Celebrity Graveland

October 21, 1925 – July 16, 2003

Dubbed the “Queen of Salsa,” Celia Cruz was one of the best-selling Latin artists of all time. In her spectacular career, Cruz sold more than 30 million records and was nominated for 14 Grammys (winning 2), 7 Latin Grammys (winning 4) and dozens of other awards. In 1994, the United States Congress awarded her the National Medal of Arts. She was honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards from The Hispanic Heritage Awards, Desi Entertainment, Musa de Oro, the Recording Academy of the United States (Grammys) and the Smithsonian Institute….twice.

Celia Caridad Cruz Alfonso was born and raised in Havana, Cuba. According to her mother, Celia sang from the moment she could make sounds. Growing up in 1930s Havana meant exposure to the burgeoning Cuban Band scene. Her aunt would often take Celia and her cousin to local cabarets to sing. Her father didn’t approve…but, recognizing the talent, he didn’t try too hard to stop her, either. Celia made an attempt at what her family considered a “respectable” career as a teacher…but the music called.

Winning small prizes at local contests led to paid cabaret performances and by the time Celia was 24, the popular band, Sonora Matancera, was looking for a new singer. She spent the next 15 years touring and recording with the group. She also married the trumpet player, Pedro Knight.

In 1959, while Cruz was in Mexico performing, Fidel Castro seized control of Cuba and her life trajectory shifted radically. She eventually went solo, moved to New Jersey in the United States, recorded albums with Tito Puente and Johnny Pacheco and became an icon. In addition to the 70+ albums she released, Celia also appeared in a number of films and television series.

Celia Cruz was monumentally important to generations of Hispanic and Latino fans. She remained active and influential to the end. In 2003, despite battling cancer, she won the Grammy for Best Salsa Album. She passed away a few months later. She has been honored countless times since her death. In 2026, she was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She has schools and parks named for her. She was featured on a U.S. Postage stamp in 2011 and in 2024, she appeared on the U.S. quarter as part of the American Women coin series.

Always close to her heart, Celia requested that a handful of dirt she collected from her last visit to her native Cuba be buried with her.

Burial

Woodlawn Cemetery – Bronx NY

 

Specific Location

Walnut Section; Just north of the intersection of Myosotis, Whitewood and Alpine Avenues. Celia’s mausoleum can be easily spotted from Myosotis Ave.

 

 

This entry was posted on June 1, 2026 at 10:19 am and is filed under Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx) with tags Singers, Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx). You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.