Editing Celia Cruz

{{Short description|Cuban singer (1925–2003)}}
{{family name hatnote|Cruz|Alfonso|lang=Spanish}}
{{use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name               = Celia Cruz
| image              = Celia Cruz, 1957.jpg
| caption            = Cruz in 1957
| birth_name         = Celia Caridad Cruz Alfonso
| birth_date         = {{Birth date|df=yes|1925|10|21}}
| birth_place        = [[Havana]], [[Republic of Cuba (1902–1959)|Republic of Cuba]]
| death_date         = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2003|7|16|1925|10|21}}
| death_place        = [[Fort Lee, New Jersey]], U.S.
{{Infobox person
| child = yes
| resting_place      = [[The Bronx, New York]], U.S.}}
| occupation         = {{Flat list|
*Singer
*actress
}}
| years_active       = 1948–2003
| spouse             = {{ubl |{{marriage|[[Pedro Knight]]|14 July 1962}}}}
| genre              = {{Flat list|<!-- Aim for generality and use two to four genres per [[Template:Infobox musical artist/doc#genre]]
These are her most recorded genres according to the Díaz Ayala discography -->
* [[Salsa music|Salsa]]
* {{lang|es|[[guaracha]]|italic=no}}
* {{lang|es|[[Son (music)|son]]|italic=no}}
* [[bolero]]
* [[Cuban rumba|rumba]]
 }}
| instrument         = {{Flatlist|
*Vocals}}
| label = {{Flatlist|
*Seeco
*Tico
*[[Fania Records|Fania]]
*Barbaro
*[[RMM Records & Video|RMM]]
*[[Sony Music Latin|Sony Discos]]}}
| past_member_of = [[Sonora Matancera]]
}}
'''Celia Caridad Cruz Alfonso'''{{efn|name="names"|In her autobiography, Celia gives her baptismal name as '''Úrsula Hilaria Celia Caridad Cruz Alfonso''',<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cruz |first1=Celia |last2=Reymundo |first2=Ana Cristina |title=Celia: My Life |date=5 July 2005 |publisher=Harper Collins |isbn=978-0-06-072555-6 |page=11 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GNwojKkFS-YC |language=en}}</ref> which commemorates her birth on the feast day of [[Saint Ursula]] and [[Hilarion|Saint Hilarion]].<ref name="RM">{{cite news |last1=Marquetti |first1=Rosa |title=Conozca el verdadero nombre de Celia Cruz |url=https://www.diariolasamericas.com/cultura/conozca-el-verdadero-nombre-celia-cruz-n4258998 |access-date=12 October 2024 |work=Diario Las Américas |date=2022 |language=es-US}}</ref> This name appears in most sources, including [[Encyclopedia Britannica]], sometimes with the added epithet '''de la Santísima Trinidad'''. However, her birth certificate, registered on 16 January 1939, lists only Celia Caridad Cruz Alfonso.<ref name="Bio5" /> Later on, her Cuban passports and visas spelled her name '''Celia Caridad Cruz y Alfonso'''.<ref name="RM" /> Following her exile and marriage, her legal documents use the name '''Celia Cruz Knight''' until 1991, when she changed her name to simply '''Celia Cruz''', which also appears on her death certificate and mausoleum.<ref name="RM" />}} (21 October 1925 – 16 July 2003), known as '''Celia Cruz''', was a Cuban singer and one of the most popular [[Latin music|Latin artists]] of the 20th century. Cruz rose to fame in [[Cuba]] during the 1950s as a singer of {{lang|es|[[guaracha]]s}}, earning the nickname "{{lang|es|La Guarachera de Cuba}}". In the following decades, she became known internationally as the "[[Honorific nicknames in popular music|'''Queen of Salsa''']]" due to her contributions to Latin music.<ref>Pareles, Jon (14 December 1992). [https://www.nytimes.com/1992/12/14/arts/review-pop-the-queen-of-latin-music-takes-it-from-the-top.html "Review/Pop; The Queen of Latin Music Takes It From the Top"]. Retrieved 27 January 2014.</ref><ref name="NMAH1">{{cite web |url=http://historywired.si.edu/object.cfm?ID=90 |title=Celia Cruz's Shoes |publisher=[[National Museum of American History]], [[Smithsonian Institution]] |access-date=2008-06-09}}</ref><ref name="SI">{{cite web |publisher=[[Smithsonian Institution]] |title=The Life and Music of Celia Cruz |date=16 March 2012 |url=http://amhistory.si.edu/celiacruz/printable/index.asp?sectionID=Bug2735071017PClL&lang=qKu3465133896KoJE&ContentID=HbT404403900Co1140T1176R1344s1188t360hL780wP1380R1152w1140Rypk |access-date=21 October 2013}}</ref> She had sold over 10 million records, making her one of the [[List of best-selling Latin music artists|best-selling Latin music artists]].<ref name="Cruz10">{{cite web |last1=Arias-Polo |first1=Arturo |title=Albacea de Celia Cruz decide reivindicar la historia de la Guarachera de Cuba en un musical |url=https://www.elnuevoherald.com/entretenimiento/article187431203.html |access-date=3 March 2023 |language=es |date=1 December 2017}}</ref>

