| Profile |
Stage Name: Celia Cruz
Real Name: Ursula Hilaria Celia Caridad Cruz Alfonso
Date of Birth: Oct. 21st, 1925
Place of Birth: Santo Suarez, Cuba
Date of Deceased: July 16th, 2003
Real Name: Ursula Hilaria Celia Caridad Cruz Alfonso
Date of Birth: Oct. 21st, 1925
Place of Birth: Santo Suarez, Cuba
Date of Deceased: July 16th, 2003
Celia Cruz (Ursula Hilaria Celia Caridad Cruz Alfonso) (October 21, 1925 – July 16, 2003) was a
Cuban salsa singer who spent most of her career living and working in the United States. Cruz
was one of the most successful Cuban performers of the 20th century, with twenty-two gold
albums to her name. Leila Cobo of Billboard Magazine once said "Cruz is indisputably the best-
known and most influential female figure in the history of Afro-Cuban music."
Cruz was born in the Santo Suarez neighborhood of Havana. Her parents were Catalina Alfonso
(Ollita) and Simón Cruz. When she was a child, she earned her first pair of shoes by singing to a
couple of tourists.
As a teenager, her aunt took her and her cousin to cabarets to sing, but her father encouraged
her to keep attending school, in hopes that she would become a teacher. But a teacher told her
that, as an entertainer, Cruz could make in one day what most teachers make in one year.
Cruz began singing in talent contests, often winning cakes and also opportunities to participate in
more contests. Her first recordings were made in 1948 in Venezuela with the Turpial label.
Curiously, those recordings were not with the famed Sonora Matanzera band, but with the
Leonard Melody and Alfonso Larrain orchestras. Before that, Celia had recorded for radio
stations, but those recordings were not distributed commercially. In 1950, she made her first
major breakthrough, after the lead singer of the famous Cuban band la Sonora Matancera, Myrta
Silva, left the group and returned to Puerto Rico, Cruz was called to fill in. Hired permanently by
the orchestra, she wasn't well accepted by the public at first. However, the orchestra stood by
their decision, and soon Cruz became famous throughout Cuba. During the 15 years she was a
member, the band travelled all over Latin America, becoming known as Café Con Leche ("coffee
with milk"). Cruz became known for her shout "¡Azúcar!" ("Sugar!").
In 1960, in the aftermath of the Cuban Revolution, Cruz moved to the United States. In 1961,
she and her orchestra began performing at the Hollywood Palladium. The following year, she
married her lead trumpeter, Pedro Knight. In 1965, Cruz and her husband left the orchestra. Her
solo career advanced, while Knight's career languished, and eventually, he became her manager.
She was by then a US citizen and never returned to Cuba.
In 1966, Cruz and Tito Puente began an association that would lead to eight albums for Tico
Records. The albums were not as successful as expected, however, and later, Cruz joined the
Vaya Records label. There, she joined accomplished pianist Larry Harlow and was soon
headlining a concert at New York's Carnegie Hall.
Her 1974 album, with Johnny Pacheco, Celia y Johnny, went gold, and Cruz soon found herself
in a group named the Fania All Stars, which was an ensemble of salsa musicians from every
orchestra signed by the Fania label (owner of Vaya Records). With the Fania All Stars, Celia had
the opportunity of visiting England, France, Zaire, and to return to tour Latin America. In the late
1970s, she participated in an Eastern Airlines commercial in Puerto Rico, singing the catchy
phrase ¡¡¡Esto sí es volar!!! (This really is flying!!!).
During the 1980s, Cruz made frequent tours in Latin America, doing multiple concert and
television shows wherever she went, and singing both with younger stars and stars of her own
era. She began a crossover of sorts, when she participated in the 1988 Hollywood production of
Salsa, alongside Draco Cornelio Rosa.
In 1990, Cruz won a Grammy Award for Best Tropical Latin Performance - Ray Barretto &
Celia Cruz - Ritmo en el Corazon.
In 1991, Cruz sang along with Cuban pop star Martika on the song "Mi Tierra," about a young
Cuban-American woman longing for her homeland. The song became a crossover hit in over
more than 10 countries, winning Cruz a legion of younger fans. She later recorded an
anniversary albums with la Sonora Matancera.
In 1992, she starred with Armand Asante and Antonio Banderas in the film The Mambo Kings.
In 2001, she recorded a new album, on which Johnny Pacheco was one of the producers.
In early 2003, she had surgery to correct knee problems that she had for a few years, and she
intended to continue working indefinitely. However, in July of that year, she died of a cancerous
brain tumor at her home in Fort Lee, New Jersey. After her death, her body was taken on a tour
of US cities with large Cuban populations so that her many fans could pay their final respects.
She was buried at the Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.
In February 2004, her latest album Regalo del Alma, released after her death, won a posthumous
award at the Premios Lo Nuestro as best Salsa release of the year. It was announced in
December 2005 that a musical called "Assuca" would open in Tenerife before touring the world.
The name comes from Cruz's well-known catchphrase of "¡Azúcar!", meaning sugar. (2)
On June 4, 2003, Union City, New Jersey, which lies not far from Cruz's Fort Lee home (and
which boasts the second-highest Cuban population after Miami), heralded its annual Cuban Day
Parade by dedicating its new Celia Cruz Park at 31st Street and Bergenline Avenue, with Cruz's
widower, Pedro Knight, present. The park boasts a sidewalk star in Cruz's honor, and an 8' x 10'
mural by Union City's Edgardo Davila, a collage of Cruz's career throughout the decades. There
are four other similar dedications to Cruz around the world.
