Biography
Early Years
Celia de la Caridad Cruz Alfonso—Celia Cruz—was born in 1925 in Barrio Santos Suarez in Havana, one of four children. In a career that spanned six decades, Celia became the “Queen of Salsa” and was central to the genre’s rising popularity.
Celia was drawn to music from an early age. Legend has it that her first pair of shoes was a gift from a tourist for whom she sang. In addition to singing her siblings to sleep, Celia sang in school productions and community gatherings.
Her career began as a teenager when her aunt and cousin took her to cabarets to perform. Although her father wanted her to become a teacher, she followed her heart and chose music instead, studying voice, theory, and piano at Havana’s National Conservatory of Music. In the late 1940s, she competed in an amateur radio show contest called “The Tea Hour.” As a result of her growing radio fame, she came to the attention of influential producers and musicians.
She was hired as the singer for Las Mulatas Del Fuego, a dance group that traveled throughout Latin America. In 1950, she became the lead female singer for La Sonora Matancera, Cuba’s most popular orchestra. Over the following years with the orchestra, her star continued to rise.
Celia in New York
As the Cuban Revolution raged in 1960, Celia (who was touring in concert in Mexico at the time) decided not to return to the island. In 1961, she moved to the U.S. and married Pedro Knight, her longtime friend and trumpet player. Fidel Castro was so enraged by Cruz’s defection that he barred her from returning to Cuba. Celia never returned to her homeland.
Celia joined the Tito Puente Orchestra in the mid–1960s. Her flamboyant attire and magnetic personality meteorically expanded the group’s fan base. The group was central to the new sound developing in the 1960s and ‘70s – music born of Cuban and Afro-Latin mixed musical tradition – which came to be known as “Salsa.” A new record label, “Fania,” was launched, devoted solely to the genre. In 1974, Celia joined the label and recorded “Celia y Johnny” with Johnny Pacheco. One of the album’s tracks, “Quimbara,” became her signature song. Celia was the only woman in the Fania All-Stars and one of the few to succeed in the male-dominated salsa world. She would go on to perform with the Willie Colon Orchestra and the Sonora Poncena with Pete “El Conde” Rodriguez.
Celia’s Fame Circles The Globe
During Celia’s star-studded 60 years as a performer, she collaborated and performed with many musical legends worldwide.
Celia was a true pioneer of Afro-Latinidad, focusing on the African elements of her identity (music, lyrics, and dress) at a time when it was not popular to do so. In 1974, Celia was one of a group of artists, including B.B. King, James Brown, The Spinners, Bill Withers, and Miriam Makeba that performed in Kinshasa, Zaire alongside top local groups. The concert was part of a three-day festival, “Zaire ’74,” the brainchild of South African trumpeter High Masekela. The performance precedes the famous boxing match “Rumble in the Jungle” between George Foreman and Muhammed Ali. Just before the concert was scheduled to begin, Foreman injured his eye. The bout was pushed back six weeks, but the Show went on – and was brilliantly documented in the powerful film, “Soul Power.”
Throughout a fantastic career, Celia recorded over 80 albums and 1,000 songs, earned 23 Gold Records, and won five Grammy Awards. She performed with many celebrities, including Gloria Estefan, Dionne Warwick, Ismael Rivera, and Wyclef Jean. In 1976, she participated in the documentary film “Salsa” with costars Dolores del Rio and Willie Colon (with whom she made three albums in 1977, 1981, and 1987). She also appeared in several Hollywood movies, including the popular 1992 film “The Mambo Kings.” She earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was awarded the American National Medal of the Arts by President Bill Clinton. Celia received honorary doctorates from Yale University and the University of Miami. A street in Miami was renamed in her honor. In 1994, Celia was inducted into the Billboards Latin Music Hall of Fame with fellow Cuban musician Cachao Lopez. In 1999, she was inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame. On July 16, 2002, Celia performed to a packed house at New York’s Central Park Summer Stage. She died in New Jersey one year later in 2003, at the age of 77. Her songs, performances, and spirit remain international treasures.
Celia’s Enduring Legacy
Celia’s trademark orange, red, and white polka dot dress and shoes have been placed in the Smithsonian’s permanent collection. The exhibit pays tribute to Celia’s iconic style—her flamboyant costumes, brightly colored wigs, tight sequined dresses, and perilously high heels.