The artist 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 {{lang|es|guaracha}}, [[Cuban rumba|rumba]], [[afro (genre)|afro]], {{lang|es|[[son cubano|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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kienyke.com/historias/celia-cruz-fidel-castro|title=Cuando Fidel Castro prohibió la música de Celia Cruz|date=October 6, 2015|website=KienyKe.com|access-date=2019-10-14|archive-date=2 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190602220218/https://www.kienyke.com/historias/celia-cruz-fidel-castro|url-status=dead}}</ref> 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 "{{lang|es|Bemba colorá|italic=no}}". In the 1970s, she signed for [[Fania Records]] and became strongly associated with the [[salsa music|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 "{{lang|es|[[La vida es un carnaval]]|italic=no}}" and "{{lang|es|[[La Negra Tiene Tumbao (song)|La negra tiene tumbao]]|italic=no}}".<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.elheraldo.co/tendencias/diez-canciones-que-inmortalizaron-la-reina-de-la-salsa-celia-cruz-272340 |title=Diez canciones que inmortalizaron a Celia Cruz, la 'reina de la salsa' |website=[[El Heraldo (Colombia)|El Heraldo]] |date=16 July 2019 |access-date=2019-10-14}}</ref>

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 Award]]s and three [[Latin Grammy Award]]s. In addition to her prolific career in music, Cruz also made several appearances as an actress in movies and [[telenovela]]s. Her catchphrase "{{lang|es|¡Azúcar!}}" ("Sugar!") has become one of the most recognizable symbols of salsa music.

== Early life ==
Celia Caridad Cruz Alfonso was born on 21 October 1925, at 47 Serrano Street in the Santos Suárez neighborhood of [[Havana, Cuba]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cruz |first1=Celia |last2=Reymundo |first2=Ana Cristina |title=Celia: My Life |date=5 July 2005 |publisher=Harper Collins |isbn=978-0-06-072555-6 |page=11 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GNwojKkFS-YC |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Bio5">{{cite book |last1=Marceles |first1=Eduardo |title=Azúcar!: The Biography of Celia Cruz |date=2004 |publisher=Reed Press |isbn=9781594290213 |page=5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IAgUAQAAIAAJ |language=en}}</ref><ref name="GN">{{cite web |title=Celia Cruz interview |url=http://generation-ntv.com/writing/celia-cruz-1996 |website=Generation-ntv.com|access-date=19 September 2019 |date=1996}}</ref> Her father, Simón Cruz, was a railway stoker, and her mother, Catalina Alfonso Ramos, a housewife who took care of an extended family.<ref name="Bio5" /> Celia was one of the eldest among fourteen children living in the house, including cousins and her three siblings, Dolores, Gladys, and Bárbaro,<ref>Marceles, Eduardo (2004). ''Azúcar!: The Biography of Celia Cruz''. Reed Press. p. 5: "[Celia Cruz] was the only daughter of Simón Cruz, a railroad worker from the town of Los Palacios, and Catalina Alfonso, who was also from Pinar del Río ... Before her relationship with Simón, Catalina already had a daughter, Dolores, with Aquilino Ramos. After Celia, she also had two other children, Bárbaro and Gladys, with Alejandro Jiménez."</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Petrini |first=Rebecca |date=2004-09-21 |title=Celia Cruz |url=http://fs2.american.edu/aoliver/www/prominenthispanics/cruz.htm |access-date=2022-11-03 |website=Prominent Hispanics in the U.S. |language=es}}</ref> and she used to sing cradle songs to put them to sleep.<ref name="GN" /> According to her mother, she began singing as a child at 9 or 10 months of age, often in the middle of the night.<ref name="GN" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Wall |first1=Anthony |title=My Name Is Celia Cruz |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00qmxcl |website=BBC Arena |publisher=BBC |access-date=5 November 2019 |date=12 February 1988}}</ref> She also sang in school during the Fridays' {{lang|es|actos cívicos}} and in her neighborhood ensemble, Botón de oro.<ref name="GN" />

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 Arcaño]] and [[Arsenio Rodríguez]].<ref name="SI" /> Despite her father's opposition and the fact that she was [[Catholic Church|Catholic]], as a child Cruz learned [[Santería]] songs from her neighbor who practiced Santería.<ref>{{cite book|title=Celia: mi vida|date=2004|publisher=Harper Collins|isbn=0-06-072606-7|pages=[https://archive.org/details/celiamylife00cruz/page/24 24, 74]|author1=Celia Cruz|author2=Ana Cristina Reymundo|url=https://archive.org/details/celiamylife00cruz/page/24}}</ref> Cruz also studied the words to [[Yoruba language|Yoruba]] songs with colleague [[Merceditas Valdés]] (an ''[[akpwon]]'', a Santería 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 [[cabaret]]s 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.<ref name="Celia Cruz">{{cite web|title=Celia Cruz|url=http://academic.eb.com/levels/collegiate/article/399883#|website=Britannica Academic|publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=13 December 2016}}</ref> 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.<ref name="Biografías_1">{{cite web|author=Biografías y Vidas|title=Celia Cruz|url=http://www.biografiasyvidas.com/biografia/c/cruz.htm|access-date=25 May 2008}}</ref>

One day, her cousin took her to Havana's radio station [[Radio Garcia-Serra|Radio García-Serra]], where she became a contestant in the "Hora del té" amateur radio program. It was her first time using a microphone and she sang the [[tango]] "Nostalgia" (as a tribute to [[Paulina Álvarez]]<ref name="SI" />), winning a cake as the first prize for her performance.<ref name="GN" /> On other occasions she won silver chains, as well as opportunities to participate in more contests.<ref>{{cite book|title=Celia: mi vida|date=2004|publisher=Harper Collins|isbn=0-06-072606-7|pages=[https://archive.org/details/celiamylife00cruz/page/32 32–4]|author1=Celia Cruz|author2=Ana Cristina Reymundo|url=https://archive.org/details/celiamylife00cruz/page/32}}</ref> She also sang in other amateur radio programs such as {{lang|es|La suprema corte del arte}}, broadcast by [[CMQ (Cuba)|CMQ]], always winning first prize. The only exception was when she competed against Vilma Valle, having to split their earnings: 25 dollars each.<ref name="GN" />

