Héctor Lavoe (30 September, 1946–29 June, 1993) was a well-known salsa singer during the 1970s and 1980s whose name is frequently associated with trombonist Willie Colón. Thanks to his high, youthful-sounding voice and fine sense of timing and phrasing, Lavoe is regarded by many fans of Latin music as one of the finest salsa singers of all time.

Lavoe was born Héctor Juan Pérez in Ponce. His father, Luis Pérez, sang and played guitar with local bands and trios and gave young Héctor his first music lessons. Later he attended the Free School of Music in Ponce. At the age of 14, Héctor started singing professionally with a 10-piece band in a local club.

In 1963, at age 17, Lavoe moved to New York, where he found work with a sextet. This was followed by stints with Orchestra New Yorker and Kako. Lavoe met Willie Colón in June 1966 and became the lead singer with the latter's group. Their partnership was highly successful; between 1967 and 1975, the two recorded a dozen albums, producing many classic salsa hits. After the band broke up, Colón produced a number of successful albums of Lavoe.

Lavoe was also a founder member of the Fania All Stars and recorded with them between 1968 and 1988.

In 1988, Lavoe's son was murdered. Shortly afterwards, he was the victim of an arson attack in which he jumped from a window of his tenth-floor apartment in Condado to save his life, breaking both his legs. Lavoe's career was also dogged by drug problems. Toward the end of his life, he became critically ill. It was later confirmed he had AIDS.

Among his best known songs are "Mamita", "Juana Peña", "Barrunto", "Calle Luna, Calle Sol", "Juanito Alimaña", "Mi Gente", "La Murga", "Periódico de Ayer," and "El Cantante."

See also

• List of famous Puerto Ricans