Flashback Fridays
What is there to say about Celia that hasn’t already been said? A legend by any standard. Known and respected world wide. A would be teacher who had a dream and fortunately for us, decided to pursue it.
Those of us who have had the great pleasure and honor to see her perform live were able to see for ourselves why she was labeled The Queen of Salsa. A stage presence unmatched. In a world dominated by men, she not only held her own, but was respected and admired by her peers and fans worldwide.
Ursula Hilaria Celia de la Caridad Cruz Alonzo, (let me catch my breath….ok), grew up in a diverse musical climate in listening to many artists from the era that were of great influence to her. As a teen, her aunt would drag her to Cabarets to sing, but her father encouraged her to continue studying. She followed her father’s advice and went on to become a teacher, however her ambition never died out and would eventually begin pursuing a career in music.
She began performing in contests, often winning first place and more opportunities to participate in future contests. With her popularity growing, she eventually received a call to full in as lead singer for Sonora Matancera. What started off as a fill in gig, turned into a 15 year career in which her fame took off, having toured most of Latin America.
In 1959, after Fidel Castro took over control of Cuba, Celia and her husband Pedro Knight, defected from Cuba and went on to become citizens of the U.S. She went on to perform with greats like Tito Puente and Johnny Pacheco among many others, eventually becoming the only female member of the Fania All Stars.
Celia went on to release over 70 albums throughout her career, having won 7 Grammy awards for her work. She has also been honored by the National Museum of American History in Washington DC by dedicating an entire exhibit to Celia and her work. Aside from the many honors, awards, and recognition paid to her, a play based on Celia’s life played in an off Broadway stage. The productions were both in English and Spanish. The show won four Hola awards from the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors.
Celia Cruz passed away in 2003 but the legacy she left behind is great ensuring that her accomplishments be recognized for years to come. Long Live The Queen!
About Nelson O Figueroa
Not only the greatest female Salsa singer ever, but the greatest female singer to come out of Latin America.
AZUCAR!!
My family and I have always been a true fan of Celia. She always sang from her heart and danced while she was at it.
I loved her music and her anti Communism. She hated Castro and his friends!
Yeaooooooooooh!!!! Goza tu vida!!!! My fave is Rie y Llora near the wnd when it breaks down into famous the circle dnce
The Queen of Salsa !!!!
* famous Cuban circle dance …. darn phone!
I met celia and her sister(s) on a couple of occasions. Classy lady. Something very familiar and homey feeling. Like spending time with family.
Love her. RIP
I use to travel with her and Pacheco quite often. She’s the Best ever !!!!
Celia ia queen, hands down but C’mon Rebeldes …. what about Cabas?
Would love it if you shared some stories about them with us Rocky! I think a great part of her popularity was that she seemed so genuine, as if the way she was on stage was exactly how she was behind the scenes as well.
Y Los de Abajo? Etc…?????
I went to an exhibit in SATX .. Her dress collection . Shoes , Grammys but what captivated me most , was a bench she called ” the bench of dreams ” everytime she sat there shed dream of a better world and what she had accomplished … I have to admit , I had to sit there for a moment , on that bench and ” dream ” a little !! AZUCAR!!!!
Nelson I would love to , but right now I’m at work writing on cell phone, but yeah Celia was as humble as you saw her on stage . Just a wonderful person all around . I never saw her denied anyone a picture or an autograph . My last trip with her and Pacheco I believe was in 2002 right before she got Sick. It was in Fort Meyers , Florida with Pacheco , Jose Feliciano and Tito Puente Jr. Big salsa festival .
Que viva la reyna!! Azucar, azucar y mas azucar!
That must have been quite the experience.
I know someone that ran sound for a couple if her shows . Even in just speaking bout it , you can see that this lady left a lasting impression on those she met . It’s a story I never get tired of hearing !
I loved her speech when she said, my English is not very good looking, lol.
Azucar
Azucar!!!! no one says it better than Celia….
I have a lot of love for her impart ’cause reminds me of my mom; also, in her autobiography she wrote that Salsa was born rt here in NYC, not CBA or PR or any other country. Obviously w/ the music of these countries combining to make Salsa lol.
