Cuban singer (1925?2003)
In this
Spanish name
, the first or paternal
surname
is
Cruz
and the second or maternal family name is
Alfonso
.
Celia Cruz
|
---|
Cruz in 1957
|
Born
| Ursula Hilaria Celia de la Caridad Cruz Alfonso
(
1925-10-21
)
21 October 1925
|
---|
Died
| 16 July 2003
(2003-07-16)
(aged 77)
|
---|
Resting place
| The Bronx, New York
, U.S.
|
---|
Occupations
| |
---|
Years active
| 1948?2003
|
---|
Spouse
| |
---|
Musical career
|
Genres
| |
---|
Instrument(s)
| |
---|
Labels
| |
---|
|
Ursula Hilaria Celia de la Caridad Cruz Alfonso
(21 October 1925 ? 16 July 2003), known as
Celia Cruz
, was a Cuban singer and one of the most popular
Latin artists
of the 20th century. Cruz rose to fame in
Cuba
during the 1950s as a singer of
guarachas
, earning the nickname "
La Guarachera de Cuba
". In the following decades, she became known internationally as the "
Queen of Salsa
" due to her contributions to Latin music.
[1]
[2]
[3]
She had sold over 10 million copies, making her one of the
best-selling Latin music artists
.
[4]
She began her career in her home country
Cuba
, earning recognition as a vocalist of the popular musical group
Sonora Matancera
, a musical association that lasted 15 years (1950?1965). Cruz mastered a wide variety of
Afro-Cuban music
styles including
guaracha
,
rumba
,
afro
,
son
and
bolero
, recording numerous singles in these styles for Seeco Records. In 1960, after the
Cuban Revolution
caused the nationalization of the music industry, Cruz left her native country, becoming one of the symbols and spokespersons of the Cuban community in exile.
[5]
Cruz continued her career, first in
Mexico
, and then in the
United States
, the country that she took as her definitive residence. In the 1960s, she collaborated with
Tito Puente
, recording her signature tune "
Bemba colora
". In the 1970s, she signed for
Fania Records
and became strongly associated with the
salsa
genre, releasing hits such as "
Quimbara
". She often appeared live with
Fania All-Stars
and collaborated with
Johnny Pacheco
and
Willie Colon
. During the last years of her career, Cruz continued to release successful songs such as "
La vida es un carnaval
" and "
La negra tiene tumbao
".
[6]
Her musical legacy is made up of a total of 37 studio albums, as well as numerous live albums and collaborations. Throughout her career, she was awarded numerous prizes and distinctions, including two
Grammy Awards
and three
Latin Grammy Awards
. In addition to her prolific career in music, Cruz also made several appearances as an actress in movies and
telenovelas
. Her catchphrase "
¡Azucar!
" ("Sugar!") has become one of the most recognizable symbols of salsa music.
Early life
[
edit
]
Ursula Hilaria Celia de la Caridad Cruz Alfonso was born on 21 October 1925, at 47 Serrano Street in the Santos Suarez neighborhood of
Havana, Cuba
.
[7]
[8]
Her father, Simon Cruz, was a railway stoker, and her mother, Catalina Alfonso Ramos, a housewife who took care of an extended family.
[7]
Celia was one of the eldest among fourteen children living in the house, including cousins and her three siblings, Dolores, Gladys, and Barbaro,
[9]
[10]
and she used to sing cradle songs to put them to sleep.
[8]
According to her mother, she began singing as a child at 9 or 10 months of age, often in the middle of the night.
[8]
[11]
She also sang in school during the Fridays'
actos civicos
and in her neighborhood ensemble, Boton de oro.
[8]
While growing up in Cuba's diverse 1930s musical climate, Cruz listened to many musicians who influenced her adult career, including Fernando Collazo,
Abelardo Barroso
, Pablo Quevedo,
Antonio Arcano
and
Arsenio Rodriguez
.
[3]
Despite her father's opposition and the fact that she was
Catholic
, as a child Cruz learned
Santeria
songs from her neighbor who practiced Santeria.
[12]
Cruz also studied the words to
Yoruba
songs with colleague
Merceditas Valdes
(an
akpwon
, a santeria singer) from Cuba and later made various recordings of this religious genre, even singing backup for other akpwons like
Candita Batista
.
As a teenager, her aunt took her and her cousin to
cabarets
to sing, but her father encouraged her to attend school in the hope she would become a teacher. After high school, she attended the Normal School for Teachers in Havana with the intent of becoming a literature teacher.
[13]
At the time being a singer was not viewed as an entirely respectable career. However, one of her teachers told her that, as an entertainer, she could earn in one day what most Cuban teachers earned in a month. From 1947, Cruz studied music theory, voice, and piano at Havana's National Conservatory of Music.
[14]
One day, her cousin took her to Havana's radio station
Radio Garcia-Serra
, where she became a contestant in the "Hora del te" amateur radio program. It was her first time using a microphone and she sang the
tango
"Nostalgia" (as a tribute to
Paulina Alvarez
[3]
), winning a cake as the first prize for her performance.
[8]
On other occasions she won silver chains, as well as opportunities to participate in more contests.
