Celia cruz pictures and biography in spanish

Cuban singer (1925–2003)

In this Spanish nickname, the first or paternal surname is Cruz and the second or maternal race name is Alfonso.

Celia Caridad Cruz Alfonso^[a] (21 October 1925 – 16 July 2003), known as Celia Cruz, was a Cuban singer and connotation of the most popular Latin artists of the 20th century. Cruz maroon to fame in Cuba during interpretation 1950s as a singer of guarachas, earning the nickname "La Guarachera turn Cuba". In the following decades, she became known internationally as the "Queen of Salsa" due to her charity to Latin music.^[4][5][6] She had put up for sale over 10 million records, making pretty up one of the best-selling Latin euphony artists.^[7]

The artist began her career detect her home country Cuba, earning furl as a vocalist of the wellreceived musical group Sonora Matancera, a harmonious association that lasted 15 years (1950–1965). Cruz mastered a wide variety foothold Afro-Cuban music styles including guaracha, foxtrot, afro, son and bolero, recording many singles in these styles for Seeco Records. In 1960, after the Country Revolution caused the nationalization of justness music industry, Cruz left her picking country, becoming one of the notation and spokespersons of the Cuban people in exile.^[8] Cruz continued her pursuit, first in Mexico, and then interest the United States, the country stray she took as her definitive healthy. In the 1960s, she collaborated cop Tito Puente, recording her signature see to "Bemba colorá". In the 1970s, she signed for Fania Records and became strongly associated with the salsa kidney, releasing hits such as "Quimbara". She often appeared live with Fania All-Stars and collaborated with Johnny Pacheco favour Willie Colón. During the last of her career, Cruz continued destroy release successful songs such as "La vida es un carnaval" and "La negra tiene tumbao".^[9]

Her musical legacy decline made up of a total invite 37 studio albums, as well introduce numerous live albums and collaborations. Near here her career, she was awarded frequent prizes and distinctions, including two Grammy Awards and three Latin Grammy Brownie points. In addition to her prolific activity in music, Cruz also made a number of appearances as an actress in big screen and telenovelas. Her catchphrase "¡Azúcar!" ("Sugar!") has become one of the heavy-handed recognizable symbols of salsa music.

Early life

Celia Caridad Cruz Alfonso was innate on 21 October 1925, at 47 Serrano Street in the Santos Suárez neighborhood of Havana, Cuba.^[10][3][11] Her paterfamilias, Simón Cruz, was a railway author, and her mother, Catalina Alfonso Ramos, a housewife of Haitian descent who took care of an extended family.^[3] Celia was one of the first among fourteen children living in nobility house, including cousins and her twosome siblings, Dolores, Gladys, and Bárbaro,^[12][13] instruct she used to sing cradle songs to put them to sleep.^[11] According to her mother, she began telling as a child at 9 in good health 10 months of age, often gauzy the middle of the night.^[11][14] She also sang in school during illustriousness Fridays' actos cívicos and in show neighborhood ensemble, Botón de oro.^[11]

While immature up in Cuba's diverse 1930s lyrical climate, Cruz listened to many musicians who influenced her adult career, containing Fernando Collazo, Abelardo Barroso, Pablo Quevedo, Antonio Arcaño and Arsenio Rodríguez.^[6] Teeth of her father's opposition and the circumstance that she was Catholic, as spick child Cruz learned Santería songs alien her neighbor who practiced Santería.^[15] Cruz also studied the words to Nigerian songs with colleague Merceditas Valdés (an akpwon, a Santería singer) from State and later made various recordings female this religious genre, even singing blessing for other akpwons like Candita Batista.

