Cheo Feliciano was known as one of the most celebrated Puerto Rican salsa singers on the planet, with hits that the Puerto Rican and the Latino community as a whole embraced, including his most popular tunes "Una en un millón," "Mi promesa," and "Contigo aprendi."

Sadly, his family, friends and fans have to bid farewell to the 78-year-old salsa great with the news of his tragic death in a car accident early Thursday. Feliciano was such a huge part of the community, the culture and the music industry that the news of his death prompted the governor of the U.S. territory to declare three days of mourning, the Associated Press reports.

Feliciano, who was reportedly not wearing a seat belt, was alone in his Jaguar when he hit a light post before dawn in the northern suburb of Cupey, a section of San Juan. While it's unclear what led to the crash, officials did not find any drugs or alcohol in the car.

According to the AP, his wife, Socorro "Coco" Prieto Léon, told reporters that Feliciano had been at a casino Wednesday night.

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

A native of Ponce, who later moved to New York, Feliciano was "a treasure to Puerto Ricans and to many New Yorkers," said U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez in a statement. "His music embodied the rhythm of Puerto Ricans living in New York City and his lyrics helped tell our collective story."

He reportedly started playing music at the young age of 8 with self-made instruments that included tin cans. When his family moved to New York, his musical talent thrived. He went on to be a percussionist and joined a local band, which ultimately brought him into the same circles as fellow music icon Tito Puente.

On Oct. 5, 1957, Feliciano married Prieto, a Puerto Rican dancer.

According to Billboard, "Feliciano was a member of the Fania All Stars and had established his own production company (Coche Records) in the 1980s. He also became a prominent anti-drug spokesman after becoming addicted to heroin while living in New York and returning to Puerto Rico for rehabilitation."

In 2008, Felciano rang in 50 years as a musician by performing in New York's Madison Square Garden. He performed with Eddie Palmieri and others, including Papo Lucca and Ismael Miranda.

Before his unexpected and tragic death, the stellar musician, who was also a husband and father of four sons, had been hospitalized last year for pneumonia and was fighting cancer, the AP adds.