[15]
She also sang in other amateur radio programs such as
La suprema corte del arte
, broadcast by
CMQ
, always winning first prize. The only exception was when she competed against Vilma Valle, having to split their earnings: 25 dollars each.
[8]
In 2004, the
Miami Herald
revealed from partially declassified US State Department papers that Cruz had been linked to Cuba's pre-Revolution communist party, the
Popular Socialist Party
(PSP), as early as the 1940s.
[16]
The article, promoted as an "exclusive", was written by Miami Herald journalist
Carol Rosenberg
from Freedom of Information Act requests. It made several revelations. Among them, the US Embassy in Havana denied Cruz a US visa in 1952 and 1955 because of suspected communist affiliations. The article also states that Cruz had joined the youth wing of the PSP at age 20 and had used a concert to arrange a secret meeting with communists in South America on behalf of its then general secretary,
Blas Roca Calderio
, who has also founded the party in 1925. Cruz had also signed a public letter in support of one of the Party's front groups, the Pro-Peace Congress. The article states that Cruz's surviving husband,
Pedro Knight
, was asked about this, and is quoted he knew nothing about it. "She never told me about that. She never talked about politics," the article quotes Knight.
[17]
Career
[
edit
]
First recordings
[
edit
]
Isolina Carrillo
was one of the first people to recognize Cruz's ability to sing Afro-Cuban music and asked her to join her Conjunto Siboney, where
Olga Guillot
also sang.
[18]
She later joined Orquesta de Ernesto Duarte, Gloria Matancera, Sonora Caracas and Orquesta Anacaona. From 1947, she started to sing in Havana's most popular cabarets:
Tropicana
, Sans Souci, Bamboo, Topeka, etc.
[8]
In 1948, Roderico
Rodney
Neyra founded the group of dancers and singers Las Mulatas de Fuego (The Fiery Mulattas).
[19]
[20]
[21]
Cruz was hired with this group as a singer, reaching great success and making presentations in Mexico and
Venezuela
, where she made her first recordings. Shortly thereafter, Cruz began to sing on musical programs at Radio Cadena Suaritos, along with a group that performed
Santeria
music under the direction of
Obdulio Morales
. With this group, known as Coro Yoruba y Tambores Bata, she made several recordings that were later released by
Panart
.
Sonora Matancera
[
edit
]
Cruz's big break came in 1950 when Myrta Silva, the singer with Cuba's
Sonora Matancera
, returned to her native
Puerto Rico
. Since they were in need of a new singer, the band decided to give the young Celia Cruz a chance. She auditioned in June, and at the end of July she was asked to join as lead singer,
[22]
and thus became the group's first black frontwoman.
[23]
In her first rehearsal with Sonora Matancera, Cruz met her future husband
Pedro Knight
, who was the band's second trumpeter.
Cruz debuted with the group on 3 August 1950. Initially, Cruz was not received with enthusiasm by the public, but Rogelio Martinez had faith in her. On 15 December 1950, Cruz recorded her first songs with the group, which were a resounding success. Her "musical marriage" with the Sonora Matancera lasted fifteen years. In total Celia recorded 188 songs with the Matancera, including hits such as "Cao cao mani picao", "Mata siguaraya", "Burundanga" and "El yerbero moderno". She won her first gold record for "Burundanga", making her first trip to the United States in 1957 to receive the award and to perform at
St. Nicholas Arena
, New York.
[8]
During her 15 years with
Sonora Matancera
, she appeared in cameos in some Mexican films such as
Rincon criollo
(1950),
Una gallega en La Habana
(1955) and
Amorcito corazon
(1961), toured all over Latin America and became a regular at the Tropicana.
Exile and Tico recordings
[
edit
]
Cruz was touring in Mexico when
Fidel Castro
seized power at the conclusion of the
Cuban Revolution
. She returned to Cuba to find her hometown of Havana in turmoil and mostly shut down.
[24]
Cruz was publicly critical of Castro, a stance that she knew would endanger her career and possibly her freedom, since other critics of the regime were regularly arrested. She also needed money to pay for her ailing mother's medical expenses, and when she was offered a contract to perform for a few months at La Terraza Nightclub in
Mexico City
, she accepted. Cruz left Cuba on July 15, 1960, not knowing that she would never return to her home country.
[25]
Just one week after arriving in Mexico, Cruz received the news of the death of her father, Simon Cruz. In 1961, Cruz and Sonora Matancera left Mexico for an engagement in the United States. During this period, Cruz began performing solo without the group, performing at a recital at the
Hollywood Palladium
in
Los Angeles
.
In 1962, before the refusal of the Cuban government to allow her to return to Cuba, Cruz acquired a house in
Fort Lee, New Jersey
. Although she tried to return to Cuba to see her sick mother, who was struggling with terminal bladder cancer, the Cuban government denied her request to return.
[26]
On 7 April 1962, she received the news of the death of her mother Catalina Alfonso. That same year, on 14 July, Cruz was married in civil ceremony with Pedro Knight after a romance of several years. Cruz and Sonora Matancera made their first tour outside of the Americas, visiting
Europe
and
Japan
, where they performed with
Tito Puente
. In 1965, Cruz would culminate a vertiginous fifteen years with the Sonora Matancera. Cruz began a solo career and her husband Pedro Knight decided to leave his position at Sonora Matancera to become her representative, arranger and personal director. During this time, Cruz became an American citizen.