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 (Cuba)|Popular Socialist Party]] (PSP), as early as the 1940s.<ref>"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".</ref> 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 Calderío]], 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.<ref>"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.</ref>

== Career ==
[[File:Celia Cruz y La Sonora Matancera.jpg|thumb|right|Celia Cruz in the 1950s with the members of the [[Sonora Matancera]] in Havana]]

=== First recordings ===
[[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.<ref name="Bio18">{{cite book |last1=Marceles |first1=Eduardo |title=Azúcar!: The Biography of Celia Cruz |date=2004 |publisher=Reed Press |isbn=9781594290213 |page=18 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IAgUAQAAIAAJ |language=en}}</ref> 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 Club|Tropicana]], Sans Souci, Bamboo, Topeka, etc.<ref name="GN" /> In 1948, Roderico ''Rodney'' Neyra founded the group of dancers and singers Las Mulatas de Fuego (The Fiery Mulattas).<ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-08-31|title=La huella inquietante de Las Mulatas de Fuego|url=http://www.desmemoriados.com/la-huella-inquietante-de-las-mulatas-de/|access-date=2020-07-21|website=Desmemoriados...|language=es}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-12-01|title=Celia Cruz and the flag|url=https://oncubanews.com/en/culture/music-culture/celia-cruz-y-la-bandera-2/|access-date=2020-07-21|website=OnCubaNews English|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=HOMENAJE A LA GRAN CELIA CRUZ 'LA GUARACHERA DE CUBA'.|url=http://www.latinafmcolombia.co/2019/10/homenaje-la-gran-celia-cruz-la.html|access-date=2020-07-21|website=Latinafmcolombia.co}}</ref> 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 [[Santería]] music under the direction of [[Obdulio Morales]]. With this group, known as Coro Yoruba y Tambores Batá, she made several recordings that were later released by [[Panart]].

=== Sonora Matancera ===
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,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cartlidge |first1=Cherese |title=Celia Cruz |date=2013 |publisher=Infobase |isbn=9781438146072 |pages=28–29 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BsNbAgAAQBAJ |language=en}}</ref> and thus became the group's first black frontwoman.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Celia Cruz's 'Son Con Guaguancó' And The Bridge To Fame In Exile|url=https://www.npr.org/2018/02/13/584004511/celia-cruzs-son-con-guaguanc-and-the-bridge-to-fame-in-exile|access-date=2020-07-17|website=NPR.org|date=13 February 2018 |language=en|last1=Fernández |first1=Stefanie }}</ref> 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 Martínez 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 maní 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.<ref name="GN" /> During her 15 years with [[Sonora Matancera]], she appeared in cameos in some Mexican films such as {{lang|es|Rincón criollo}} (1950), {{lang|es|Una gallega en La Habana}} (1955) and {{lang|es|Amorcito corazón}} (1961), toured all over Latin America and became a regular at the Tropicana.

=== Exile and Tico recordings ===
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.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Edelman |first1=Claudia Romo |last2=Alexander |first2=William |title=Hispanic Star: Celia Cruz |date=6 September 2022 |publisher=Roaring Brook Press |isbn=978-1-250-82811-8 |page=26 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EjlKEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT26 |access-date=17 July 2023 |language=en}}</ref> 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 15 July 1960, not knowing that she would likely never return to her home country.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cartlidge |first1=Cherese |title=Celia Cruz |date=2013 |publisher=Infobase Learning |isbn=978-1-4381-4607-2 |page=40 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BsNbAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT40 |access-date=17 July 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

Just one week after arriving in Mexico, Cruz received the news of the death of her father, Simón 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.<ref>{{Cite web|title=CELIA CRUZ NO DESCANSA EN PAZ|url=https://www.eltiempo.com/archivo/documento/MAM-1048042|last=Tiempo|first=Casa Editorial El|date=2003-12-26|website=El Tiempo|language=es|access-date=2020-06-01}}</ref> 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, {{lang|es|Son con guaguancó}} featured a recording of José Claro Fumero's guaracha "Bemba colorá", which became one of Cruz's signature songs.<ref name=":0" />  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 Frías for [[Tico Records]]. In 1974, [[Fania Records]], the leading [[salsa music|salsa]] record label, acquired Tico and signed Cruz to the imprint Vaya Records, where she remained until 1992.

=== The Fania years ===
[[File:Celia Cruz 1.jpg|thumb|Celia Cruz performing in Paris at the [[Olympia (Paris)|Olympia]] in 1980]]
Cruz's association with the [[Fania Records|Fania label]] had begun in 1973, when she recorded the lead vocals of "Gracia divina", a song by [[Larry Harlow (musician)|Larry Harlow]] which was part of his "Latin opera" ''Hommy''. She then joined the [[Fania All-Stars]], a salsa [[supergroup (music)|supergroup]] featuring the most popular performers of the Fania roster. With them, Cruz first sang "Bemba colorá" 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 (film)|Soul Power]]''.<ref name="nytimes">{{cite news|last=Scott|first=O.A.|title=Music and Musicians Still Echo 35 Years Later|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=2009-07-10|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/2009/07/10/movies/10soul.html}}</ref>

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 Río]] and [[Willie Colón]]. The following year she recorded her first LP with Colón, a collaboration that would be repeated with great success in 1981 and 1987. When touring with Colón, 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.<ref name="Celia Cruz"/> In the late 1970s, she participated in an [[Eastern Air Lines]] commercial in Puerto Rico, singing the catchy phrase {{lang|es|¡Esto sí 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 Cubanísima": "I am the voice of Cuba, from this land, far away...I am liberty, I am WQBA, the most Cuban!" ({{lang|es|Yo soy de Cuba, la voz, desde esta tierra lejana... ¡soy libertad, soy WQBA, Cubanísima!}}).

