Úrsula Hilaria Celia de la Caridad Cruz Alfonso (October 21, 1925 â€"
July 16, 2003), known as Celia Cruz, was a Cuban singer and one of the
most popular Latin artists of the 20th century. Cruz rose to fame in
Cuba during the 1950s as a singer of guarachas, earning the nickname
"La Guarachera de Cuba". In the following decades, she became known
internationally as the "Queen of Salsa" or "The Queen of Latin Music"
due to her contributions to Latin music in the United States.She began
her career in her native Cuba, earning recognition as a vocalist of
the popular musical group Sonora Matancera, a musical association that
lasted fifteen years (1950-1965). Cruz mastered a wide variety of
Afro-Cuban music styles including guaracha, rumba, afro, son and
bolero, recording numerous singles in these styles for Seeco Records.
In the early 1960s, 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. 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 "Bemba colorá". In the 1970s, she signed for Fania
Records and became strongly associated with the 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 "La vida es un carnaval" and "La negra tiene tumbao".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
Awards and three Latin Grammy Awards. In addition to her prolific
career in music, Cruz also made several appearances as an actress in
movies and telenovelas. Her catchphrase "¡Azúcar!" ("Sugar!") has
become one of the most recognizable symbols of salsa music.Úrsula
Hilaria Celia de la Caridad Cruz Alfonso was born on October 21, 1925,
at 47 Serrano Street in the Santos Suárez neighborhood of Havana,
Cuba. Her father, Simón Cruz, was a railway stoker, and her mother,
Catalina Alfonso Ramos, a housewife who took care of an extended
family. Celia was one of the eldest among fourteen children, including
her three siblings, Dolores, Gladys and Bárbaro, and she used to sing
cradle songs to put them to sleep. According to her mother, she began
singing as a child at 9 or 10 months of age, often in the middle of
the night. She also sang in school during the Fridays' actos cÃvicos
and in her neighborhood ensemble, Botón de oro.
July 16, 2003), known as Celia Cruz, was a Cuban singer and one of the
most popular Latin artists of the 20th century. Cruz rose to fame in
Cuba during the 1950s as a singer of guarachas, earning the nickname
"La Guarachera de Cuba". In the following decades, she became known
internationally as the "Queen of Salsa" or "The Queen of Latin Music"
due to her contributions to Latin music in the United States.She began
her career in her native Cuba, earning recognition as a vocalist of
the popular musical group Sonora Matancera, a musical association that
lasted fifteen years (1950-1965). Cruz mastered a wide variety of
Afro-Cuban music styles including guaracha, rumba, afro, son and
bolero, recording numerous singles in these styles for Seeco Records.
In the early 1960s, 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. 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 "Bemba colorá". In the 1970s, she signed for Fania
Records and became strongly associated with the 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 "La vida es un carnaval" and "La negra tiene tumbao".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
Awards and three Latin Grammy Awards. In addition to her prolific
career in music, Cruz also made several appearances as an actress in
movies and telenovelas. Her catchphrase "¡Azúcar!" ("Sugar!") has
become one of the most recognizable symbols of salsa music.Úrsula
Hilaria Celia de la Caridad Cruz Alfonso was born on October 21, 1925,
at 47 Serrano Street in the Santos Suárez neighborhood of Havana,
Cuba. Her father, Simón Cruz, was a railway stoker, and her mother,
Catalina Alfonso Ramos, a housewife who took care of an extended
family. Celia was one of the eldest among fourteen children, including
her three siblings, Dolores, Gladys and Bárbaro, and she used to sing
cradle songs to put them to sleep. According to her mother, she began
singing as a child at 9 or 10 months of age, often in the middle of
the night. She also sang in school during the Fridays' actos cÃvicos
and in her neighborhood ensemble, Botón de oro.
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