Article by Wikipedia
http://www.wikipedia.org/
Cuban salsa singer who spent most of her career living and working in the United States. Cruz
was one of the most successful Cuban performers of the 20th century, with twenty-two gold
albums to her name. Leila Cobo of Billboard Magazine once said "Cruz is indisputably the best-
known and most influential female figure in the history of Afro-Cuban music."
Cruz was born in the Santo Suarez neighborhood of Havana. Her parents were Catalina Alfonso
(Ollita) and Simón Cruz. When she was a child, she earned her first pair of shoes by singing to a
couple of tourists.
As a teenager, her aunt took her and her cousin to cabarets to sing, but her father encouraged
her to keep attending school, in hopes that she would become a teacher. But a teacher told her
that, as an entertainer, Cruz could make in one day what most teachers make in one year.
Cruz began singing in talent contests, often winning cakes and also opportunities to participate in
more contests. Her first recordings were made in 1948 in Venezuela with the Turpial label.
Curiously, those recordings were not with the famed Sonora Matanzera band, but with the
Leonard Melody and Alfonso Larrain orchestras. Before that, Celia had recorded for radio
stations, but those recordings were not distributed commercially. In 1950, she made her first
major breakthrough, after the lead singer of the famous Cuban band la Sonora Matancera, Myrta
Silva, left the group and returned to Puerto Rico, Cruz was called to fill in. Hired permanently by
the orchestra, she wasn't well accepted by the public at first. However, the orchestra stood by
their decision, and soon Cruz became famous throughout Cuba. During the 15 years she was a
member, the band travelled all over Latin America, becoming known as Café Con Leche ("coffee
with milk"). Cruz became known for her shout "¡Azúcar!" ("Sugar!").
In 1960, in the aftermath of the Cuban Revolution, Cruz moved to the United States. In 1961,
she and her orchestra began performing at the Hollywood Palladium. The following year, she
married her lead trumpeter, Pedro Knight. In 1965, Cruz and her husband left the orchestra. Her
solo career advanced, while Knight's career languished, and eventually, he became her manager.
She was by then a US citizen and never returned to Cuba.
In 1966, Cruz and Tito Puente began an association that would lead to eight albums for Tico
Records. The albums were not as successful as expected, however, and later, Cruz joined the
Vaya Records label. There, she joined accomplished pianist Larry Harlow and was soon
headlining a concert at New York's Carnegie Hall.
Her 1974 album, with Johnny Pacheco, Celia y Johnny, went gold, and Cruz soon found herself
in a group named the Fania All Stars, which was an ensemble of salsa musicians from every
orchestra signed by the Fania label (owner of Vaya Records). With the Fania All Stars, Celia had
the opportunity of visiting England, France, Zaire, and to return to tour Latin America. In the late
1970s, she participated in an Eastern Airlines commercial in Puerto Rico, singing the catchy
phrase ¡¡¡Esto sí es volar!!! (This really is flying!!!).
During the 1980s, Cruz made frequent tours in Latin America, doing multiple concert and
television shows wherever she went, and singing both with younger stars and stars of her own
era. She began a crossover of sorts, when she participated in the 1988 Hollywood production of
Salsa, alongside Draco Cornelio Rosa.
In 1990, Cruz won a Grammy Award for Best Tropical Latin Performance - Ray Barretto &
Celia Cruz - Ritmo en el Corazon.
In 1991, Cruz sang along with Cuban pop star Martika on the song "Mi Tierra," about a young
Cuban-American woman longing for her homeland. The song became a crossover hit in over
more than 10 countries, winning Cruz a legion of younger fans. She later recorded an
anniversary albums with la Sonora Matancera.
In 1992, she starred with Armand Asante and Antonio Banderas in the film The Mambo Kings.
In 2001, she recorded a new album, on which Johnny Pacheco was one of the producers.
In early 2003, she had surgery to correct knee problems that she had for a few years, and she
intended to continue working indefinitely. However, in July of that year, she died of a cancerous
brain tumor at her home in Fort Lee, New Jersey. After her death, her body was taken on a tour
of US cities with large Cuban populations so that her many fans could pay their final respects.
She was buried at the Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.
In February 2004, her latest album Regalo del Alma, released after her death, won a posthumous
award at the Premios Lo Nuestro as best Salsa release of the year. It was announced in
December 2005 that a musical called "Assuca" would open in Tenerife before touring the world.
The name comes from Cruz's well-known catchphrase of "¡Azúcar!", meaning sugar. (2)
On June 4, 2003, Union City, New Jersey, which lies not far from Cruz's Fort Lee home (and
which boasts the second-highest Cuban population after Miami), heralded its annual Cuban Day
Parade by dedicating its new Celia Cruz Park at 31st Street and Bergenline Avenue, with Cruz's
widower, Pedro Knight, present. The park boasts a sidewalk star in Cruz's honor, and an 8' x 10'
mural by Union City's Edgardo Davila, a collage of Cruz's career throughout the decades. There
are four other similar dedications to Cruz around the world.
Article by Wikipedia
http://www.wikipedia.org/
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Connect To The Latin Soul Radio Station and Start Listening To Celia Cruz
Return To The Latin Soul Show Home Page
Connect To The Latin Soul Radio Station and Start Listening To Celia Cruz
In Memory of Celia Cruz (Queen of Salsa)