Celia De La Caridad Cruz Alfonso

Place: Havana

Born: 1925

Death: 2003

Biography:

Celia Cruz was a Cuban American singer who reigned for decades as the “Queen of Salsa Music,” electrifying audiences with her powerful, soulful voice and charismatic stage presence. Born on October 21, 1925, in Havana, Cuba, she began her career in her home country, earning recognition as a vocalist of the popular musical group Sonora Matancera. 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. 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. She continued her career, first in Mexico, and then in the United States, where she took residence. In the 1960s, she collaborated with Tito Puente, recording her signature tune “Bemba colorá”. 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 Colón. 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”. 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.