In 1982, Celia was reunited with the Sonora Matancera and recorded the album {{lang|es|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 (1988 film)|Salsa]]'' alongside [[Robby Rosa|Robby Draco Rosa]]. In 1990, Cruz won her first [[Grammy Award]] ([[Grammy Award for Best Traditional Tropical Latin Album|Best Tropical Latin Performance]]) for her album {{lang|es|Ritmo en el corazón}}, 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 {{lang|es|[[salsa dura]]}} in favor of the emergent {{lang|es|[[salsa romántica]]}} 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===
[[Image:Cruz and Ros-Lehtinen1992a.jpg|thumb|[[Dexter Lehtinen]], Celia Cruz, Alonso R. del Portillo, Rep. [[Ileana Ros-Lehtinen]], and Pedro Knight in May 1992]]
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.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2013-04-24|title=Celia Cruz|url=https://www.arts.gov/honors/medals/celia-cruz|access-date=2020-07-17|website=NEA|language=en}}</ref>
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 (1993 telenovela)|Valentina]]'', along with [[Verónica 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 {{lang|es|[[El alma no tiene color]]}}, a remake of the classic Mexican film ''[[Angelitos negros (1948 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 {{lang|es|Mi vida es cantar}}, which featured one of her most successful songs, {{lang|es|[[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 {{lang|es|[[Siempre viviré]]}} 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, {{lang|es|[[La Negra Tiene Tumbao|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 "{{lang|es|[[Bemba colorá]]}}".  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 José".

== Death ==
[[File: Celia Cruz mausoleum.jpg|thumb|right|Celia Cruz's mausoleum in [[Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx|Woodlawn Cemetery]], [[The Bronx]], New York]]
In August and September 2002, Cruz underwent surgery due to [[breast cancer]].<ref name="EU">{{cite news |title=Celia Cruz tiene cáncer cerebral |url=https://www.eluniverso.com/2003/03/01/0001/259/33CE2181F8324A239AA47CA45938AA7C.html/ |access-date=10 September 2021 |work=El Universo |date=1 March 2003 |language=es}}</ref> 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.<ref name="EU" /> Confident, Cruz said she did not shed one tear and that she was aiming to resume her artistic career.<ref name="EU" /> She finished recording her last album, {{lang|es|[[Regalo del Alma]]}}. In February, she appeared in public again at the [[45th Annual Grammy Awards]] to receive the award for [[Grammy Award for Best Salsa Album|Best Salsa Album]].<ref name="EU" /> In March 2003, the US Hispanic network [[Telemundo]] paid tribute to her. The event, titled {{lang|es|[[¡Celia Cruz: Azúcar!]]}}, involved figures such as [[Gloria Estefan]], [[Marc Anthony]], [[La India]], [[Gloria Gaynor]] and [[Patti LaBelle]] among others.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/17/arts/celia-cruz-petite-powerhouse-of-latin-music-dies-at-77.html|title=Celia Cruz, Petite Powerhouse of Latin Music, Dies at 77|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=17 July 2003|access-date=17 June 2016|author=Pareles, Jon}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://celiacruzfoundation.com/2003/02/04/telemundo-to-produce-tribute-concert-celia-cruz-azucar/|title=Telemundo to Produce Tribute Concert: ¡Celia Cruz: Azucar!|work=Celia Cruz Foundation|date=4 February 2003|author=Pardillo, Omar|access-date=5 July 2016}}</ref> 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 at [[Gesu Church (Miami, Florida)|Gesu Church]], before a funeral Mass at [[St. Patrick's Cathedral (Midtown Manhattan)|St. Patrick's Cathedral]] and burial in the [[Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx|Woodlawn Cemetery]] in [[The Bronx]], New York.<ref>{{cite news|author=Ellen Pearlman|title=Azucar! Celia: The Life and Music of Celia Cruz at the New World Theater|url=http://brooklynrail.org/2008/03/music/azcar-celia-the-life-and-music-of-celia-cruz-at-the-new-world-theater|newspaper=[[The Brooklyn Rail]]|date=April 1, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author1=Townsend Rosa |author2=Vicent, Manuel |title=La muerte de Celia Cruz consterna al exilio cubano y a los artistas de la isla|url=http://elpais.com/diario/2003/07/18/espectaculos/1058479203_850215.html|access-date=24 July 2012|newspaper=EDICIONES EL PAÍS, S.L.|date=July 18, 2003}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=¡Azúcar en el cielo!|url=http://www.elsalvador.com/noticias/2003/07/17/escenarios/escen7.html|newspaper=El Diario de Hoy|date=July 17, 2003|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021071617/http://www.elsalvador.com/noticias/2003/07/17/escenarios/escen7.html|archive-date=October 21, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/25/nyregion/thecity/25celia.html|title=Amid the Gravestones, a Final Love Song|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=February 25, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Alexander |first=John |date=2023-03-03 |title=Priceless Honor Bestowed Upon Celia Cruz, the Queen of Salsa |url=https://thetablet.org/only-in-print-priceless-honor-bestowed-upon-celia-cruz-the-queen-of-salsa/ |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=The Tablet |language=en-US}}</ref> An epilogue in her autobiography notes that, in accordance with her wishes, Cuban soil - which she had saved from a visit to [[Guantánamo Bay]] - was used in her entombment.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://purehistory.org/celia-cruz/|title=Celia Cruz {{!}} PureHistory|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-02}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thecubanhistory.com/2014/03/origen-de-la-musica-cubana-biografia-de-celia-cruz-video/|title=ORIGIN OF THE CUBAN MUSIC: Biography of Celia Cruz (Video) * * ORIGEN DE LA MÚSICA CUBANA: Biografía de Celia Cruz (Video). {{!}} The History, Culture and Legacy of the People of Cuba|website=Thecubanhistory.com|date=5 March 2014 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-02}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wearemitu.com/entertainment/25-azucar-facts-celia-cruz-will-make-love-even/|title=25 Azúcar Facts About Celia Cruz That Will Make You Love Her Even More|last=Mesa|first=Cristal|date=2018-02-28|website=Wearemitu.com|access-date=2019-10-02|archive-date=24 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210724111717/https://wearemitu.com/wearemitu/entertainment/25-azucar-facts-celia-cruz-will-make-love-even/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Tributes and legacy ==
[[File:9.7.14CeliaCruzParkByLuigiNovi.jpg|thumb|right|Celia Cruz Plaza in [[Union City, New Jersey]]]]
Cruz's legacy had been honored for years before her death, including a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] (1987), the asteroid name [[5212 Celiacruz]] (1989),<ref name=schmadel>{{cite book |last=Schmadel |first=Lutz D. |title=Dictionary of Minor Planet Names |date=2012 |publisher=Springer-Verlag|location=Berlín|isbn=9783642297175 |edition=6ª|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KbKyuAAACAAJ | access-date=14 May 2017|language=en}}</ref> the [[Lo Nuestro Excellence Award|Excellence Awards]] at the [[Premio Lo Nuestro 1990|1990 Lo Nuestro Awards]],<ref name="Winners-archive">{{cite web |url=http://i.univision.com/contentuvn/rinconlatino/plnuestro/images/index_historia.swf|title=Lo Nuestro – Historia |language=es |work=[[Univision]] |publisher=[[Univision Communications]]|access-date=March 8, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626102925/http://i.univision.com/contentuvn/rinconlatino/plnuestro/images/index_historia.swf|archive-date=June 26, 2015}}</ref> and [[Calle Ocho, Miami|Celia Cruz Way]] in Miami (1991). She was also recognized with a star on Boulevard [[Amador Bendayán]] 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]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cmtv.com.ar/biografia/show.php?bnid=79&banda=Celia_Cruz|title=CMTV - Biografía de Celia Cruz|website=Cmtv.com.ar|access-date=2019-10-14}}</ref> Cruz, along with fellow Afro-Cuban musician [[Cachao]], were inducted into the [[Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame|''Billboard'' Latin Music Hall of Fame]] in 1994.<ref name="lmba1994">{{cite magazine| last = Lannert| first = John| date = May 21, 1994| title = The Latin Music Hall of Fame Welcomes Celia and Cachao| magazine = Billboard| publisher = [[Nielsen Business Media]]| volume = 106| issue = 32| page =50|issn=0006-2510| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=TAgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA50| access-date = June 3, 2010}}</ref> She was also inducted into the [[International Latin Music Hall of Fame]] in 1999.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=de Fontenay|first1=Sounni|title=International Latin Music Hall of Fame|journal=Latin American Rhythm Magazine|date=7 December 1998|url=http://laritmo.com/mag/index.php3?id=253|access-date=18 October 2014|archive-date=18 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018225223/http://laritmo.com/mag/index.php3?id=253|url-status=dead}}</ref> In the same year, she was presented with the [[ASCAP Latin Heritage Award]] becoming the first recipient of the accolade.<ref name="ascaplatin">{{cite web|url=https://www.ascap.com/news-events/awards/latin-heritage-award#:~:text=Awarded%20to%20songwriters%20and%20composers,and%20enduring%20contributions%20to%20music.|title=ASCAP Latin Heritage Award|publisher=ASCAP|access-date=December 8, 2020}}</ref>