In 1966, Cruz was contacted by Tito Puente to perform with his orchestra. Their first collaborative album,
Son con guaguanco
featured a recording of Jose Claro Fumero's guaracha "Bemba colora", which became one of Cruz's signature songs.
[23]
Cruz and Puente went on to collaborate on another four albums together. She also recorded albums with other musical directors such as Memo Salamanca, Juan Bruno Tarraza and Lino Frias for
Tico Records
. In 1974,
Fania Records
, the leading
salsa
record label, acquired Tico and signed Cruz to the imprint Vaya Records, where she remained until 1992.
The Fania years
[
edit
]
Cruz's association with the
Fania label
had begun in 1973, when she recorded the lead vocals of "Gracia divina", a song by
Larry Harlow
which was part of his "Latin opera"
Hommy
. She then joined the
Fania All-Stars
, a salsa
supergroup
featuring the most popular performers of the Fania roster. With them, Cruz first sang "Bemba colora" and "Diosa del ritmo" in
San Juan, Puerto Rico
in 1973. She later travelled with the group to
Kinshasa
,
Zaire
, in 1974 and returned to San Juan in 1975 for another concert. These live recordings were commercially released years later. Her performance in Zaire, as part of
The Rumble in the Jungle
event, was included in the film
Soul Power
.
[27]
Cruz recorded her first studio album for Fania in 1974 in collaboration with
Johnny Pacheco
, the label's founder and musical director. The album,
Celia & Johnny
, and its lead single, "Quimbara", were both a commercial success. In 1976, she participated in the documentary film
Salsa
about Latin culture, along with figures like
Dolores del Rio
and
Willie Colon
. The following year she recorded her first LP with Colon, a collaboration that would be repeated with great success in 1981 and 1987. When touring with Colon, Cruz wore a flamboyant costume, which included various colored wigs, tight sequined dresses, and very high heels. Her fashion style became so famous that one of them was acquired by the Smithsonian institution.
[13]
In the late 1970s, she participated in an
Eastern Air Lines
commercial in Puerto Rico, singing the catchy phrase
¡Esto si es volar!
(
This is to truly fly!
). Cruz also used to sing the identifying spot for WQBA radio station in Miami, formerly known as "La Cubanisima": "I am the voice of Cuba, from this land, far away...I am liberty, I am WQBA, the most Cuban!" (
Yo soy de Cuba, la voz, desde esta tierra lejana... ¡soy libertad, soy WQBA, Cubanisima!
).
In 1982, Celia was reunited with the Sonora Matancera and recorded the album
Feliz Encuentro
. That year, the singer received the first tribute of her career at
Madison Square Garden
in New York. In 1987, Cruz performed a concert in
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
. That concert was recognized by the publisher of the
Guinness Book of Records
as the largest free-entry outdoor concert, with an audience of 250,000 people. In 1988, she participated in the feature film
Salsa
alongside
Robby Draco Rosa
. In 1990, Cruz won her first
Grammy Award
(
Best Tropical Latin Performance
) for her album
Ritmo en el corazon
, recorded with
Ray Barretto
. She was also invited to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the Sonora Matancera in
Central Park
in New York. The decline of Fania's brand of
salsa dura
in favor of the emergent
salsa romantica
gradually brought an end to Celia's musical association with the Fania All Stars. Their final reunions took place in Puerto Rico (1994) and Colombia (1995), both of which were released on CD.
Later years
[
edit
]
In 1990, Cruz managed to return to Cuba. She was invited to make a presentation at the
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base
. When she came out of this presentation she took a few grams of Cuban soil in a bag; at her request, this bag would later be placed in her coffin when she died. In 1994, she received the
National Endowment for the Arts
award from the then President
Bill Clinton
, which is the highest recognition granted by the United States government to an artist.
[28]
Having made musical presentations in Mexican and Cuban films, in 1992 Celia participated as an actress in the American film
Mambo Kings
, along with
Armand Assante
and
Antonio Banderas
. A year later she made her debut as a television actress in the Mexican
telenovela
Valentina
, along with
Veronica Castro
for the
Televisa
network. In 1995, Celia made a guest appearance in the American film
The Perez Family
, along with
Alfred Molina
and
Anjelica Huston
. In 1997, she starred again for Televisa in the Mexican telenovela
El alma no tiene color
, a remake of the classic Mexican film
Angelitos negros
. Cruz played the role of a black woman who gives birth to a white daughter. On 25 October 1997, the city of
San Francisco
,
California
, officially declared that date as "Celia Cruz Day".
In 1998, she released the album
Mi vida es cantar
, which featured one of her most successful songs,
La vida es un carnaval
. In 1999, she performed with
Luciano Pavarotti
for the
Pavarotti and Friends
concert. In 2000, Cruz released a new album under the auspices of
Sony Music
,
Celia Cruz and Friends: A Night of Salsa
, where she recorded again with Tito Puente, who died shortly after. Thanks to this album, Cruz was awarded her first
Latin Grammy
. In 2001, the album
Siempre vivire
won her a second Latin Grammy. In that same year, she performed with
Marc Anthony
in a tribute to
Aretha Franklin
for
VH1
. In 2002, Cruz released the album,
La negra tiene tumbao
, where she ventured into modern variants of Caribbean rhythms, influenced by rap and hip hop. For this record she won her third Latin Grammy and her second American Grammy.
