Celia Cruz (1925 –2003) was a Salsa music singer and actress winner of multiples accolades. Heralded as the Queen of Salsa Music, or Queen of Latin Music, Celia is one of the best-selling Latin music artists, with over 10 million records sold. Her career spanned 50-years-plus, and was recognized by the Guinness World Records as the "longest career as a salsa artist" in 2003.
Celia Cruz won her first award in Cuba at a popular radio show in 1947. Through her career, she amassed varios major awards, including Billboard Latin Music Awards, Grammy Awards, Latin Grammy Awards and Lo Nuestro Awards. By 1982, she won an estimated 100 international awards.
Celia received special recognitions both in her life and posthumously for her success and trayectory, including the first ASCAP Latin Heritage Award, and the inaugural Lo Nuestro Excellence Award in 1990. She was also the first artist inducted into the Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame in 1994 alongside Cachao López. She has been admitted into other halls and walks of fame, including Plaza de las Estrellas (Mexico) and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Outside of her work in music, she was recognized for her philanthropic endeavors, including a Hispanic Heritage Awards, as well The Recording Academy's Heroes Award in 1999. In addition, Celia Cruz was condecorated with various major civil awards, including by presidents of the United States and Colombia, as well honorary degrees by some universities. She became the first Latin musical performer to be given the Ellis Island Honors Society, and the first Afro Latina to have her likeness appear on an U.S. currency.
Awards and nominations Award/organization Year Nominee/work Category Result ACCA Award1994Celia Cruz Pan Art ASCAP Latin Awards1998Celia CruzSpecial Recognition1999ASCAP Latin Heritage Award2016"La Negra Tiene Tumbao"Television winning-songs Association of Latin Entertainment Critics 1969Celia CruzInternational Artist of the Year 1970 1972 Show de Celia Cruz (at Chateau Madrid) Best Show in a Club Night 1978 Celia Cruz Female Figure of the Year 1980 Best Salsa Artist, Female 1981 Celia, Johnny y El Conde Best Salsa Album 1983 Celia Cruz Best Salsa Female Artist Feliz encuentro Best Salsa Album 1984 Tremendo Trio Best Salsa Album 1987 Celia CruzExtraordinary Ace Award 1990 Tropical Female Artist 1993Extraordinary Ace Award 1994 Female Act of the Year 1995Extraordinary Ace Award "Que le Den Candela" Video of the Year 1996 Celia CruzExtraordinary Ace Award 1999 Voices of the Millennium Mi vida es cantar Album of the Year, Female 2000 Celia Cruz Voices of the Millennium 2001 Siempre Viviré Tropical Album of the Year 2004 Celia Cruz: ¡Azúcar! Special of the Year Billboard Latin Music Awards 1994 Celia Cruz Hall of Fame 2002La Negra Tiene Tumbao Tropical/Salsa Album of the Year, Female 2003"La Negra Tiene Tumbao" Tropical/Salsa Airplay Track of the Year, Female "La Salsa Vive" Hot Latin Track of the Year, Vocal Duo2004 Celia Cruz Top Latin Albums Artist of the Year Exitos EternosTropical Album of the Year, FemaleHits MixRegalo del AlmaExitos EternosLatin Greatest Hits Album of the YearHits Mix"Ríe y Llora"Tropical Airplay Track of the Year, Female 2005"Ella Tiene Fuego" Tropical Airplay Track of the Year, Female Dios Disfrute a la ReinaTropical Album of the Year, FemaleSalsa Divas Billboard Latin Women in Music2025Celia CruzLegend Award Billboard Number One Awards1977Only They Could Have Made This Album Latin Salsa National (Album) Tremendo Cache Celia & Johnny 1978Celia Cruz and Willie ColónLatin Salsa Artist of the Year 1979Eternos Top Latin Salsa Album Greatest Hits 1986 Celia Cruz and Tito Puente Top Tropical/Salsa Artist Homenaje a Benny More Vol. 3 Top Tropical /Salsa Latin Album 1989 Ritmo en el Corazón Bilingual Foundation of the Arts1995Celia CruzEl Angel Award Casandra Awards 1996Celia CruzSoberano International Chicago International Film Festival1999Celia CruzCareer Achievement Award Club Privado Hard's1990Celia Cruz Special Award Cuban Women's Club1991Celia Cruz Floridiana Award Desi Entertainment Awards1992Celia Cruz (The Mambo Kings)Favorite Film Actress1995Celia CruzDesi Lifetime Achievement Award Discometro (Mexico) 1967 Celia Cruz Best-seller Tropical Artist 1968 Disco de Oro de Hollywood 1972 Celia Cruz Ensemble of the Year 1973 Winning-Artists El Heraldo de Mexico Awards 1967 Celia Cruz Most Popular Foreign Singer 1968 Ellis Island Honors Society 1986 Celia Cruz Mayor's Liberty Award Fama magazine Award 2002 Celia Cruz