Latin music stars Marc Anthony and Rubén Bladés are among those paying tribute to salsa icon Johnny Pacheco, who died Monday at 85.
“You were there for me from day 1,” Anthony tweeted. “Your sense of humour was contagious and I am forever grateful for your support, for the opportunity to be in your presence and for your amazing legacy.”
Blades wrote that Pacheco “leaves us with an important musical legacy, represented by all the collaborations he made during his distinguished career.”
Pacheco died in his home state of New Jersey after being hospitalized for complications from pneumonia.
Born Juan Azarías Pacheco Knipping in the Dominican Republic, he was still a child when his family moved to New York City, where he taught himself to play a number of instruments before studying percussion at The Juilliard School.
In 1964, he co-founded Fania Records, where he served as music director, composer, arranger and producer.
“He was … the man most responsible for the genre of Salsa music. He was a visionary and his music will live on eternally,” read a tweet by Fania Records.
Pacheco earned five Grammy nominations between 1976 and 1988 and received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Latin Grammys in 2005.
“His music and legacy will endure forever and continue to inspire music creators around the world,” said Latin Recording Academy president and CEO Gabriel Abaroa Jr., in a statement.
Pacheco was awarded the Dominican Republic’s Presidential Medal of Honour in 1996. He was inducted to the Latin Music Hall of Fame in 1998 and received its Lifetime Achievement Award four years later.
Pacheco is survived by wife Maria and their four children.