Through a formidable work ethic, Cruz rose to the very top in her genre.<ref>{{cite web|title=Music: The Definitive Visual History|url=http://go.galegroup.com/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=T003&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchId=R1&searchType=BasicSearchForm&currentPosition=1&userGroupName=nysl_li_stj&inPS=true&sort=RELEVANCE&contentSegment=&prodId=GVRL&contentSet=GALE%7CCX6509500141&&docId=GALE%7CCX6509500141&docType=GALE#|website=Gale Virtual Reference Library|publisher=New York: DK Publishing|access-date=13 December 2016}}</ref> In February 2004, her last album, {{lang|es|[[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 {{lang|es|¡Azúcar!}} would open in [[Tenerife]] before touring the 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 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.<ref>Rosero, Jessica (June 2, 2004). [http://www.hudsonreporter.com/view/full_story/2398550/article-Homage-to-Celia-Cruz-UC-to-pay-tribute-to-Queen-of-Salsa-with-events--park-dedication?instance=search_results "Homage to Celia Cruz: UC to pay tribute to Queen of Salsa with events, park dedication"]. ''[[The Hudson Reporter]]''.</ref> Cruz's star has expanded into Union City's "Walk of Fame",<ref name=UCPictures>Fernandez, Lucio; Karabin, Gerard (2010). ''Union City in Pictures''. Book Press NY. p. 74</ref> as new marble stars are added each spring to honor Latin entertainment and media personalities, such as [[merengue (music)|merengue]] singer Joseíto Mateo, salsa singer [[La India]], Cachao, Cuban [[tenor]] [[Beny Moré]],<ref>Rosero, Jessica (18 June 2006). [http://www.hudsonreporter.com/view/full_story/2408953/article-Viva-la-comunidad-Cubano-North-Hudson-celebrates-at-the-annual-Cuban-Day-Parade? "Viva la comunidad Cubano North Hudson celebrates at the annual Cuban Day Parade"]. ''The Hudson Reporter''.</ref> [[Tito Puente]], Spanish language [[television news]] anchor [[Rafael Pineda (television journalist)|Rafael Pineda]], salsa pioneer [[Johnny Pacheco]],<ref>Rosero, Jessica (26 May 2006). [http://www.hudsonreporter.com/view/full_story/2405226/article--La-vida-es-un-carnaval--North-Hudson-celebrates-6th-annual-Cuban-Day-Parade? "'La vida es un carnaval' North Hudson celebrates 6th annual Cuban Day Parade"]. ''The Hudson Reporter''.</ref> singer/bandleader [[Gilberto Santa Rosa]] and music promoter [[Ralph Mercado]].<ref>Staab, Amanda (5 October 2008). "UC first stop for Latin Grammies". ''The Union City Reporter''. pp. 1, 21</ref>
[[File:2024 Celia Cruz Womens Quarter.jpg|thumb|Cruz featured on a 2024 [[American Women quarter]]]]
On 18 May 2005, the [[National Museum of American History]], administered by the [[Smithsonian Institution]] and located in [[Washington, D.C.]], opened {{lang|es|"¡Azúcar!"}}, 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 {{lang|es|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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lanacion.com.ar/espectaculos/cine/whoopi-goldberg-en-la-piel-de-celia-cruz-nid357433|title=Whoopi Goldberg, en la piel de Celia Cruz|date=December 8, 2001|website=Lanacion.com.ar|access-date=2019-10-14}}</ref> 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]].<ref>[http://www.lortel.org/lla_archive/index.cfm?search_by=show&title=Celia ''Celia''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011144909/http://www.lortel.org/lla_archive/index.cfm?search_by=show&title=Celia |date=2012-10-11 }} at Lortel Archives; accessed August 24, 2010</ref>

