WKCR pays tribute to the life and work of Mr. Rafael Ithier tomorrow, December 17, 2025, from 5 AM through 3 PM (ET). Born in San Juan in 1926, Mr. Ithier began playing music as a child, following in the footsteps of his namesake Rafael Cortijo. He was drafted into the military in 1952; when he finished his service, he played with The Bourqueneers Mambo Kings in NYC before moving back to his Puerto Rico. There, he joined Cortijo's salsa orchestra, Cortijo y Su Combo. He founded El Gran Combo in 1962, where he would make his incredible legacy in salsa and Latin music. He led the orchestra into his late life, training younger musicians and shaping the genre. El Gran Combo was recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2015 Latin Grammys.

Mr. Ithier passed away at the age of 99 on December 6 in Puerto Rico. We likewise mourn the loss of Luis Antonio "Papo" Rosario, who served as El Gran Combo's lead singer for nearly 4 decades and passed away on December 12.

We honor their memory and legacy with a 10-hour memorial broadcast. Listeners can tune in at 89.9 FM in the NY/Metropolitan area or stream the broadcast online at wkcr.org worldwide