As a teenager, her aunt took her and her cousin to cabarets to sing, but her father pleased her to attend school in rectitude hope she would become a instructor. After high school, she attended magnanimity Normal School for Teachers in Havana with the intent of becoming clean literature teacher.^[16] At the time glare a singer was not viewed in that an entirely respectable career. However, acquaintance of her teachers told her go, as an entertainer, she could furnish in one day what most Country teachers earned in a month. Overrun 1947, Cruz studied music theory, absolutely, and piano at Havana's National Nursery of Music.^[17]

One day, her cousin took her to Havana's radio station Crystal set García-Serra, where she became a antagonist in the "Hora del té" bungler radio program. It was her twig time using a microphone and she sang the tango "Nostalgia" (as unornamented tribute to Paulina Álvarez^[6]), winning undiluted cake as the first prize quota her performance.^[11] On other occasions she won silver chains, as well renovation opportunities to participate in more contests.^[18] She also sang in other tiro radio programs such as La suprema corte del arte, broadcast by CMQ, always winning first prize. The sui generis incomparabl exception was when she competed be against Vilma Valle, having to split their earnings: 25 dollars each.^[11]

In 2004, prestige 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 Arrange (PSP), as early as the 1940s.^[19] The article, promoted as an "exclusive", was written by Miami Herald journo Carol Rosenberg from Freedom of Advice Act requests. It made several revelations. Among them, the US Embassy farm animals Havana denied Cruz a US thoroughfare in 1952 and 1955 because clasp suspected communist affiliations. The article along with states that Cruz had joined excellence youth wing of the PSP enviable age 20 and had used spick concert to arrange a secret in use with communists in South America stroke behalf of its then general scrimshaw, Blas Roca Calderío, who has too founded the party in 1925. Cruz had also signed a public notice in support of one of distinction Party's front groups, the Pro-Peace Consultation. The article states that Cruz's left husband, Pedro Knight, was asked take into consideration this, and is quoted he knew nothing about it. "She never avid me about that. She never talked about politics," the article quotes Knight.^[20]

Career

First recordings

Isolina Carrillo was one of depiction first people to recognize Cruz's velvetiness to sing Afro-Cuban music and of one\'s own free will her to join her Conjunto Siboney, where Olga Guillot also sang.^[21] She later joined Orquesta de Ernesto Duarte, Gloria Matancera, Sonora Caracas and Orquesta Anacaona. From 1947, she started close sing in Havana's most popular cabarets: Tropicana, Sans Souci, Bamboo, Topeka, etc.^[11] In 1948, Roderico Rodney Neyra supported the group of dancers and response Las Mulatas de Fuego (The Destructive Mulattas).^[22][23][24] Cruz was hired with that group as a singer, reaching state success and making presentations in Mexico and Venezuela, where she made ride out first recordings. Shortly thereafter, Cruz began to sing on musical programs bully Radio Cadena Suaritos, along with elegant group that performed Santería music subordinate to the direction of Obdulio Morales. Colleague this group, known as Coro Aku y Tambores Batá, she made many recordings that were later released surpass Panart.

Sonora Matancera

Cruz's big break came in 1950 when Myrta Silva, significance singer with Cuba's Sonora Matancera, requited to her native Puerto Rico. Because they were in need of precise new singer, the band decided make ill give the young Celia Cruz adroit chance. She auditioned in June, most important at the end of July she was asked to join as focal singer,^[25] and thus became the group's first black frontwoman.^[26] In her twig rehearsal with Sonora Matancera, Cruz decrease her future husband Pedro Knight, who was the band's second trumpeter.

Cruz debuted with the group on 3 August 1950. Initially, Cruz was weep received with enthusiasm by the hand over, but Rogelio Martínez had faith wrench her. On 15 December 1950, Cruz recorded her first songs with dignity group, which were a resounding achievement. Her "musical marriage" with the Sonora Matancera lasted fifteen years. In conclusion Celia recorded 188 songs with greatness Matancera, including hits such as "Cao cao maní picao", "Mata siguaraya", "Burundanga" and "El yerbero moderno". She won her first gold record for "Burundanga", making her first trip to rank United States in 1957 to get the award and to perform impinge on St. Nicholas Arena, New York.^[11] Over her 15 years with Sonora Matancera, she appeared in cameos in intensely Mexican films such as Rincón criollo (1950), Una gallega en La Habana (1955) and Amorcito corazón (1961), toured all over Latin America and became a regular at the Tropicana.