On 16 March 2011, Celia Cruz was honored by the [[United States Postal Service]] with a commemorative postage stamp.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Forever Latin Music Legends: Celia Cruz single|url=https://www.si.edu/object/forever-latin-music-legends-celia-cruz-single%3Anpm_2011.2025.63|access-date=2020-07-20|website=Smithsonian Institution|language=en}}</ref> 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.<ref>[http://newsdesk.si.edu/releases/national-museum-american-history-reveals-celia-cruz-portrait "National Museum of American History Reveals Celia Cruz Portrait"]. Newsdesk. [[Smithsonian Institution]]. October 3, 2012</ref>

On 21 October 2013, Google honored her with a [[Google Doodle]].<ref name="auto">{{cite news | first = Otis | last = Gowens | title = Celia Cruz, queen of Salsa, gets Google Doodle | date = 2013-10-21 | publisher = Cox Media Group | work = AJC.com }}</ref> [[Jennifer Lopez]] honored Cruz with her presentation at the [[American Music Awards of 2013|41st American Music Awards]] ceremony.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://voces.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/24/jennifer-lopez-celia-cruz-american-music-awards_n_4334875.html|title=Jennifer Lopez rinde tributo a Celia Cruz en los American Music Awards|language=es|work=[[The Huffington Post]]|publisher=[[AOL]]|date=November 24, 2013|access-date=November 25, 2013|archive-date=28 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131128175948/http://voces.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/24/jennifer-lopez-celia-cruz-american-music-awards_n_4334875.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The singers [[Yuri (Mexican singer)|Yuri]], La India, [[Maluma (singer)|Maluma]] and [[Aymée Nuviola]] did the same at the [[Latin American Music Awards]]. Also in 2013, Cruz was inducted into the New Jersey Hall Fame.<ref name="auto"/> In October 2015, [[Telemundo]] premiered an 80-episode docu-drama based on Cruz's life, ''[[Celia (telenovela)|Celia]]''.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/latin/6722633/celia-cruz-series-telemundo-empire|title=Telemundo Goes the 'Empire' Route With Celia Cruz 80-Episode Docudrama Series Other Musical Soap Operas|website=Billboard.com|access-date=2019-10-14}}</ref>

In 2015, the television networks [[RCN Televisión]] and Telemundo produced the TV series ''[[Celia (2015 TV series)|Celia]]'' based on the life of Crus. Cruz was played by the actresses [[Jeimy Osorio]] and Aymée Nuviola and counted on the voice of Patty Padilla.<ref name="auto1"/> In 2019, [[Angélique Kidjo]] released a tribute album to Cruz, entitled ''Celia'', including songs spanning all of Cruz's career reinvented with an Afrobeat feel. It features [[Tony Allen (musician)]], [[Meshell Ndegeocello]] and the [[Gangbé Brass Band]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kidjo.com/celia|title=Celia|website=Kidjo.com|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-31}}</ref>

In 2018, a monument to Cruz was unveiled in the Cuban Heritage Park in [[Hialeah, Florida]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Monument Park|url=https://www.hialeahfl.gov/facilities/facility/details/Monument-Park-27|website=Hialeah, FL|language=en|access-date=2020-06-01}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Facts {{!}} Facts About Cuban Exiles|url=https://www.facecuba.org/blog/page/24|website=FACE|language=en|access-date=2020-06-01}}</ref> Also in 2018, the Celia Cruz Estate launched a brand inspired by Cruz which featured merchandise inspired and about Cruz.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-08-01|title=Singer Celia Cruz Inspires New Brand|url=https://www.licenseglobal.com/entertainment/singer-celia-cruz-inspires-new-brand|access-date=2020-12-08|website=licenseglobal.com|language=en}}</ref>

In 2019, [[Chileans|Chilean]]-American poet [[Marjorie Agosín|Marjorie Agosin]] created a [[chamber music]] theatre performance titled "Las Magníficas" (The Magnificent Ones), based on the life of Celia Cruz and Chilean singer-songwriter [[Violeta Parra]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Core Ensemble: "Las Magnificas"|url=http://www.wellesley.edu/events/node/166831|website=Wellesley College|language=en|access-date=2020-06-01}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=LAS MAGNIFICAS {{!}} CORE ENSEMBLE|url=https://www.coreensemble.com/shows-on-tour/las-magnificas/|language=en-US|access-date=2020-06-01}}</ref>