On 16 July 2002, Cruz performed to a full house at the free outdoor performing arts festival
Central Park SummerStage
in New York City. During the performance she sang "
Bemba colora
". A live recording of this song was subsequently made available in 2005 on a commemorative CD honoring the festival's then 20-year history entitled, "Central Park SummerStage: Live from the Heart of the City". Cruz appeared on the
Dionne Warwick
albums
Dionne Sings Dionne
and
My Friends & Me
with their Latin duet version of "(Do You Know The Way To) San Jose".
Death
[
edit
]
In August and September 2002, Cruz underwent surgery due to
breast cancer
.
[29]
In November that year, Cruz fell during a concert in Mexico. She was diagnosed with
glioma
, an aggressive form of brain cancer, and underwent surgery in December.
[29]
Confident, Cruz said she did not shed one tear and that she was aiming to resume her artistic career.
[29]
She finished recording her last album,
Regalo del Alma
. In February, she appeared in public again at the
45th Annual Grammy Awards
to receive the award for
Best Salsa Album
.
[29]
In March 2003, the US Hispanic network
Telemundo
paid tribute to her. The event, titled
¡Celia Cruz: Azucar!
, involved figures such as
Gloria Estefan
,
Marc Anthony
,
La India
,
Gloria Gaynor
and
Patti LaBelle
among others.
[30]
[31]
This was her last public appearance.
On the afternoon of 16 July 2003, Cruz died at her home in
Fort Lee, New Jersey
, at the age of 77. At her express wish, her mortal remains were first transferred to
Miami
for two days to receive the homage of her Cuban exile admirers, returning and finally resting in the
Woodlawn Cemetery
in
The Bronx
, New York.
[32]
[33]
[34]
[35]
An epilogue in her autobiography notes that, in accordance with her wishes, Cuban soil - which she had saved from a visit to
Guantanamo Bay
- was used in her entombment.
[36]
[37]
[38]
Tributes and legacy
[
edit
]
Cruz's legacy has been honored since years before her death, including a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame
(1987), the asteroid name
5212 Celiacruz
(1989),
[39]
the
Excellence Awards
at the
1990 Lo Nuestro Awards
,
[40]
and
Celia Cruz Way
in Miami (1991). She was also recognized with a star on Boulevard
Amador Bendayan
in
Caracas
, Venezuela, and a figure in the
Hollywood Wax Museum
. Besides, Cruz received three Honoris Causa doctorates from three universities in the United States:
Yale University
,
Florida International University
and the
University of Miami
.
[41]
Cruz, along with fellow Afro-Cuban musician
Cachao
, were inducted into the
Billboard
Latin Music Hall of Fame
in 1994.
[42]
She was also inducted into the
International Latin Music Hall of Fame
in 1999.
[43]
In the same year, she was presented with the
ASCAP Latin Heritage Award
becoming the first recipient of the accolade.
[44]
Through a formidable work ethic, Cruz rose to the very top in her genre.
[45]
In February 2004, her last album,
Regalo del Alma
, she won a posthumous award at the
Premios Lo Nuestro
for best salsa release of the year. It was announced in December 2005 that a musical called
¡Azucar!
would open in
Tenerife
before touring the world. The name comes from Cruz's well-known catch phrase of "¡Azucar!" (“Sugar!”).
In 2003, a music school was opened in the Bronx, named the
Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music
. Pedro Knight visited this school before his death to meet the students and share stories about her life.
On June 4, 2004, the heavily Cuban-American community of
Union City, New Jersey
heralded its annual Cuban Day Parade by dedicating its new Celia Cruz Park (also known as Celia Cruz Plaza), which features a sidewalk star in her honor, at 31st Street and
Bergenline Avenue
, with Cruz's widower,
Pedro Knight
, present. There are four other similar dedications to Cruz around the world.
[46]
Cruz's star has expanded into Union City's "Walk of Fame",
[47]
as new marble stars are added each spring to honor Latin entertainment and media personalities, such as
merengue
singer Joseito Mateo, salsa singer
La India
, Cachao, Cuban
tenor
Beny More
,
[48]
Tito Puente
, Spanish language
television news
anchor
Rafael Pineda
, salsa pioneer
Johnny Pacheco
,
[49]
singer/bandleader
Gilberto Santa Rosa
and music promoter
Ralph Mercado
.
[50]
On 18 May 2005, the
National Museum of American History
, administered by the
Smithsonian Institution
and located in
Washington, D.C.
, opened
"¡Azucar!"
, an exhibit celebrating the life and music of Celia Cruz. The exhibit highlights important moments in Cruz's life and career through photographs, personal documents, costumes, videos, and music. Her biography
Celia: Mi vida
was also published in 2005, based on more than 500 hours of interviews with the Mexican journalist Ana Cristina Reymundo. The journalist and TV presenter
Cristina Saralegui
planned to take the story of her life to the cinema and the American actress
Whoopi Goldberg
, admirer of the singer, expressed her interest in representing her, but the project was cancelled.