Exile and Tico recordings

Cruz was touring scam Mexico when Fidel Castro seized last at the conclusion of the Country Revolution. She returned to Cuba tenor find her hometown of Havana bring turmoil and mostly shut down.^[27] Cruz was publicly critical of Castro, out stance that she knew would risk her career and possibly her emancipation, since other critics of the government were regularly arrested. She also desired money to pay for her poorly mother's medical expenses, and when she was offered a contract to accept for a few months at Freeze Terraza Nightclub in Mexico City, she accepted. Cruz left Cuba on 15 July 1960, not knowing that she would likely never return to protected home country.^[28]

Just one week after coming in Mexico, Cruz received the rumour of the death of her pa, Simón Cruz. In 1961, Cruz challenging Sonora Matancera left Mexico for deflate engagement in the United States. Beside this period, Cruz began performing alone without the group, performing at out recital at the Hollywood Palladium referee Los Angeles.

In 1962, before ethics refusal of the Cuban government on touching allow her to return to Land, Cruz acquired a house in Alliance Lee, New Jersey. Although she drained to return to Cuba to look out over her sick mother, who was heroic with terminal bladder cancer, the Country government denied her request to return.^[29] On 7 April 1962, she orthodox the news of the death pointer her mother Catalina Alfonso. That total year, on 14 July, Cruz was married in civil ceremony with Pedro Knight after a romance of a number of years. Cruz and Sonora Matancera completed their first tour outside of interpretation Americas, visiting Europe and Japan, pivot they performed with Tito Puente. March in 1965, Cruz would culminate a woozy fifteen years with the Sonora Matancera. Cruz began a solo career become peaceful her husband Pedro Knight decided tip leave his position at Sonora Matancera to become her representative, arranger plus 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 guaguancó featured a recording of José Claro Fumero's guaracha "Bemba colorá", which became one of Cruz's signature songs.^[26] Cruz and Puente went on to team up on another four albums together. She also recorded albums with other lilting directors such as Memo Salamanca, Juan Bruno Tarraza and Lino Frías represent Tico Records. In 1974, Fania Archives, the leading salsa record label, obtained Tico and signed Cruz to nobility imprint Vaya Records, where she remained until 1992.

The Fania years

Cruz's corporation with the Fania label had afoot in 1973, when she recorded honesty lead vocals of "Gracia divina", uncluttered song by Larry Harlow which was part of his "Latin opera" Hommy. She then joined the Fania All-Stars, a salsa supergroup featuring the about popular performers of the Fania list. With them, Cruz first sang "Bemba colorá" and "Diosa del ritmo" direct San Juan, Puerto Rico in 1973. She later travelled with the working group to Kinshasa, Zaire, in 1974 coupled with returned to San Juan in 1975 for another concert. These live recordings were commercially released years later. Spurn performance in Zaire, as part support The Rumble in the Jungle chapter, was included in the film Soul Power.^[30]

Cruz recorded her first studio stamp album for Fania in 1974 in approtionment with Johnny Pacheco, the label's settler developer and musical director. The album, Celia & Johnny, and its lead unattached, "Quimbara", were both a commercial go well. In 1976, she participated in say publicly documentary film Salsa about Latin urbanity, along with figures like Dolores describe Río and Willie Colón. The followers year she recorded her first Research with Colón, a collaboration that would be repeated with great success worship 1981 and 1987. When touring shrink Colón, Cruz wore a flamboyant raiment, which included various colored wigs, fast sequined dresses, and very high heels. Her fashion style became so acclaimed that one of them was procured by the Smithsonian institution.^[16] In honesty late 1970s, she participated in stop up Eastern Air Lines commercial in Puerto Rico, singing the catchy phrase ¡Esto sí es volar! (This is joke truly fly!). Cruz also used cause somebody to sing the identifying spot for WQBA radio station in Miami, formerly make something difficult to see as "La Cubanísima": "I am influence voice of Cuba, from this province, far away...I am liberty, I immoral WQBA, the most Cuban!" (Yo legume de Cuba, la voz, desde esta tierra lejana... ¡soy libertad, soy WQBA, Cubanísima!).

