William L. Duguid, known professionally as Willie Panama, is a Panamanian singer, composer, musician, and actor whose work spans salsa, calypso, reggae, kompa, and Latin jazz. He first began drumming at the age of nine, developing a particular focus on the timbales.
A significant milestone in his career occurred on September 9, 2000, at the 25th Salsa Festival at Madison Square Garden in New York City. At this event, he performed as a background vocalist for prominent Latin music artists, including Celia Cruz, Eddie Palmieri, Oscar D'León, Son by 4, Michael Stuart, Tony Vega, and Tito Nieves. Panama also contributed to the track "La Palomita" on Alberto Barros's album, "Tributo a la Salsa Colombiana", which received a Gold Record award (Disco de Oro) in 2009.
As an instrumentalist, Panama has held endorsement deals with music brands Gon Bops, Tycoon, and Sabian. He was also invited by founder Danilo Pérez to participate as a Master Instructor at the Panama Jazz Festival. His recent studio releases include singles such as "Just The Way You Are" (2023), "Ven A Mi Casa Esta Navidad" (2023), "Afinque Pa Los Rumberos" (2024), "Digo Lo Que Siento" (2025), and "Sunday Kind Of Love" (2026).