Humor was also one of Celia’s trademarks. In a 1988 BBC Arena performance, she told the audience: “If your husband hits you, make sure you hit him back. If you can’t do it with your hand, hit him with the frying pan.”
In March 2003, Telemundo produced and aired a special tribute to Celia entitled “Celia Cruz: Azucar!” Hosted by Marc Anthony and Gloria Estefan, it featured performances by Jose Feliciano, Patti Labelle, Gilberto Santa Rose, Arturo Sandoval, Luis Enrique, and Gloria Gaynor, to list a few.
In May 2005, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History opened the “Azucar!” exhibit celebrating key moments in Celia’s life and music. In March 2011, the United States Postal Service honored Celia with a commemorative postage stamp. Celia was one of five stamps honoring Latin Music greats. Selena, Tito Puente, Carmen Miranda, and Carlos Gardel joined Celia in this tribute.
In November 2023, the U.S. Department of Treasury announced that Celia Cruz would be the first Afro-Latina to be featured on U.S. currency. This is a monumental milestone in the recognition of cultural diversity and representation. It’s not merely a tribute to an iconic artist; it’s a celebration of the rich tapestry of American identity, acknowledging the invaluable contributions of Afro-Latinas to the cultural and historical landscape of the United States.
Though she has been gone for over 21 years, Celia is beloved in every corner of the globe. Poignantly, in a 1997 interview, she commented, “I have fulfilled my father’s wish to be a teacher as, through my music, I teach generations of people about my culture and the happiness that is found in just living life. As a performer, I want people to feel their hearts sing and their spirits soar.”
Timeline
Awards & Honors after her passing in 2003
Celia Cruz – Awards And Honors
| BILLBOARD AWARD – 2005 | Miami, Florida |
| PREMIO LO NUESTRO AWARD – 2005 | Best Female Artist of the Year |
| GUINNESS WORLD RECORD BOOK – 2005 | Longest Working Career as Salsa Artist |
| DEDICATION CELIA CRUZ SQUARE – 2005 | Hollywood, CA |
| LATIN GRAMMY AWARD – 2004 | Best Salsa Album – Regalo Del Alma |
| OYE AWARD – 2004 | Best Tropical Album |
| STREET DEDICATION – 2004 | Calle Celia Cruz – Tenerife Spain |
| STREET DEDICATION – 2004 | Celia Cruz Way – Union City, New Jersey |
| GRAMMY AWARD- 2003 | Best Salsa/Merengue Album – Regalo Del Alma |
| GRAMMY AWARD – 2003 | Best Salsa Album – La Negra Tiene Tumbao |
| PREMIO LA NUESTRO AWARD – 2003 | Album of The Year – La Negra Tiene Tumbao |
| PREMIO LO NUESTRO AWARD – 2003 | Best Song of the Year – La Vida Es Un Carnaval |
| VOICES FOR CHILDREN FOUNDATION – 2003 | Humanitarian Award |
| LATIN GRAMMY AWARD – 2002 | Best Salsa Album – La Negra Tiene Tumbao |
| LATIN GRAMMY AWARD – 2001 | Best Tropical Tradicional Album –Siempre Vivire |
| LATIN GRAMMY AWARD– 2000 | Best Salsa Performance – Celia Cruz and Friends |
| AWARD – Gaviota de Plata – 2000 | Viña del Mar Festival – Chile |
| AWARD – Artist of the Millenium – 1999 | TELEMUNDO NETWORK Miami, Florida |
| THE RECORDING ACADEMY HEROES AWARD – 1999 | Lifetime Achievement Award – New York City |
| DOCTORATE HONORIS CAUSA IN MUSIC – 1999 | University of Miami Coral Gables, Florida |
| GRAMMY AWARD NOMINATION – 1999 | Best Tropical Album – Mi Vida Es Cantar – Los Angeles, CA |
| ASCAP AWARD – 1999 | Lifetime Achievement Award – New York City |
| MEDAL – Cruz Sebastian de Belalcazar- 1999 | Cali, Colombia |
| Hispanic Heritage Awards “ Hispanic Heritage Lifetime Achievement Award“ – 1998 | Washington, D. C. |
