Celia Cruz vs Talk Radio

October 25, 2010

At one time I listened to news/talk radio on my way to work. I gave up on that when I got sick of listening to the anger and bigotry of the callers and the "radio hosts" whose job it is to pour gas on the fire and re-enforce the callers' prejudice.

I can probably write pages about these talking heads on radio and cable, both conservative and liberal, who make millions by manipulating us into thinking they are the source of absolute truth.

It is so sad that so many people in this country rely on people like Glen Beck and Kieth Olberman for their facts.

Anyway, what does this have to do with Celia Cruz. Since I don't listen to the news anymore on my ride in and I get my sports on ESPN.com, I have recently taken to listening to NPR. Yes NPR does cover the news and world events, but during my ride time they mostly cover human interest stories. Today, they covered the "Queen of Salsa", Celina Cruz. Her NPR music clips were all terrific!!

Even though my ability to Salsa dance is about as good as my skills for riding a rodeo Brahma bull, I do love the music. Niece Rachel broke the mode of tradition and had a Salsa band at her recent wedding. It was so much fun and got everybody into the act. Imagine a group of mostly East-Coast Jews dancing Salsa..LOL , but it worked.

Ask me to name any Salsa artists and I can list two, Ricky Martin and Desi Arnez. So I found it so interesting to learn about Celia Cruz on my 15 minute trip to the office. Ms. Cruz actually reminded me of a Cuban Aretha Franklin. Her music was so full of energy. How could I not know about her? Well now I do!

Celia was born in October of 1924 in Havana. In 1950, Cruz made her first major breakthrough, after the lead singer of the Sonora Matancera, a renowned Cuban orchestra, left the group and Cruz was called to fill in. Cruz was hired permanently by the orchestra, but she wasn't well accepted by the public at first. However, the orchestra stood by their decision, and soon Cruz became famous throughout Cuba.

With Fidel Castro assuming control of Cuba in 1959, Cruz and her husband, Pedro Knight, performing in the United States at the time, refused to return to their homeland and became citizens of the United States.

In 1966, Cruz and Tito Puente began an association that would lead to eight albums for Tico Records. The albums were not as successful as expected. However, Puente and Cruz later joined the Vaya Records label. There, she joined accomplished pianist Larry Harlow and was soon headlining a concert at New York's Carnegie Hall.

By the mid-seventies Cruz had become an international star within the Latin community.During the 1980s, Cruz made many tours in Latin America and Europe, doing multiple concerts and television shows wherever she went, and singing both with younger stars and stars of her own era. She began a crossover of sorts, when she participated in the 1988 Hollywood production of Salsa, alongside Robby Draco Rosa.

In 1990, Cruz won a Grammy Award for Best Tropical Latin Performance - Ray Barretto & Celia Cruz - Ritmo en el Corazon. She later recorded an anniversary album with la Sonora Matancera. In 1992, she starred with Armand Assante and Antonio Banderas in the film The Mambo Kings. In 1994, President Bill Clinton awarded Cruz the National Medal of Arts. In 2001, she recorded a new album, on which Johnny Pacheco was one of the producers.

On July 16, 2002, Cruz performed to a full house at the free outdoor performing arts festival Central Park SummerStage in New York City. During the performance she sang, "Bemba Colora." , the you tube version will give you a good feel for her energy, even as a women in her seventies: :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JtzanIsFAQ .

On July 16, 2003, Cruz died of a cancerous brain tumor at her home in Fort Lee, New Jersey. She was survived by her husband Pedro Knight, who died February 3, 2007.

After her death in New Jersey, her body was taken to Miami to lie in state in downtown Miami's Freedom Tower, where more than 200,000 of her South Florida fans paid their final respects.

I have ordered some of her music. Celia will accompany me on my hikes. i expect my pace will improve!