On 2 June 2021, New York City 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".<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-06-02|title=Bronx Street Co-Named For Late Queen Of Salsa Music, Celia Cruz|url=https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2021/06/02/celia-cruz-way-the-bronx/|access-date=2021-06-03|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-06-02|title=Nueva York homenajea a Celia Cruz y le da el nombre de una calle|url=https://holanews.com/nueva-york-homenajea-a-celia-cruz-y-le-da-el-nombre-de-una-calle/|access-date=2021-06-03|website=Hola News|language=en-GB|archive-date=3 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210603040733/https://holanews.com/nueva-york-homenajea-a-celia-cruz-y-le-da-el-nombre-de-una-calle/|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Los Angeles]] has also named the intersection of [[Hollywood Boulevard]] and Argyle Avenue after her.{{citation needed|date=December 2024}}

In 2023, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' ranked Cruz at No. 18 on their list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.<ref>{{Cite magazine|date=January 1, 2023|title=The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-singers-all-time-1234642307/celia-cruz-1234643183/|access-date=October 10, 2023|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US}}</ref> In February 2023, Cruz was selected as an honoree in the 2024 [[American Women quarters|American Women quarter]] program, making her the first Afro-Latina to appear on a U.S quarter.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2024 American Women Quarters™ Program Honorees Announced |url=https://www.usmint.gov/news/press-releases/mint-announces-2024-american-women-quarters-program-honorees |access-date=2023-02-02 |website=United States Mint |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Gelpi-Ufret |first=Rebecca |date=2023-02-07 |title='Queen of Salsa' Celia Cruz to appear on US quarter |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/queen-salsa-celia-cruz-us-quarter/story?id=96948745 |access-date=2023-02-10 |website=ABC News |language=en}}</ref>

== Discography ==
Cruz recorded with Seeco Records through 1965 and with [[Tico Records]] from 1966 through 1972. Later, she recorded with Vaya Records and with its parent company, [[Fania Records]].
{{div col|colwidth=35em}}
* ''Cuba's Foremost Rhythm Singer'' (1958)
* {{lang|es|Incomparable Celia}} (1958)
* {{lang|es|Mi Diario Musical}} (1959)
* {{lang|es|Con Amor}} (Exito, 1960)
* {{lang|es|Canciones Premiadas}} (1961)
* {{lang|es|Homenaje a Los Santos}} (1964)
* {{lang|es|Canciones que Yo Quería Haber Grabado Primero}} (1965)
* {{lang|es|Sabor y Ritmo de Pueblos}} (1965)
* {{lang|es|Cuba Y Puerto Rico Son}} (1966)
* ''[[Son Con Guaguancó|Son con Guaguancó]]'' (1966)
* ''Bravo Celia Cruz'' (1967)
* ''A Ti México'' (1967)
* ''Excitante'' (1968)
* ''Serenata Guajira'' (1968)
* ''Quimbo Quimbumbia'' (1969)
* ''Etc. Etc. Etc.'' (1970)
* ''Celia y Tito Puente en España'' (1971)
*   Celia Cruz/Tito Puente Algo Especial Para Recordar (1972)
* ''[[Celia & Johnny]]'' (1974)
* ''Tremendo Caché'' (1975)
* ''Recordando El Ayer'' (1976)
* ''Only They Could Have Made This Album'' (1977)
* ''Homenaje A Beny More'' (1978)
*   Celia Cruz Y La Sonora Ponceña La Ceiba (1979)
* ''Celia/Johnny/Pete'' (1980)
* ''Celia & Willie'' (1981)
* ''Feliz Encuentro'' (1982)
* ''Tremendo Trío'' (1983)
* ''Candela'' (1986)
* ''De Nuevo'' (1986)
* ''Winners'' (1987)
* ''Ritmo en el Corazón'' (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 Moré, 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)
* ''También 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 Viviré'' (2000)
* ''[[La Negra Tiene Tumbao]]'' (2001)
* ''[[Hits Mix]]'' (2002)
* ''Unrepeatable'' (2002)
* ''Homenaje a Beny Moré'' (2003)
* ''[[Regalo del Alma]]'' (2003)
* ''Dios disfrute a la Reina'' (2004)
* ''Havana Nights'' (2019)
{{div col end}}

== 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 (1993 telenovela)|Valentina]]'' (TV) (Mexico, 1993)
* ''[[The Perez Family]]'' (USA, 1995) Luz Pat
* ''[[El alma no tiene color]]'' (TV) (Mexico, 1997)
* ''[[¡Celia Cruz: Azúcar!]]'' (TV) (Tribute, USA, 2003)
* ''Soul Power'' (Documentary of Kinshasa, Zaire Music Festival 1974) (USA, 2008)
* [[Celia (telenovela)|''CELIA'']], Celia Cruz Bio-Drama (2015 on Telemundo)

