voice is mostly associated with. Van accident On their way to a dance in Connecticut on October 28, 1972, the band's van had an accident, killing trumpet player Luis Maisonet and severely injuring Leavitt. Leavitt was in a coma, he sustained several fractures in his hip (he walked with a limp ever since), vertebrae and ribs in the accident, and was placed on intensive care. After he recovered from the coma, he had a persistent vision of an empty white crib, from which baby cries could be heard. Somehow he associated the vision with his trumpet player, unaware that he had died in the accident. Maisonet was reportedly dressed in black, and telling him: "Raphy, I'll help you from here". When fellow band members mustered the will to tell Leavitt about the player's death, Leavitt claimed that he already knew about it. After seven months of recovery, Leavitt and his band recorded the "La Cuna Blanca" as a tribute song, with Leavitt writing dramatic lyrics interpreted by Marrero, arranged to an upbeat, heavily contrasting cha-cha-cha beat. The bittersweet feeling evoked by the song has made it a popular farewell song at Puerto Rican funerals. Marrero's daughter's death from a stray bullet at a reggaeton club in 2005 brought the song back to light in the collective Puerto Rican conscience, and had the dramatic consequence of having Marrero sing it in a tribute concert to La Selecta the day immediately after her death. In 1978, he discovered the young singer Tony Vega, who was to become a notable salsa singer. Leavitt and La Selecta were responsible for the introduction of salsa in many countries. In the 1980s, Leavitt became an independent producer and produced two records for Bobby Valentín Bronco Records. In the 1990s, He established his own record recording company, R. L. Records. The company's first production was the album titled Provocame (Provoke Me), which became a hit in Puerto Rico, United States and South America. European tour In 1993, Leavitt and La Selecta made their European debut in Spain. During that tour, they also held concerts in Germany, Switzerland, Italy and France. Later years and death Leavitt was presented the Rafael Hernández Golden Bust Award for his compositions "Payaso" ("Clown"), "Jíbaro Soy" ("I'm a Countryboy") and "La Cuna Blanca" ("The White Crib"). In 2003, Leavitt and La Selecta held a concert at the Luis A. Ferré Center of Fine