American Women Quarter Series: Celia Cruz—Queen of Salsa

Celia Cruz was born to sing. Her mother remembers that she heard Celia singing in her crib late at night as a baby, at just 9 or 10 months old. In a large family filled with a dozen cousins and siblings, young Celia sang the children to sleep. Her sweet voice made the neighbors take note. Her mother would tell another story—that Celia received her very first pair of shoes as a gift for singing to tourists.

During her 40-year musical career, Celia Cruz is remembered for her beautiful voice, flashy outfits, colorful wigs, and energetic style. She was often described as gifted, provocative, remarkable, and flamboyant. On the private side, she was known as a humble spirit and someone with a loving heart. On August 12th, Celia Cruz was honored by the US Mint. A new quarter bears her likeness. She is the 14th historic woman recognized in the American Women’s Quarter Series.

Celia Cruz was born in Cuba on October 21, 1925, and was raised and educated in Havana. She studied to be a schoolteacher but changed her mind when exposed to the world of music.

Celia’s cousin entered her in a radio talent contest when she was just a young teenager. After just one appearance the Cuban public fell in love. Celia entered other radio contests and often won first prize. She sang at school and in the neighborhood. Much against her father’s wishes an aunt took Celia to the cabarets around Cuba to listen and perform.

By 1947 and 1948 Celia had her first commercial recordings. She sang at theaters, and cabarets, and joined a group of other singers and dancers. From 1947-1950 she furthered her education at the National Conservatory of Music in Havana.

In 1950 she joined Cuba’s most popular orchestra, La Sonora Mantancera, a well-known band established back in 1924. She was hired to replace another popular singer and had to struggle to fit in. She even got hate mail! But as time went on Celia became a favorite, touring and recording with the band during its “golden age.”

Here she would meet her future husband, a trumpet player named Pedro Knight. They worked together for twelve years before marrying. During the 1950s Celia did radio programs with the band. They also performed at various hotels and nightclubs, including Havana’s famous Tropicana casino.

After the Cuban Revolution of 1959 the Havana nightlife all but disappeared. In 1960 Celia left Cuba. She and other band members toured Mexico for a year. Afterward, Celia didn’t want to return to the Communist regime. She defected to the United States and in 1961 became a US citizen. In 1962 she married Pedro Knight and settled down in New Jersey. Together they joined the growing Latin music scene of New York City.

During much of the 1960s, Celia collaborated with the Puerto Rican band leader Tito Puente. They performed at many New York nightclubs. In 1965 she signed her first recording contract and between 1966 and 1973 recorded eight albums with Puente.

During the 1970s and 1980s Celia’s notoriety grew with performances at Carnegie Hall, Yankee Stadium, and Madison Square Garden just to name a few. She never missed a Salsa Festival. For twenty years she also made annual appearances in Miami at a cancer fundraiser.

Her salsa music was extremely popular. Crowds of 100,000 people in Peru and 250,000 people in Spain came to see her perform. In 1988 she did tours of Latin America and Europe. She was easily recognizable in her trademark wigs, bright sequined dresses, and a big smile. She coined a catchphrase “azucar!” meaning sugar. At first, it was a reference to sugar for rich Cuban coffee. Later “azucar!” became a shout of celebration and a word of endearment. She loved the response!

In 1990 Cruz returned to Cuba for the last time to perform at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base. She had been banned from her homeland since the early 1960s. She was denied re-entry to attend her mother’s funeral in 1962. Upon leaving Guantanamo Bay, Celia took with her a few grams of Cuban soil.

Celia Cruz received many well-deserved awards. She had three Grammys and four Latin Grammys. Although still not a household name she had recorded over 80 albums and songs. She had 23 gold albums. (Going gold meant selling 500,000 units in albums, cassettes, or CDs.) In 1994 she was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Bill Clinton. From 1992-1995 she also starred in five movies including one called Mambo Kings, based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Oscar Hijuelos.

Her concert schedule slowed in the late 1990s but she made at least one or two major appearances per year. She wouldn’t admit her age in public, but many fans knew she had to be in her mid-70s by now.
Celia was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer in late 2002 and underwent surgery at the end of that year. She planned to continue on with her career and finish an album, with no tears shed for life’s detour. The following year she attended the Grammys and received an award for Best Salsa Album. In March she attended a Celia Cruz Tribute done by Telemundo network, with many of today’s top Latin performers on stage. Sadly, Celia Cruz passed away on July 16, 2003, at her home in New Jersey.

According to her wishes, her body was taken to Miami for two days so that those of Cuban heritage could pay their respects. She was carried on a horse-drawn carriage, her coffin draped in her favorite color of purple. Some 75,000 people showed up. At one time the line of mourners stretched for 15 blocks. Her final resting place is in New York. Celia Cruz is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx. Interred with her is a handful of Cuban soil taken from that trip to Guantanamo Bay.

Many ordinary people have commented upon her death that she was the soundtrack of their life. It’s hard to believe that to this day her music is still banned in Cuba. It’s also hard to believe that this vibrant and flamboyant stage persona was just a shy and simple woman off-stage. She liked to read, write, and listen to music. She had no children of her own and enjoyed being a stepparent to Pedro’s five children.

She would probably shake her head in amazement at all the awards, over 100 in her lifetime. She has a star on the Walk of Fame in places like Mexico City, Venezuela, Miami, and Hollywood. She has a street named for her in Spain. And in 2016 she received a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award by the Recording Academy.

She was an inspiration to many of the Latin community. This Queen of Salsa performed well into her 77th year. Now twenty years after her death, she’s honored with a special quarter from the US Mint. Ironically, her age was a best-kept secret during her lifetime but Celia Cruz and her music are ageless and timeless.