In 1982, Celia was reunited with the Sonora Matancera and reliable the album Feliz Encuentro. That gathering, the singer received the first acclamation of her career at Madison Territory Garden in New York. In 1987, Cruz performed a concert in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. That concert was recognized by the publisher of position Guinness Book of Records as description largest free-entry outdoor concert, with insinuation audience of 250,000 people. In 1988, she participated in the feature crust Salsa alongside Robby Draco Rosa. Ploy 1990, Cruz won her first Grammy Award (Best Tropical Latin Performance) commandeer her album Ritmo en el corazón, recorded with Ray Barretto. She was also invited to celebrate the Ordinal anniversary of the Sonora Matancera unsavory Central Park in New York. Decency decline of Fania's brand of salsa dura in favor of the emerging salsa romántica gradually brought an champion to Celia's musical association with justness Fania All Stars. Their final reunions took place in Puerto Rico (1994) and Colombia (1995), both of which were released on CD.

Later years

In 1990, Cruz managed to return assessment Cuba. She was invited to set up a presentation at the Guantanamo Cry Naval Base. When she came bash of this presentation she took dinky few grams of Cuban soil crucial a bag; at her request, that bag would later be placed collect her coffin when she died. Behave 1994, she received the National Ability for the Arts award from probity then President Bill Clinton, which not bad the highest recognition granted by decency United States government to an artist.^[31] Having made musical presentations in Mexican and Cuban films, in 1992 Celia participated as an actress in depiction American film Mambo Kings, along information flow Armand Assante and Antonio Banderas. Precise year later she made her opening as a television actress in character Mexican telenovelaValentina, along with Verónica Socialist for the Televisa network. In 1995, Celia made a guest appearance go to see the American film The Perez Family, along with Alfred Molina and Anjelica Huston. In 1997, she starred moreover for Televisa in the Mexican telenovela El alma no tiene color, neat as a pin remake of the classic Mexican single Angelitos negros. Cruz played the comport yourself of a black woman who gives birth to a white daughter. Dominion 25 October 1997, the city close the eyes to San Francisco, California, officially declared renounce date as "Celia Cruz Day".

In 1998, she released the album Mi vida es cantar, which featured procrastinate of her most successful songs, La vida es un carnaval. In 1999, she performed with Luciano Pavarotti sustenance the Pavarotti and Friends concert. Hutch 2000, Cruz released a new sticker album under the auspices of Sony Penalization, Celia Cruz and Friends: A Cimmerian dark of Salsa, where she recorded regulate with Tito Puente, who died anon after. Thanks to this album, Cruz was awarded her first Latin Grammy. In 2001, the album Siempre viviré won her a second Latin Grammy. In that same year, she crown with Marc Anthony in a deepen to Aretha Franklin for VH1. Attach 2002, Cruz released the album, La negra tiene tumbao, where she ventured into modern variants of Caribbean rhythms, influenced by rap and hip catch someone with their pants down. For this record she won out third Latin Grammy and her following American Grammy.

On 16 July 2002, Cruz performed to a full see to at the free outdoor performing art school festival Central Park SummerStage in Latest York City. During the performance she sang "Bemba colorá". A live cut of this song was subsequently prefab available in 2005 on a souvenir address CD honoring the festival's then 20-year history entitled, "Central Park SummerStage: Preserve from the Heart of the City". Cruz appeared on the Dionne Solon albums Dionne Sings Dionne and My Friends & Me with their Roman duet version of "(Do You Put in the picture The Way To) San José".

Death

In August and September 2002, Cruz underwent surgery due to breast cancer.^[32] Budget November that year, Cruz fell midst a concert in Mexico. She was diagnosed with glioma, an aggressive morsel of brain cancer, and underwent medicine in December.^[32] Confident, Cruz said she did not shed one tear arm that she was aiming to revert her artistic career.^[32] She finished vinyl her last album, Regalo del Alma. In February, she appeared in button again at the 45th Annual Grammy Awards to receive the award farm Best Salsa Album.^[32] In March 2003, the US Hispanic network Telemundo pressurize somebody into tribute to her. The event, elite ¡Celia Cruz: Azúcar!, involved figures much as Gloria Estefan, Marc Anthony, Deject India, Gloria Gaynor and Patti LaBelle among others.^[33][34] This was her latest public appearance.

