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Salsa legend Cheo Feliciano dies

San Juan - Puerto Rican salsa legend Cheo Feliciano died in a car accident early on Thursday, prompting the governor of the US territory to declare three days of mourning.

Feliciano was alone in his Jaguar when he hit a light post before dawn in the northern suburb of Cupey.

Police officer Jorge Hernandez Pena, who is overseeing investigation of the crash, said in a phone interview that Feliciano was not wearing his seatbelt.

He said it is unclear what led to the crash, adding that officials did not find any drugs or alcohol in the car.

Feliciano, a member of the Fania All Stars, was one of the most recognised salsa singers, with hits including One in a Million, My Promise, and I Learned with You.

He was a member of the Fania All Stars and established his own production company in the 1980s.

Puerto Rico Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla declared three days of mourning, saying, "Today, Puerto Rico lost one of its greatest voices."

The music community also mourned.

"Cheo, my friend, I'm in so much pain. You will always be one of my heroes," tweeted New York salsa musician Willie Colon.

Feliciano was born in the southern coastal city of Ponce and formed his first band when he was about 8, playing instruments made from cans, according to a February 2000 interview he gave online music site descarga.com.

Family

Feliciano's father struggled to find work as a carpenter, and his family moved to New York when Feliciano was a teenager.

Shortly after arriving, Feliciano joined a local band as a percussionist and became friends with music giants including Tito Puente.

On 5 October 1957, Feliciano married Puerto Rican dancer Socorro "Coco" Prieto Leon and that night, gave his first concert as a singer with the Joe Cuba band.

A decade later, he left the band and then collaborated with Eddie Palmieri on his album, Champagne, but succumbed to heroin addiction shortly afterward and withdrew from the spotlight for nearly three years.

He returned to his native Puerto Rico for rehab and then joined the Fania All Stars in 1972. That same year, he released Cheo, a solo album that is considered one of his best.

In the mid-1980s, he launched his own production company called Coche Records and produced five albums.

To celebrate his 50 years as a musician, he performed in New York's Madison Square Garden in 2008, singing alongside Palmieri and others including Papo Lucca and Ismael Miranda.

Feliciano is survived by his wife, Coco Feliciano, and four sons.

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