==Awards==
{{main list|List of awards and nominations received by Celia Cruz}}
===Grammy Awards===
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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Celia Cruz |url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/celia-cruz |website=GRAMMY.com |publisher=[[The Recording Academy]] |access-date=16 February 2020 |language=en |date=19 November 2019}}</ref>
{{awards table}}
|-
| align="center"|1979
| ''Eternos''
| Best Latin Recording
|{{nom}}
|-
| align="center"|1983
| ''Tremendo Trío''
|rowspan="5"| Best Tropical Latin Recording
|{{nom}}
|-
| align="center"|1985
| ''De Nuevo''
|{{nom}}
|-
| align="center"|1986
| ''Homenaje A Beny More - Vol. III''
|{{nom}}
|-
| align="center"|1987
| ''The Winners''
|{{nom}}
|-
| align="center"|1990
| "Ritmo En El Corazón"
|{{won}}
|-
| align="center"|1992
| ''Tributo a Ismael Rivera''
|rowspan="2"| Best Tropical Latin Album
|{{nom}}
|-
| align="center"|1993
| ''Azúcar Negra''
|{{nom}}
|-
| align="center"|1995
| ''Irrepetible''
| Best Tropical Latin Performance
|{{nom}}
|-
| 1997
| "Guantanamera"
| Best Rap Performance for a Duo or Group
|{{nom}}
|-
| 1998
| ''Mi Vida Es Cantar''
| Best Tropical Latin Performance
|{{nom}}
|-
| align="center"|2000
| ''[[Celia Cruz and Friends: A Night of Salsa]]''
|rowspan="2"| Best Salsa Album
|{{nom}}
|-
| align="center"|2002
| ''La Negra Tiene Tumbao''
| {{nom}}
|-
| align="center"|2003
| ''Regalo del Alma''
| Best Salsa/Merengue Album
| {{won}}
|}

===Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award===
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.
{{awards table}}
|-
| align="center"|2016
| Herself
| [[Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award]]
| {{won}}
|}

===Latin Grammy Awards===
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.
{{awards table}}
|-
| align="center"|2000
| ''Celia Cruz and Friends: A Night of Salsa''
| Best Salsa Album
|{{won}}
|-
| align="center"|2001
| ''Siempre Viveré''
| Best Traditional Tropical Album
|{{won}}
|-
| align="center" rowspan="4"|2002
|rowspan="2"| "[[La Negra Tiene Tumbao (song)|La Negra Tiene Tumbao]]"
| Record of the Year
|{{nom}}
|-
| Best Music Video
|{{nom}}
|-
|rowspan="2"| ''[[La Negra Tiene Tumbao]]''
| Album of the Year
|{{nom}}
|-
| Best Salsa Album
|{{won}}
|-
| align="center" |2004
| ''[[Regalo del Alma]]''
| Best Salsa Album
| {{won}}
|}
Cruz is also the recipient of the president's [[National Medal of Arts]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Valdivia |first=Pablo |date=2023-02-07 |title=Queen of salsa Celia Cruz will be the first Afro Latina to appear on a U.S. quarter |url=https://www.npr.org/2023/02/07/1155145680/celia-cruz-us-quarter |website=NPR}}</ref><ref name=":1" />

== See also ==
* [[Honorific nicknames in popular music]]
* [[Music of Cuba]]
* [[History of Cuba]]
* [[Pedro Knight]] - Cruz's musician husband
* [[List of Cubans]]
*[[List of best-selling Latin music artists]]

{{clear}}

== Notes and references ==
===Notes===
{{notelist}}

===References===
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://celiacruz.com/ Official Web page ]
* [https://celiacruzfoundation.com/ Celia Cruz Foundation]
{{wikiquote}}
{{Commons category|Celia Cruz}}
* {{Discogs artist}}
* {{IMDb name|id=0190272|name=Celia Cruz}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130821033008/http://www.celiacruzvideos.com/ Celia Cruz] video archive
*{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20160529023410/http://directoriodeafrocubanas.com/2016/05/27/celia-cruz/ Celia Cruz]}} at Directorio de Afrocubanas
* [http://www.afrocuba.org/celia.htm Celia Cruz] at Afrocuba.org
* [http://proust.library.miami.edu/findingaids/index.php?p=collections/findingaid&id=408 Celia Cruz collection, 1948–2008] at the [http://library.miami.edu/chc/ Cuban Heritage Collection], [[University of Miami|University of Miami Libraries]] (photographs, newspaper clippings, music scores, and a range of other materials documenting Cruz's professional activities)
* [http://latinpop.fiu.edu/exhibit/timeline/index.html Celia Cruz] discography (album covers) at [[Florida International University]] archives
* [http://latinpop.fiu.edu/SECCION01C.doc Celia Cruz] discography (recordings) at [[Florida International University]] archives
* [http://americanhistory.si.edu/celiacruz ¡Azúcar! The Life and Music of Celia Cruz] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110109223413/http://americanhistory.si.edu/celiacruz/ |date=9 January 2011 }} at the [[National Museum of American History]]

{{Celia Cruz}}
{{National Medal of Arts recipients 1990s}}
{{Queen of Viña del Mar International Song Festival}}

{{Authority control}}
{{Portal bar|Biography|Music|Latin music|New Jersey|Cuba}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cruz, Celia}}
[[Category:1925 births]]
[[Category:2003 deaths]]
[[Category:Afro-Cuban culture]]
[[Category:American entertainers of Cuban descent]]
[[Category:Bolero singers]]
[[Category:Cuban feminists]]
[[Category:Cuban people of African descent]]
[[Category:Cuban Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:Cuban Santeríans]]
[[Category:Cuban emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Cuban women singers]]
[[Category:Burials at Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx, New York)]]
[[Category:Deaths from brain cancer in the United States]]
[[Category:Fania All-Stars members]]
[[Category:Fania Records artists]]
[[Category:Feminist musicians]]
[[Category:Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners]]
[[Category:Guaracha singers]]
[[Category:Latin Grammy Award winners]]
[[Category:Mambo musicians]]
[[Category:Musicians from Havana]]
[[Category:Naturalized citizens of the United States]]
[[Category:People from Fort Lee, New Jersey]]
[[Category:People of Afro–Cuban descent]]
[[Category:RMM Records artists]]
[[Category:Salsa musicians]]
[[Category:Spanish-language singers of the United States]]
[[Category:Sony Discos artists]]
[[Category:United States National Medal of Arts recipients]]
[[Category:Women in Latin music]]
[[Category:Yoruba-language singers of Cuba]]
[[Category:20th-century American women singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:21st-century American women]]