[51]
From 26 September 2007 to 25 May 2008,
Celia
, a musical based on the life of Celia Cruz, played at the
Off-Broadway
venue
New World Stages
. The show won four 2008 HOLA Awards from the
Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors
.
[52]
On 16 March 2011, Celia Cruz was honored by the
United States Postal Service
with a commemorative postage stamp.
[53]
The Cruz stamp was one of a group of five stamps honoring Latin music greats, also including
Selena
,
Tito Puente
,
Carmen Miranda
, and
Carlos Gardel
. The Smithsonian's
National Museum of American History
collaborated with photographer Robert Weingarten to create an object-based portrait of Celia Cruz featuring artifacts in the museum. The portrait was unveiled on 3 October 2012.
[54]
On 21 October 2013, Google honored her with a
Google Doodle
.
[55]
Jennifer Lopez
honored Cruz with her presentation at the
41st American Music Awards
ceremony.
[56]
The singers
Yuri
, La India,
Maluma
and
Aymee Nuviola
did the same at the
Latin American Music Awards
. Also in 2013, Cruz was inducted into the New Jersey Hall Fame.
[55]
In October 2015,
Telemundo
premiered an 80-episode docu-drama based on Cruz's life,
Celia
.
[57]
In 2015, the television networks
RCN Television
and Telemundo, made the
Celia
a TV series, based on the life of Celia Cruz. Celia was played by the actresses
Jeimy Osorio
and Aymee Nuviola and counted on the voice of Patty Padilla.
[57]
In 2019,
Angelique Kidjo
released a tribute album to Cruz, entitled
Celia
, including songs spanning all of Celia's Cruz career reinvented with an Afrobeat feel. It features
Tony Allen (musician)
,
Meshell Ndegeocello
and the
Gangbe Brass Band
.
[58]
In 2018, a monument to Celia Cruz was unveiled in the Cuban Heritage Park in
Hialeah, Florida
.
[59]
[60]
Also in 2018, the Celia Cruz Estate launched a brand inspired by Cruz which featured merchandise inspired and about Cruz.
[61]
In 2019,
Chilean
-American poet
Marjorie Agosin
created a
chamber music
theatre performance titled "Las Magnificas" (The Magnificent Ones), based on the life of Celia Cruz and Chilean singer-songwriter
Violeta Parra
.
[62]
[63]
On June 2, 2021, the City of New York honored Celia Cruz by co-naming the intersection of Reservoir Avenue and East 195th Street in the Kingsbridge Heights section of The Bronx, near the
High School
that is the named in her honor, "Celia Cruz Way".
[64]
[65]
In 2023,
Rolling Stone
ranked Cruz at No. 18 on their list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.
[66]
In February 2023, Cruz was selected as an honoree in the 2024
American Women quarter
program, making her the first Afro-Latina to appear on a U.S quarter.
[67]
[68]
Discography
[
edit
]
- Cuba's Foremost Rhythm Singer
(1958)
- Incomparable Celia
(1958)
- Mi Diario Musical
(1959)
- Con Amor
(Exito, 1960)
- Canciones Premiadas
(1961)
- Homenaje a Los Santos
(1964)
- Canciones que Yo Queria Haber Grabado Primero
(1965)
- Sabor y Ritmo de Pueblos
(1965)
- Cuba Y Puerto Rico Son
(1966)
- Son con Guaguanco
(1966)
- Bravo Celia Cruz
(1967)
- A Ti Mexico
(1967)
- Excitante
(1968)
- Serenata Guajira
(1968)
- Quimbo Quimbumbia
(1969)
- Etc. Etc. Etc.
(1970)
- Celia y Tito Puente en Espana
(1971)
- Celia Cruz/Tito Puente Algo Especial Para Recordar (1972)
- Celia & Johnny
(1974)
- Tremendo Cache
(1975)
- Recordando El Ayer
(1976)
- Only They Could Have Made This Album
(1977)
- Homenaje A Beny More
(1978)
- Celia Cruz Y La Sonora Poncena La Ceiba (1979)
- Celia/Johnny/Pete
(1980)
- Celia & Willie
(1981)
- Feliz Encuentro
(1982)
- Tremendo Trio
(1983)
- Candela
(1986)
- De Nuevo
(1986)
- Winners
(1987)
- Ritmo en el Corazon
(1988)
- Guarachera del Mundo
(1990)
- Canta Celia Cruz
(1991)
- Reina del Ritmo Cubano
(1991)
- Tributo a Ismael Rivera
(1992)
- Verdadera Historia
(1992)
- Azucar Negra
(1993)
- Boleros Polydor
(1993)
- Homenaje a Beny More, Vol. 3
(1993)
- Introducing
(1993)
- Guaracheras de La Guaracha
(1994)
- Homenaje a Los Santos
(1994)
- Irrepetible
(1994)
- Mambo del Amor
(1994)
- Merengue Saludos Amigos
(1994)
- Cuba's Queen of Rhythm
(1995)
- Double Dynamite
(1995)
- Festejando Navidad
(1995)
- Irresistible
(1995)
- Celia Cruz Delta
(1996)
- Cambiando Ritmos
(1997)
- Duets
(1997)
- Tambien Boleros
(1997)
- Afro-Cubana
(1998)
- Mi Vida Es Cantar
(1998)
- En Vivo C.M.Q., Vol. 4
(1999)
- En Vivo C.M.Q., Vol. 5
(1999)
- En Vivo Radio Progreso, Vol. 1
(1999)
- En Vivo Radio Progreso, Vol. 2
(1999)
- En Vivo Radio Progreso, Vol. 3
(1999)
- Celia Cruz and Friends: A Night of Salsa
(1999)
- Habanera
(2000)
- Salsa
(2000)
- Siempre Vivire
(2000)
- La Negra Tiene Tumbao
(2001)
- Hits Mix
(2002)
- Unrepeatable
(2002)
- Homenaje a Beny More
(2003)
- Regalo del Alma
(2003)
- Dios disfrute a la Reina
(2004)
- Havana Nights
(2019)
Filmography
[
edit
]
- Salon Mexico
(Mexico, 1950)
- Una gallega en La Habana
(Mexico, 1952)
- ¡Ole... Cuba!
