Tony Conga, Fania All Stars promoter, dies

Internationally renowned promoter from Salinas, Luis Antonio Rodríguez Morales, known in the entertainment world as “Tony Conga”, died at the age of 74, yesterday at dawn from kidney complications, in Auxilio Mutuo de Río Piedras hospital, as reported by his brother José Luis Rodríguez.

Tony Conga is survived by his four daughters, Marián, Noemí, Jelissa and Karla Rodríguez.

His vigil will take place on Tuesday from 1:00 pm to 9:00 pm, at the San Blas de Salinas funeral home. The funeral will take place Wednesday at 10:00 am at the municipal cemetery of Wico López of the said city.

In 1972 Tony Conga started as promoter of record company Tico-Alegre, with the task of managing the productions of Tito Puente, ‘Pa’ los Rumberos ‘Celia Cruz and Tito Puente’ Algo especial ‘and’ Esto fue lo que de boot ”by Ismael Rivera .

He has promoted and produced several artists and orchestras, including the Fania All Stars, Celia Cruz, Pete Conde Rodríguez, Eddie Palmieri, Santos Colón, Johnny Pacheco, Ismael Quintana, Willie Colón, Rubén Blades and Louie García.

He was currently the producer and promoter of the renowned music group Limite 21.

“We are talking about a person who started in Salinas in the late 1960s and promoted the T ‘Danzan through the loudspeaker from his vehicle with large orchestras of the moment, in the dance centers of the city; I travel an exclusive job in the record industry in Puerto Rico and internationally ”.

“Tony Conga was without a doubt one of the greatest promoters of the patio and the main figure of the Fania All Stars record label in the mid-1970s to the 1980s. He was active until a few days before his death.” said the Saline historian Jossie Alvarado.