Her voice, talent, and charisma have conspired to produce one of the most impressive track records in the music industry. Celia Cruz has received so many distinctions that if we had to list them, they would fill a large volume. It goes without saying that her more than 70 albums have garnered a healthy amount of gold and platinum records, plus more than a hundred awards from prestigious institutions worldwide. She has received twelve Grammy nominations, winning it for the first time in 1989.

Celia Cruz has received three honorary degrees from the following US universities: Yale, Florida International University, and the University of Miami. She's also appeared in about 10 movies, with The Mambo Kings and The Perez Family among the most recent.

Her first talent award was received in 1947, in her native Havana. Shortly after, she enrolled in the National Music Conservatory, where she studied musical theory, voice, and piano. Soon her music was in demand from the worlds of radio, movies, and television.

In the early 50's se joined the legendary group La Sonora Matancera , and together they wrote some of the most memorable chapters in Afrocuban music. This alliance grew beyond the borders of her native island, and her talent was soon exported throughout the world.

On July 15th, 1960, she left her homeland for the United States, where she continued to make history. That decade, she recorded several albums with maestro Tito Puente and together they sparked an interest in salsa among Anglo and European audiences. This phenomenon was known as "the Salsa of the 70's". Her collaborations with other maestros, such as Johnny Pacheco, Willy Colón , and la Fania All Stars, are also memorable.

It is not exactly clear when they started calling her "the queen of salsa", but she has carried the title with class and distinction. Celia has recorded with some of the biggest names in music: Dionne Warwick, Patti Labelle, David Byrne, Gloria Estefan , Wyclef Jean. Because her talent transcends generations and tastes, she has also performed with rock groups such as the Fabulous Cadillacs and Jarabe de Palo.

She has been honored with stars and street sections in some of the world's most visited avenues. In 1987, Hollywood bestowed on her a star in the Walk of Fame. Years later, Miami's Calle Ocho was named "Celia Cruz Way", and in 1991, that city also presented her with a star; an honor that she as also received in other celebrity sidewalks, such as the one in San José, Costa Rica, and the Plaza Galería , in Mexico City.