(Mexico/Cuba, 1957)
- Affair in Havana
(USA/Cuba, 1957)
- Amorcito Corazon
(Mexico, 1960)
- Salsa
(Documentary, 1976)
- Salsa
(USA, 1988)
- "Fires Within" (USA, 1991)
- The Mambo Kings
(USA, 1992)
- Valentina
(TV) (Mexico, 1993)
- The Perez Family
(USA, 1995) Luz Pat
- El alma no tiene color
(TV) (Mexico, 1997)
- ¡Celia Cruz: Azucar!
(TV) (Tribute, USA, 2003)
- Soul Power
(Documentary of Kinshasa, Zaire Music Festival 1974) (USA, 2008)
- CELIA
, Celia Cruz Bio-Drama (2015 on Telemundo)
Awards
[
edit
]
Grammy Awards
[
edit
]
The
Grammy Awards
are awarded annually by the
National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
in the United States. Celia Cruz has received two awards from fourteen nominations, as well as a non-competitive Lifetime Achievement award.
[69]
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
[
edit
]
The
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
is presented to those who, during their lifetimes, have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording. Celia Cruz won the award in 2016.
Latin Grammy Awards
[
edit
]
A
Latin Grammy Award
is an accolade by the
Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences
to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry. Celia Cruz has won four awards out of seven nominations.
Cruz is also the recipient of the president's
National Medal of Arts
.
[70]
[68]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Pareles, Jon (14 December 1992).
"Review/Pop; The Queen of Latin Music Takes It From the Top"
. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
- ^
"Celia Cruz's Shoes"
.
National Museum of American History
,
Smithsonian Institution
. Retrieved
9 June
2008
.
- ^
a
b
c
"The Life and Music of Celia Cruz"
.
Smithsonian Institution
. 16 March 2012
. Retrieved
21 October
2013
.
- ^
Arias-Polo, Arturo (1 December 2017).
"Albacea de Celia Cruz decide reivindicar la historia de la Guarachera de Cuba en un musical"
(in Spanish)
. Retrieved
3 March
2023
.
- ^
"Cuando Fidel Castro prohibio la musica de Celia Cruz"
.
KienyKe.com
. 6 October 2015. Archived from
the original
on 2 June 2019
. Retrieved
14 October
2019
.
- ^
"Diez canciones que inmortalizaron a Celia Cruz, la 'reina de la salsa'
"
.
El Heraldo
. 16 July 2019
. Retrieved
14 October
2019
.
- ^
a
b
Marceles, Eduardo (2004).
Azucar!: The Biography of Celia Cruz
. Reed Press. p. 5.
ISBN
9781594290213
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
"Celia Cruz interview"
.
Generation-ntv.com
. 1996
. Retrieved
19 September
2019
.
- ^
Marceles, Eduardo (2004).
Azucar!: The Biography of Celia Cruz
. Reed Press. p. 5: "[Celia Cruz] was the only daughter of Simon Cruz, a railroad worker from the town of Los Palacios, and Catalina Alfonso, who was also from Pinar del Rio ... Before her relationship with Simon, Catalina already had a daughter, Dolores, with Aquilino Ramos. After Celia, she also had two other children, Barbaro and Gladys, with Alejandro Jimenez."
- ^
Petrini, Rebecca (21 September 2004).
"Celia Cruz"
.
Prominent Hispanics in the U.S.
(in Spanish)
. Retrieved
3 November
2022
.
- ^
Wall, Anthony (12 February 1988).
"My Name Is Celia Cruz"
.
BBC Arena
. BBC
. Retrieved
5 November
2019
.
- ^
Celia Cruz; Ana Cristina Reymundo (2004).
Celia: mi vida
. Harper Collins. pp.
24, 74
.
ISBN
0-06-072606-7
.
- ^
a
b
"Celia Cruz"
.
Britannica Academic
. Encyclopædia Britannica
. Retrieved
13 December
2016
.
- ^
Biografias y Vidas.
"Celia Cruz"
. Retrieved
25 May
2008
.
- ^
Celia Cruz; Ana Cristina Reymundo (2004).
Celia: mi vida
. Harper Collins. pp.
32?4
.
ISBN
0-06-072606-7
.
