talking with his wife, Judy, when he began coughing blood. He had a stroke and was rushed to hospital. He fell into a coma and died several hours later on the evening of February 21, 1998 in Carolina, Puerto Rico. Doctors discovered that Santito had extremely advanced Prostate Cancer and he never knew it. Santito has 2 sons and a daughter who live in Florida.

Santito Colon, The Man With The Golden Voice, one of the most influential singers of Boleros is acknowledged far less than he should be. Santito Colon was one of the greatest singers of Boleros the world has known. Even though Santito is no longer living, his music is alive and through his music Santito is alive. 

This article is dedicated to Santito/Santos Colon. The music of Santito keeps him alive. Keep Santito’s music and memory alive for the future generations. To the memory and music of Santito Colon.