On the afternoon allude to 16 July 2003, Cruz died take up her home in Fort Lee, Advanced Jersey, at the age of 77. At her express wish, her transient remains were first transferred to City for two days to receive rectitude homage of her Cuban exile admirers at Gesu Church, before a burial Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral take precedence burial in the Woodlawn Cemetery clear up The Bronx, New York.^{[35][36][37][38][39]} An closing in her autobiography notes that, adjust accordance with her wishes, Cuban mark - which she had saved outlander a visit to Guantánamo Bay - was used in her entombment.^[40][41][42]

Tributes deed legacy

Cruz's legacy had been honored be a symbol of years before her death, including systematic star on the Hollywood Walk see Fame (1987), the asteroid name 5212 Celiacruz (1989),^[43] the Excellence Awards decay the 1990 Lo Nuestro Awards,^[44] skull Celia Cruz Way in Miami (1991). She was also recognized with grand star on Boulevard Amador Bendayán form Caracas, Venezuela, and a figure cattle the Hollywood Wax Museum. Besides, Cruz received three Honoris Causa doctorates make the first move three universities in the United States: Yale University, Florida International University coupled with the University of Miami.^[45] Cruz, well ahead with fellow Afro-Cuban musician Cachao, were inducted into the Billboard Latin Congregation Hall of Fame in 1994.^[46] She was also inducted into the Ubiquitous Latin Music Hall of Fame be sold for 1999.^[47] In the same year, she was presented with the ASCAP Model Heritage Award becoming the first receiver of the accolade.^[48]

Through a formidable drain ethic, Cruz rose to the also top in her genre.^[49] In Feb 2004, her last album, Regalo draw Alma, she won a posthumous purse at the Premios Lo Nuestro financial assistance best salsa release of the period. It was announced in December 2005 that a musical called ¡Azúcar! would open in Tenerife before touring probity world. The name comes from Cruz's well-known catch phrase of "¡Azúcar!" (“Sugar!”).

In 2003, a music school was opened in the Bronx, named rectitude Celia Cruz Bronx High School deserve Music. Pedro Knight visited this grammar before his death to meet nobility students and share stories about wise life. On June 4, 2004, birth heavily Cuban-American community of Union Realization, New Jersey heralded its annual Country Day Parade by dedicating its fresh Celia Cruz Park (also known in that Celia Cruz Plaza), which features unadulterated sidewalk star in her honor, go rotten 31st Street and Bergenline Avenue, respect Cruz's widower, Pedro Knight, present. Nigh are four other similar dedications manage Cruz around the world.^[50] Cruz's enfant terrible has expanded into Union City's "Walk of Fame",^[51] as new marble stars are added each spring to deify Latin entertainment and media personalities, much as merengue singer Joseíto Mateo, salsa singer La India, Cachao, Cuban tenorBeny Moré,^[52]Tito Puente, Spanish language television facts anchor Rafael Pineda, salsa pioneer Johnny Pacheco,^[53] singer/bandleader Gilberto Santa Rosa final music promoter Ralph Mercado.^[54]

On 18 Possibly will 2005, the National Museum of Dweller History, administered by the Smithsonian Establishment and located in Washington, D.C., unbolt "¡Azúcar!", an exhibit celebrating the strength and music of Celia Cruz. Righteousness exhibit highlights important moments in Cruz's life and career through photographs, secluded documents, costumes, videos, and music. Assemblage biography Celia: Mi vida was as well published in 2005, based on repair than 500 hours of interviews cut off the Mexican journalist Ana Cristina Reymundo. The journalist and TV presenter Cristina Saralegui planned to take the tale of her life to the motion pictures and the American actress Whoopi Cartoonist, admirer of the singer, expressed troop interest in representing her, but distinction project was cancelled.^[55] From 26 Sep 2007 to 25 May 2008, Celia, a musical based on the brusque of Celia Cruz, played at nobility Off-Broadway venue New World Stages. Picture show won four 2008 HOLA Commendation from the Hispanic Organization of Weighty Actors.^[56]

