In an unprecedented event in Colombian radio, Latina Stereo honored the legendary Puerto Rican composer by dedicating its entire musical programming for 24 consecutive hours on February 12, 2026, exclusively to his songs.
By Diego Aranda
From the early morning hours, songs by Tite Curet Alonso began to play, performed by the most renowned singers and orchestras in salsa. The selection was carefully curated, featuring different groups for each composition. The number that opened the marathon was the first version of Efectivamente, recorded in 1964 by Joe Quijano.
In the morning, the segment Noti-música provided information about the composer combined with his songs. At 8:00 a.m., the daily program Sentimiento Latino presented one full hour dedicated to boleros written by Tite Curet, including specific details about each piece.
At midday, during Meridiano Latino, instrumental versions of Tite’s songs were interwoven into a time slot that traditionally blends salsa and instrumental or Latin jazz selections for lunchtime listening.
At 2:00 p.m., Maravillas del Caribe, a program that always highlights music from the golden era of the Antilles, referenced Tite Curet’s earliest recorded compositions.
In the afternoon, the musical block featured the composer through great salsa classics created by him.
Noche como boca e’ lobo
The segments Canal Salsero, Dos con el mismo sabor, and Sabor Latino alternated information about the composer with songs in different versions.
At 8:00 p.m., Fiebre de Salsa en la Noche presented a vinyl selection featuring Catalino Curet Alonso as the central figure. At 10:00 p.m., the regular program Oye la Charanga also dedicated its programming to Tite Curet, including charanga-style versions of his classics with flutes and violins.
Throughout the programming, interviews were broadcast using archival material from various sources, as well as original material from an interview conducted by the station with the composer. Carefully edited station IDs and promotional pieces captured the essence of Tite’s greatness.
The final hour of February 12 featured songs by Don Catalino until midnight, concluding a 24-hour journey during which the audience connected massively with the station, remembering and admiring the immense body of work left by the inspired composer.
Listeners from Puerto Rico tuned in to express their gratitude for this tribute.
During the entire broadcast, the Latina Stereo studio was presided over by one of the traditional hats worn by Don Tite Curet Alonso, which rests in the station’s museum. The station has spent four decades programming salsa for an ever-growing audience.
In this way, Latina Stereo, from Medellín, Colombia, reaffirms its eternal devotion and gratitude toward the work and legacy of this immense composer, whose musical imprint is always present in its regular programming.
This extensive tribute joins other radio homages the station has carried out, dedicating 18 and 24 continuous hours of musical programming to figures such as Héctor Lavoe, Celia Cruz, Willie Rosario, and Rafael Ithier. This initiative undoubtedly marks a milestone in radio history.
Regarding the centennial of Catalino “Tite” Curet Alonso, Latina Stereo will continue throughout 2026 honoring his legacy in its regular programming, along with related digital content that will continue to be published.
Latina Stereo is a radio station founded in Envigado in October 1985, broadcasting on 100.9 MHz on the Medellín dial. For 40 years it has centered its musical programming on classic salsa, broadcasting from Medellín, Colombia, the diverse sounds that shape the salsa concept, including the boom of the 1970s and later hits that follow the patterns of salsa dura.
Additionally, it offers specialized content dedicated to salsa on vinyl, Latin jazz, Latin soul, fusions with African and Antillean music, the charanga format, and traditional Cuban music.
As if that were not enough, Latina Stereo also provides spaces where listeners can participate—not only through phone lines but in person—becoming part of the programming according to their tastes. Another key element of Latina Stereo’s programming is the space dedicated to researchers and collectors.
Of course, entertainment is also part of its schedule, with light and warm content that connects with all kinds of audiences. Digital content further extends its language to the public through its website and social media platforms.
The station also has a store offering souvenirs that allow salsa lovers to connect in every possible way with the station. The Latina Stereo museum is a journey into the past and a direct connection with artists who have left behind objects or signatures, displayed in a space designed so visitors can connect with history.
In this museum rests Don Catalino Tite Curet Alonso’s hat, alongside a cloth bag in which he carried his notebooks where he wrote his compositions. The importance of a composer like Tite Curet has been recognized beyond Puerto Rico in this radio center, which, with profound respect, carried out this immense tribute on the date of his birth.
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