Azucarrrrrrrr!
Loved Celia, great lady and performer, my late wife was at that concert and I saw her in the video…What a surprise That was!!!
1959!
1959
azuka
’59
La guarachera de cuba!
1959
1959
Met her back in the 70′s..she was such a lady and she had a fun sense of humor
1959
Defected? I thought they moved to the top floor and the penthouse of Havana… New Jersey and Miami.!!!!!
59, wow she has a long name.
@William, it really is too bad that Celia’s real history will probably never be known. As I understand it she never defected she was already doing gigs in the States. The fact is that the Revolution is the best thing that ever happened to Celia. Now let’s go to the 60′s, the Daddy of all “Soneros” was aPuertorrican named Ismael Rivera. Celia style was one of big band playing for white folks. When the Salsa Revolution began Celia was nowhere to be found within this movement. The same can be said of Tito Puente. Talented as they both were, they caught on. Celia lived in New Jersey because the Cuban’s in Miami were the racists just kicked out of Cuba and saw the Salsa music of music for the Africans. So actually she was staying away from these racists. Then she made her connecction with the Puertorricans and that’s when when she became ” Celia”.
IN 1959!
Ah Ramon, Puerto Ricans can be racist too you know. And there were as much white Cuban American “racist” exiles living in New Jersey as there were in Miami, so your whole argument doesn’t make any sense. Besides, all Cubans black and white and every shade in between, including los Chinos loved the Afro Cuban sound. She lived in NJ because it was the closest to the international music scene in New York City and because in New Jersey there was and is a very large percentage of Cuban Americans. She lived there because she was around her people, black and white, not because she was fleeing them.
@Mario, that was quick for a Cuban to react. First of all,l I am not talking about Puertorrican racists. Of course they existed just ask Pedro Albizu Campos. The point I am making is that Celia was not the Celia everyone knows if it were not for the Puertorrcans in New York and PR. You need to study history before you get into this type of argument because like I said, “let’s go back to the 60′s”. Cuban Americans did not exist at that time. They were just Cubans. I reiterate, at the time Black Cubans were not found in Miami, there was a reason for that. My whole and basic point is that when people talk about Celia today you would think she made her name with the support of the Cuban community. Well FYI, that is completely false. It was only after a couple of Cuban generations in the US that the community finally caught up to this phenomenon. Whether you like it or not Celia would never have been the Celia you know if it were not for the Puertorricans. Just listen to her best songs and you tell me who’s accompanying her.
My cousin Sonny Falu Allende, has an old black and white picture of Celia, Ismael, Tito and others I’ll ask him to post it here unless me mentioning him he will. Our relative Malin Falu’, knew Celia and the others for many years.
That would be great Leslie…….
I loved Celia Cruz and have seen her in concert many years ago. And loved me someTito Puente as well!
Ramon, here’s the movie she was in 2 years before 1959.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eY1kPICHli4
Ramon, Celia did defect. What do you think that “defect” means? She was on tour and decided to apply for political asylum. She decided that she could not return to Cuba because of the growing totalitarianism and abuses under castro and because of the Soviet takeover of the island. Regarding the “revolution” it was not the best thing that ever happened to Celia. Celia was enormously famous in Cuba before she came to the USA. At the time, Cuba was to music what Mexico was to movies. In other words, if you wanted to become a big Spanish-speaking movie star in the 1950′s, you would go to Mexico and if you wanted to become a big Spanish speaking singer, you would go to the Cuba. Celia in the 1950′s was already internationally known, because she had recorded with la Sonora Matancera that was the most famous band in all of Cuba with a projection well into all of Latin America and Spain. She, also, sang in la CMQ that was the most powerful radio station in all of Cuba and in Latin America. If the “revolution” had not occurred, Celia would have continued her ascendancy. In fact, she would have continued to perform with Cuban bands like La Sonora and la Orguestra Aragon and other well known bands that were infinitesimally superior to any of the salsa bands that existed in NYC.
Ok… My comentario was intended as a joke.. Because everyone here in Miami comes from “La Havana”…. And yes I am a fan of Celia. Specially when she sang Media Luna.
And Celia Cruz WAS a very private person.