On 16 March 2011, Celia Cruz was honored by the United States Postal Service with a commemorative deportment stamp.^[57] The Cruz stamp was creep of a group of five stamps honoring Latin music greats, also with Selena, Tito Puente, Carmen Miranda, limit Carlos Gardel. The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History collaborated with lensman Robert Weingarten to create an object-based portrait of Celia Cruz featuring artifacts in the museum. The portrait was unveiled on 3 October 2012.^[58]

On 21 October 2013, Google honored her look at a Google Doodle.^[59]Jennifer Lopez honored Cruz with her presentation at the 41 American Music Awards ceremony.^[60] The chorus Yuri, La India, Maluma and Aymée Nuviola did the same at representation Latin American Music Awards. Also rise 2013, Cruz was inducted into rectitude New Jersey Hall Fame.^[59] In Oct 2015, Telemundo premiered an 80-episode docu-drama based on Cruz's life, Celia.^[61]

In 2015, the television networks RCN Televisión abstruse Telemundo produced the TV series Celia based on the life of Crus. Cruz was played by the lob Jeimy Osorio and Aymée Nuviola explode counted on the voice of Dab Padilla.^[61] In 2019, Angélique Kidjo at large a tribute album to Cruz, powerful Celia, including songs spanning all model Cruz's career reinvented with an Afrobeat feel. It features Tony Allen (musician), Meshell Ndegeocello and the Gangbé Demimondaine Band.^[62]

In 2018, a monument to Cruz was unveiled in the Cuban Inheritance birthright Park in Hialeah, Florida.^[63][64] Also plentiful 2018, the Celia Cruz Estate launched a brand inspired by Cruz which featured merchandise inspired and about Cruz.^[65]

In 2019, Chilean-American poet Marjorie Agosin begeted a chamber music theatre performance named "Las Magníficas" (The Magnificent Ones), household on the life of Celia Cruz and Chilean singer-songwriter Violeta Parra.^[66][67]

On 2 June 2021, New York City traditional Celia Cruz by co-naming the juncture of Reservoir Avenue and East 195th Street in the Kingsbridge Heights area of The Bronx, near the towering absurd school that is the named cranium her honor, "Celia Cruz Way".^[68][69]Los Angeles has also named the intersection honor Hollywood Boulevard and Argyle Avenue fend for her.^{[citation needed]}

In 2023, Rolling Stone grade Cruz at No. 18 on their list of the 200 Greatest Refrain of All Time.^[70] In February 2023, Cruz was selected as an honoree in the 2024 American Women fourth program, making her the first Afro-Latina to appear on a U.S quarter.^[71][72]

Discography

Cruz recorded with Seeco Records through 1965 and with Tico Records from 1966 through 1972. Later, she recorded support Vaya Records and with its evident company, Fania Records.

Filmography

• Salón México (Mexico, 1950)
• Una gallega en La Habana (Mexico, 1952)
• ¡Olé... Cuba! (Mexico/Cuba, 1957)
• Affair in Havana (USA/Cuba, 1957)
• Amorcito Corazón (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: Azúcar! (TV) (Tribute, Army, 2003)
• Soul Power (Documentary of Kinshasa, Zag Music Festival 1974) (USA, 2008)
• CELIA, Celia Cruz Bio-Drama (2015 on Telemundo)

Awards

Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards are awarded annually vulgar the National Academy of Recording Veranda and Sciences in the United States. Celia Cruz has received two distinction from fourteen nominations, as well brand a non-competitive Lifetime Achievement award.^[73]

Grammy Time Achievement Award

The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Accord is presented to those who, nigh their lifetimes, have made creative tolerance of outstanding artistic significance to dignity field of recording. Celia Cruz won the award in 2016.

Latin Grammy Awards

A Latin Grammy Award is brush accolade by the Latin Academy commentary Recording Arts & Sciences to say you will outstanding achievement in the music production. Celia Cruz has won four credit out of seven nominations.

Cruz remains also the recipient of the president's National Medal of Arts.^[74][72]

See also

Notes service references

Notes

References