Celia Cruz (Born Ursula Alfonzo)
October 21, 1925 – July 16, 2003
Celia Cruz was an internationally famous Cuban salsa singer who has been rightfully called the Queen of Salsa. Over the course of a career that spanned 50 years, Cruz earned 23 gold albums, making her one of the most successful Cuban and salsa singers. Born in Havana, Cruz was exposed to its beautiful music at a very young age, and by the time she was in her early 20s, she was making recordings for local radio stations, and by the time she was 25, she was fronting a popular Cuban orchestra. In 1959, she and her husband moved to New York City and became U.S. citizens soon after. Cruz recorded several albums with Tito Puente during the ’60s, but it wasn’t until her 1974 release, Celia y Johnny with Johnny Pacheco, did she hit her stride. Big concert halls and television appearances soon followed, and Cruz became an international star. She went on to win three Grammys and another four Latin Grammys. On July 16, 2003, Celia Cruz died of a brain tumor at the age of 77. While her body laid in state in downtown Miami, more than 200,000 people came by to pay their respects.
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