- ^
"An untold chapter in the life of Celia Cruz," Rosenberg, C. Miami Herald, Sun, 25 July 2004 Back then, "it was not unusual at all for artists and intellectuals to have some sort of contact with the Communist Party", Univ. of Pittsburgh history professor is quoted in the article. "It was a progressive, liberal force at the time. There was nothing to be ashamed of at the time. That changed in the late 1940s, after the end of World War II".
- ^
"The Cruz file obtained by The Herald is not complete. But the 18 pages released so far begin on July 23, 1955. Marked
SECRET
, an operations memorandum from the U.S. Embassy in Havana says the singer was refused entry into the United States under a provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act that weeds out suspected subversives." ibid.
- ^
Marceles, Eduardo (2004).
Azucar!: The Biography of Celia Cruz
. Reed Press. p. 18.
ISBN
9781594290213
.
- ^
"La huella inquietante de Las Mulatas de Fuego"
.
Desmemoriados...
(in Spanish). 31 August 2015
. Retrieved
21 July
2020
.
- ^
"Celia Cruz and the flag"
.
OnCubaNews English
. 1 December 2015
. Retrieved
21 July
2020
.
- ^
"HOMENAJE A LA GRAN CELIA CRUZ 'LA GUARACHERA DE CUBA'
"
.
Latinafmcolombia.co
. Retrieved
21 July
2020
.
- ^
Cartlidge, Cherese (2013).
Celia Cruz
. Infobase. pp. 28?29.
ISBN
9781438146072
.
- ^
a
b
Fernandez, Stefanie (13 February 2018).
"Celia Cruz's 'Son Con Guaguanco' And The Bridge To Fame In Exile"
.
NPR.org
. Retrieved
17 July
2020
.
- ^
Edelman, Claudia Romo; Alexander, William (6 September 2022).
Hispanic Star: Celia Cruz
. Roaring Brook Press. p. 26.
ISBN
978-1-250-82811-8
. Retrieved
17 July
2023
.
- ^
Cartlidge, Cherese (2013).
Celia Cruz
. Infobase Learning. p. 40.
ISBN
978-1-4381-4607-2
. Retrieved
17 July
2023
.
- ^
Tiempo, Casa Editorial El (26 December 2003).
"CELIA CRUZ NO DESCANSA EN PAZ"
.
El Tiempo
(in Spanish)
. Retrieved
1 June
2020
.
- ^
Scott, O.A. (10 July 2009).
"Music and Musicians Still Echo 35 Years Later"
.
The New York Times
.
- ^
"Celia Cruz"
.
NEA
. 24 April 2013
. Retrieved
17 July
2020
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
"Celia Cruz tiene cancer cerebral"
.
El Universo
(in Spanish). 1 March 2003
. Retrieved
10 September
2021
.
- ^
Pareles, Jon (17 July 2003).
"Celia Cruz, Petite Powerhouse of Latin Music, Dies at 77"
.
The New York Times
. Retrieved
17 June
2016
.
- ^
Pardillo, Omar (4 February 2003).
"Telemundo to Produce Tribute Concert: ¡Celia Cruz: Azucar!"
.
Celia Cruz Foundation
. Retrieved
5 July
2016
.
- ^
Ellen Pearlman (1 April 2008).
"Azucar! Celia: The Life and Music of Celia Cruz at the New World Theater"
.
The Brooklyn Rail
.
- ^
Townsend Rosa; Vicent, Manuel (18 July 2003).
"La muerte de Celia Cruz consterna al exilio cubano y a los artistas de la isla"
.
EDICIONES EL PAIS, S.L
. Retrieved
24 July
2012
.
- ^
"¡Azucar en el cielo!"
.
El Diario de Hoy
. 17 July 2003. Archived from
the original
on 21 October 2013.
- ^
"Amid the Gravestones, a Final Love Song"
.
The New York Times
.
- ^
"Celia Cruz | PureHistory"
. Retrieved
2 October
2019
.
- ^
"ORIGIN OF THE CUBAN MUSIC: Biography of Celia Cruz (Video) * * ORIGEN DE LA MUSICA CUBANA: Biografia de Celia Cruz (Video). | The History, Culture and Legacy of the People of Cuba"
.
Thecubanhistory.com
. 5 March 2014
. Retrieved
2 October
2019
.
- ^
Mesa, Cristal (28 February 2018).
"25 Azucar Facts About Celia Cruz That Will Make You Love Her Even More"
.
Wearemitu.com
. Archived from
the original
on 24 July 2021
. Retrieved
2 October
2019
.
- ^
Schmadel, Lutz D. (2012).
Dictionary of Minor Planet Names
(6ª ed.). Berlin: Springer-Verlag.
ISBN
9783642297175
. Retrieved
14 May
2017
.
- ^
"Lo Nuestro ? Historia"
.
Univision
(in Spanish).
Univision Communications
. Archived from
the original
on 26 June 2015
. Retrieved
8 March
2014
.
- ^
"CMTV - Biografia de Celia Cruz"
.
Cmtv.com.ar
. Retrieved
14 October
2019
.
- ^
Lannert, John (21 May 1994).
"The Latin Music Hall of Fame Welcomes Celia and Cachao"
.
