Everyone knows the flamboyant, larger-than-life Celia Cruz, the extraordinary salsa singer who passed away in 2003, leaving millions of fans brokenhearted. indeed, there was a magical vibrancy to the Cuban salsa singer. to hear her voice or to see her perform was to feel her life-affirming energy deep within you. relish the sizzling sights and sounds of her legacy in this glimpse into Celia’s childhood and her inspiring rise to worldwide fame and recognition as the Queen of salsa. Her inspirational life story is sure to sweeten your soul.

This is the authorized, posthumous autobiography of the Queen of Salsa's extraordinary--and until now, largely private--life.

How did a working-class girl from Cuba become a symbol of artistic freedom for Cuban Americans and the "Queen of Salsa"? Find out in this addition to the Who HQ library! Although her family and friends know her as Úrsula Hilaria Celia de la Caridad Cruz Alfonso, the world refers to her simply as Celia Cruz. Starting her career in 1950, Celia grew increasingly popular as the new lead singer of the Cuban band Sonora Matancera. Her exceptional vocal range and flashy costumes made fans fall in love with her. Celia's talent took her all around the world, including the United States. After Fidel Castro came to power in Cuba, she wasn't allowed to return to her native country. She and other Cubans who were exiled used their music to express their love for their homeland. Celia rose to the top of the charts in a genre that was dominated by men. She become an award-winning singer and the most popular Latin artist of the twentieth century. Azucar! indeed!

This title provides a group portrait of some of the greatest musicians of the 20th century, including Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith, Grandmaster Flash and Bob Dylan.

Knows as "The Queen of Salsa," Celia Cruz's influence went well beyond the dance floor and music studio, as her style, creativity and success established her not only as an innovative entertainer but also as an ambassador of Latino culture. She helped reinvent the sound of modern Latin music, with its tropical background and drumbeats that set-off swift, hip shaking, swirling and whirling dance moves for more than half a century. Published in the same month as Celia's birthday (October 21st) and Hispanic Heritage Month, her style and charisma are captured in more than 100 full-color photographs and anecdotes and essays from celebrity friends in Presenting Celia Cruz.

Illustrations and rhythmic text celebrate the life and music of singer Celia Cruz, as a young fan attends a neighborhood dance party and hears loss, happiness, Latin American culture, and more in her voice and lyrics. Includes translations of Spanish words used.