| ACAPULCO FESTIVAL MEDAL – 1998 | Acapulco, Mexico |
| ACE AWARD – 1998 | Best Tropical Performance New York |
| GRAMMY NOMINATION – 1998 | Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group – GUANTANAMERA with Wyclef Jean and Jeni Fujita New York |
| PROCLAMATION city of SAN FRANCISCO 1998 | Celia Cruz Day In San Francisco, California |
| SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION – 1997 | Lifetime Achievement Award -Washington D.C |
| ACE AWARD – 1997 | Best Tropical Music Concert “ New York |
| STAR DEDICATION– 1997 | Costa Rica’s Walk of Fame San Jose, Costa Rica |
| STAR DEDICATION – 1997 | MEXICOS’S GALERIA WALK OF FAME Mexico City, Mexico |
| SPECIAL RECOGNITION– 1996 | The State of New York for her concert “ The Lady and Her Music “New York |
| ANDALUCIA AWARD – 1996 | Universal Artist – Coral Gables, Florida |
| ACE AWARD – 1996 | Extraordinary Artist of the Year – New York City |
| STAR DEDICATION – VENEZUELA – 1995 | Walk of Fame – Amador Bendayan – Caracas, Venezuela |
| CASANDRA AWARD – 1995 | Dominican Republic |
| DESI AWARDS – 1995 | Lifetime Achievement Award – Hollywood, California |
| ACE AWARD – 1995 | Best Musical Video – New York City |
| ANGEL AWARD– 1995 | Ole La Vida – Hollywood, California |
| ACCA AWARD – 1983 – 1995 | Pan Art – Miami, Florida |
| Recipient of the President’s Award for the National Endowment -1998 | The Arts White House, Washington D.C |
| PREMIO LO NUESTRO AWARD – 1992-1993-1994-1995 | Nominations – Miami, Florida |
| BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARD– 1994 | Hall Of Fame Award – Miami, Florida |
| UNIVERSITY OF PANAMA – 1994 | Life Time Achievement Award – Panama |
| LA MUSA DE ORO AWARD – 1994 | Life Time Achievement Award -Caracas, Venezuela |
| MOVIELAND STAR HALL OF FAME– 1993 | Buena Park, California |
| APLAUSO 92 AWARD – 1989 – 1991 – 1992 | Best Latin Female Vocalist -Miami, Florida |
| ENCUENTRO AWARD – 1992 | Lifetime Achievement Award -Washington D.C |
| HONORARY DOCTORATE HONORIS CAUSA– 1992 | Florida International University |
| DESI AWARDS – 1992 | Favorite Film Actress – Hollywood, California |
| SCULPTURE IN HOLLYWOOD WAX MUSEUM – 1992 | Hollywood, California |
| HISPANIC WOMAN ACHIEVERS AWARD – 1992 | New York City |
| STAR DEDICATION – 1991 | Calle Ocho Walk Of Fame Star -Miami, Florida |
| GOLDEN EAGLE AWARD– 1991 | Lifetime Achievement Award in Music-Hollywood,California |
| MADISON SQUARE GARDEN– 1991 | Garden Greats Wall -New York City |
| PREMIO LO NUESTRO AWARD– 1990 -1991 | Billboard Miami, Florida |
| MIAMI’S CALLE OCHO NAMED – CELIA CRUZ WAY – 1990 | Miami, Florida |
| GRAMMY AWARD– 1989 | Best Tropical Latin Album – Los Angeles, California |
| HONORARY DOCTORAL DEGREE OF MUSIC -1989 | YALE UNIVERSITY |
| OTTO AWARD” Lifetime Achievement Award– 1989 | Miami, Florida |
| STAR DEDICATION-HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME-1987 | Hollywood, California |
| ACE AWARDS-Life Time Achievement Award – 1987 | New York City |
| LIBERTY MEDAL AWARD– 1986 | New York City |
| GRAMMY AWARD NOMINATIONS1979 – 1983- 1985 – 1986 – 1987 – 1988 – 1992 – 1993 | |
| DAILY NEWS– Front Page Award – 1975 Trough 1982 and1985 Best Latin Female Artist | New York City |
| GUINNESS WORLD RECORD BOOK– 1987 | Carnaval Tenerife – Islas Canarias, Spain |
| BRAVO AWARD – 1986 | Best Tropical Female Vocalist – Los Angeles, CA |
| MONARCH MERIT AWARD– 1986 | New York, New York |
| TU MUSICA AWARD 1984 | Best Female Vocalist |