Billboard
. Vol. 106, no. 32.
Nielsen Business Media
. p. 50.
ISSN
0006-2510
. Retrieved
3 June
2010
.
- ^
de Fontenay, Sounni (7 December 1998).
"International Latin Music Hall of Fame"
.
Latin American Rhythm Magazine
. Archived from
the original
on 18 October 2014
. Retrieved
18 October
2014
.
- ^
"ASCAP Latin Heritage Award"
. ASCAP
. Retrieved
8 December
2020
.
- ^
"Music: The Definitive Visual History"
.
Gale Virtual Reference Library
. New York: DK Publishing
. Retrieved
13 December
2016
.
- ^
Rosero, Jessica (June 2, 2004).
"Homage to Celia Cruz: UC to pay tribute to Queen of Salsa with events, park dedication"
.
The Hudson Reporter
.
- ^
Fernandez, Lucio; Karabin, Gerard (2010).
Union City in Pictures
. Book Press NY. p. 74
- ^
Rosero, Jessica (18 June 2006).
"Viva la comunidad Cubano North Hudson celebrates at the annual Cuban Day Parade"
.
The Hudson Reporter
.
- ^
Rosero, Jessica (26 May 2006).
"'La vida es un carnaval' North Hudson celebrates 6th annual Cuban Day Parade"
.
The Hudson Reporter
.
- ^
Staab, Amanda (5 October 2008). "UC first stop for Latin Grammies".
The Union City Reporter
. pp. 1, 21
- ^
"Whoopi Goldberg, en la piel de Celia Cruz"
.
Lanacion.com.ar
. 8 December 2001
. Retrieved
14 October
2019
.
- ^
Celia
Archived
2012-10-11 at the
Wayback Machine
at Lortel Archives; accessed August 24, 2010
- ^
"Forever Latin Music Legends: Celia Cruz single"
.
Smithsonian Institution
. Retrieved
20 July
2020
.
- ^
"National Museum of American History Reveals Celia Cruz Portrait"
. Newsdesk.
Smithsonian Institution
. October 3, 2012
- ^
a
b
Gowens, Otis (21 October 2013). "Celia Cruz, queen of Salsa, gets Google Doodle".
AJC.com
. Cox Media Group.
- ^
"Jennifer Lopez rinde tributo a Celia Cruz en los American Music Awards"
.
The Huffington Post
(in Spanish).
AOL
. 24 November 2013. Archived from
the original
on 28 November 2013
. Retrieved
25 November
2013
.
- ^
a
b
"Telemundo Goes the 'Empire' Route With Celia Cruz 80-Episode Docudrama Series Other Musical Soap Operas"
.
Billboard.com
. Retrieved
14 October
2019
.
- ^
"Celia"
.
Kidjo.com
. Retrieved
31 July
2019
.
- ^
"Monument Park"
.
Hialeah, FL
. Retrieved
1 June
2020
.
- ^
"Facts | Facts About Cuban Exiles"
.
FACE
. Retrieved
1 June
2020
.
- ^
"Singer Celia Cruz Inspires New Brand"
.
licenseglobal.com
. 1 August 2017
. Retrieved
8 December
2020
.
- ^
"Core Ensemble: "Las Magnificas"
"
.
Wellesley College
. Retrieved
1 June
2020
.
- ^
"LAS MAGNIFICAS | CORE ENSEMBLE"
. Retrieved
1 June
2020
.
- ^
"Bronx Street Co-Named For Late Queen Of Salsa Music, Celia Cruz"
. 2 June 2021
. Retrieved
3 June
2021
.
- ^
"Nueva York homenajea a Celia Cruz y le da el nombre de una calle"
.
Hola News
. 2 June 2021. Archived from
the original
on 3 June 2021
. Retrieved
3 June
2021
.
- ^
"The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time"
.
Rolling Stone
. 1 January 2023
. Retrieved
10 October
2023
.
- ^
"2024 American Women Quarters™ Program Honorees Announced"
.
United States Mint
. Retrieved
2 February
2023
.
- ^
a
b
Gelpi-Ufret, Rebecca (7 February 2023).
"
'Queen of Salsa' Celia Cruz to appear on US quarter"
.
ABC News
. Retrieved
10 February
2023
.
- ^
"Celia Cruz"
.
GRAMMY.com
.
The Recording Academy
. 19 November 2019
. Retrieved
16 February
2020
.
- ^
Valdivia, Pablo (7 February 2023).
"Queen of salsa Celia Cruz will be the first Afro Latina to appear on a U.S. quarter"
.
NPR
.
External links
[
edit
]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to
Celia Cruz
.
|
---|
Studio albums
| |
---|
Live albums
| |
---|
Remix albums
| |
---|
Songs
| |
---|
Related articles
| |
---|
|
---|
1990
| |
---|
1991
| |
---|
1992
| |
---|
1993
| |
---|
1994
| |
---|
1995
| |
---|
1996
| |
---|
1997
| |
---|
1998
| |
---|
1999
| |
---|
|
|
---|
1979?1989
| |
---|
1990?1999
| |
---|
2000?2009
| |
---|
2010?present
| |
---|
|
---|
International
| |
---|
National
| |
---|
Artists
| |
---|
Other
| |
---|