Reggaeton may be all the rage but VL recognizes that as Latin music develops and new genres unfold, there are undeniable roots to Latin music that need to be respected and revisted. With that in mind, VL presents Raices, a look at classic artistas of la musica Latina.

With recent word that her husband, Don Pedro Knight, is in grave health, today we look at la reina de la salsa, Celia Cruz.

Celia was born Ursula Hilaria Celia Caridad Cruz Alfonso on October 21, 1925 in the Santo Suarez barrio of Havana, Cuba to parents Catalina Alfonso and Simon Cruz.

Her papi wanted Celia to become a schoolteacher, but la musica called her early on and she wpuld often enter singing contests and of course win. She dropped out of school to persue her singing career, which in the early days included radio gigs.

Her big break came in 1950 when she joined the famed Sonora Matancera as a replacement singer. She eventually became a permanant part of the group, singing with them for 15 years. It was while in the Sonora that she met the man that would become her husband, trumpeteer Pedro Knight. It was also during this “golden age” that Celia’s cry of AZUCAR!

Celia left Cuba in 1960 following the revolution and became a United States citizen in 1961. She would never return to Cuba.

Her career in the United States included collaborating with such maestros of la musica as Tito Puente and Johnny Pacheco. She wasn’t afraid of working with artists outside her genre but wasn’t interested in seeking “cross-over” success either. She won two grammys and numerous other recognizations including a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Celia appeared in films including The Mambo Kings and The Perez Family.

In July of 2003, Celia Cruz left this world for the gran rumbon in the sky and even still, here on earth, she continues to be granted honors and awards porque esa negra si tiene tumbao.

Via / Celia Cruz Online