Irwin "Wito" Rodríguez was born in Chicago to Puerto Rican parents and began his musical journey as a singer and musician. In his teenage years, he played guitar in a Rock and Roll band. In 1968, Wito moved to "La Isla Del Encanto," Puerto Rico, to explore his musical roots and immerse himself in the vibrant sounds of Latin rhythm. His first encounter with salsa music was with the Puerto Rican percussionist Chacón y Su Orquesta, where he learned various Latin rhythms such as Guaguancó, Boogaloo, and Mozambique. Under Chacón's mentorship, Wito developed his skills in Latin percussion and fell in love with the maracas.

Wito returned to Chicago in 1971 to join Orquesta La Justicia, a local band that opened for renowned artists like Ismael Rivera, Ray Barreto, Willie Colón, El Gran Combo, and the legendary Fania All-Stars. In 1973, he joined the United States Army and was stationed in Europe. While in Germany, he took singing lessons from opera singer Barbra Sutton and formed two bands, El Conjunto Sabor and La Sonora Antillana, which accompanied salsa legends such as Adalberto Santiago, Ismael Miranda, Tito Allen, Santitos Colón, Pete "El Conde" Rodríguez, and the Queen of Salsa, Celia Cruz. After leaving the Army, Wito teamed up with German orchestra director Rudi Fuesers to create Conexión Latina, one of Europe’s premier salsa orchestras. With Conexión Latina, he recorded two albums: Calorcito and Un Poco Loco, and also had the opportunity to record with Big Band leader Peter Herbolzheimer.

In the late 1980s, seeking to broaden his horizons, Wito formed his own groups, Wito Rodríguez y Orquesta and Wito Con Cache. Missing his family and friends, he returned to the United States to finish his military service. His passion for music never waned; he returned to the spotlight with the Wito Rodriguez Salsa Jazz Orchestra under the guidance of trumpeter and arranger Gino Picart. His third album, What a Wonderful World (or Que Mundo Maravilloso), was released in January 2015.

In 2016, while busy with live performances, Wito produced and recorded a new album, Como el Viento, in collaboration with artists from Venezuela and Orlando, Florida. This album features a compilation of songs recorded in Europe that had never been released in the Western Hemisphere. In 2018, he released The Best of Wito, showcasing fan-favorite tracks. That same year, he had four new singles, including "Soy Caribe," "Yo No Te Echo La Culpa," "Always and Forever," and "Now and Forever," released through various internet platforms.

As a bilingual artist, Wito feels blessed to share his music in both English and Spanish, blending salsa with R&B and other genres. His achievements include a nomination at the Hollywood Music Media Awards in November 2018 and recognition as a Veteran Salsa Singer of the Army at the Fox Music Awards USA.

Wito's 2019 CD and vinyl release, SOY Distinto Y Diferente, and his 2020 single "Bomba Puertorriqueña" continued to build his legacy. In 2021, he released another album titled Reload.. Recargando, reflecting his ongoing commitment to music. In 2022, he put his unique spin on cover songs by Lou Rawls and John Lennon, releasing tracks like "Imagine," "You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine," and "Mujer Prohibida."

In 2022, Wito relocated from Florida to Pennsylvania and took a brief hiatus from performing. However, he soon founded NMJ Animal Music Records LLC in 2023, aiming to support emerging artists with production and funding for music and videos across different genres and countries. As of 2024, he is actively conducting interviews for himself and his artists, working to bring their music to global events in compliance with local laws.

In September, he won third place in the ESCOM Music Video Award with his video “IMAGINE.” He has released new singles for his artists Julio Albino and Su Orchestra Secreto A Voces, Pibo Marquez, Ray Bayona, Luisito Boss, and also the famous Mike Ramos from the Palladium era, the Legendary Mambo from Puerto Rico and the world.