Identity area
Type of entity
Person
Authorized form of name
Cruz, Celia
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
Celia Cruz (1925-2003) migrated to the U.S. in 1960 after having had an important career in Cuba with the group La Sonora Matancera. She never returned to Cuba and died in New York in July 2003. Celia was considered "the Queen of Latin Music" and dominated the Latin music scene for almost fifty years. Her collaborations with Tito Puente, Johnny Pacheco, Willy Colón and the Fania All Stars in New York during the 1970s sparked an interest in salsa among Anglo and European audiences all over the world. She recorded more than 70albums during her career, received over 100 awards, and appeared in 10 movies. She recorded 20 gold and eight platinum albums and received three honorary degrees from Yale University, Florida International University, and the University of Miami, in recognition of her extraordinary musical talent.