Lifetime Award 1998Celia CruzSpecial medal Grammy Awards1980EternoBest Latin Recording1984Tremendo TrioBest Tropical Latin Performance1986De NuevoBest Tropical Latin Performance1987Homenaje A Beny More - Vol. IIIBest Tropical Latin Performance1988The WinnersBest Tropical Latin Performance1990Ritmo En El CorazonBest Tropical Latin Performance1993Tributo A Ismael RiveraBest Tropical Latin Performance1994Azúcar NegraBest Tropical Latin Performance1996IrrepetibleBest Tropical Latin Performance1998"Guantanamera"Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group1999Mi Vida Es CantarBest Tropical Latin Performance2001Celia Cruz and Friends: A Night of SalsaBest Salsa Album2003La Negra Tiene TumbaoBest Salsa Album2004Regalo del AlmaBest Salsa/Merengue Album2016Celia CruzLifetime Achievement Award Hispanic1995Celia Cruz Vida Awards Hispanic Celebrities Award2023Celia CruzLifetime Award Hispanic Heritage Awards1998Celia CruzLifetime Achievement Award Imagen Awards2003Celia Cruz Career Achievement AwardInternational Dance Music Awards2004"Ríe y Llora"Best Latin Track 2005"Son De La Loma" Latin Achievement Awards 1973 Celia Cruz Best Female Singer Latin Grammy Awards2000Celia Cruz and Friends: A Night of SalsaBest Salsa Performance2001Siempre ViviréBest Traditional Tropical Album 2002 La Negra Tiene Tumbao Best Salsa Album Album of the Year"La Negra Tiene Tumbao"Best Music VideoRecord of the Year2004Regalo del AlmaBest Salsa Album Lo Nuestro Awards1990Celia CruzExcellence Award1994Tropical Female Artist of the Year19952001Celia Cruz and Friends: A Night of SalsaTropical Album of the Year2003La Negra Tiene Tumbao"La Vida Es Un Carnaval"Tropical Song of the Year"La Negra Tiene Tumbao"Celia CruzSalsa Artist of the YearTropical Female Artist of the Year 2004 2005 2025 "Celia" Tropical Collaboration of the Year Musa de Oro Awards1994Celia CruzLifetime Award New York Latin Magazine Awards 1975Celia Cruz Female Vocalist of the Year Nosotros Golden Eagle Award1991Celia CruzLifetime Achievement in Music Premios Aplauso '921989Celia CruzBest Latin Female Vocalist19911992Premios Bravo1988Celia CruzBest Female Artist1990Tropical Female Artist Premio Encuentro1992Celia CruzArts and Entertainment (1992)Premios Juventud2004"La Vida Es Un Carnaval"Best Re-MixParty Starter"La Negra Tiene Tumbao"Celia Cruz My Idol Is 2005 Dios disfrute a la reina Best Traditional Music Album Premios Tú Musica 1984Celia CruzBest Female Vocalist Record World 1972 Celia Cruz Female Tropical Music Singer of the Year Repertorio Español 2003 Celia Cruz Best Latin Artist Ritmo Latino Awards2001Celia CruzTropical Artist, Male/Female 2002Tropical Solo Artist or Group 2003Gloria de la Música Award Smithsonian Institution 1990 Celia Cruz Lifetime Achievement Award 2001 James Smithson Bicentennial Medal Telemundo1999Celia CruzArtist of the Millenium The New York Daily News 1978 Celia Cruz The News Music Poll Award for Best Latin Singer 1980 Best Latin Female Vocalist The Recording Academy 1999 Celia Cruz Heroes Award Viña del Mar International Song Festival 2000 Celia Cruz Gaviota de Plata Voices For Children Foundation2003Celia CruzHumanitarian Award
Other honors +List of State/Government Honors Year Description Status 1981 Keys to the city, New York City from Mayor Ed Koch 1986 Medal of Liberty given by NYC Mayor Ed Koch 1990 Colombia's National Medal of Arts 1992 Hispanic Women Achievers Award from New York governor Mario Cuomo 1994 National Endowment for the Arts, given by U.S. President Bill Clinton 1996 Certificate of Appreciation by Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Office for her artistic work 1997 October 25 declared as Celia Cruz Day in San Francisco 1998 Condecoration "Cruz de Belalcázar" by Mayor of Cali, Colombia 1999 Condecoration by Colombian President, Andrés Pastrana Arango 2000 Keys to the City of West New York, New Jersey (Mayor Albio Sires) 2001 Keys to the City of Miami 2005 Congressional Gold Medal 2023 July 16 declared as "Celia Cruz Day" by NYC Mayor Eric Adams
+List of Academic Honors Year Description Status 1989 Honorary Doctorate in Music from Yale University 1992 Honorary Doctorate from Florida International University 1993 Honorary Doctorate in Music from University of Florida 1994 Exito de Vida Award (Life Time Achievement Award) from University of Panama 1994 Medal from Cal Poly Pomona University 1999 Honorary Degree from University of Miami
+List of cultural honors Year Description Status 1984 Queen of Miami carnival 1988 Grand Marshal of National Puerto Rican Day Parade 1995 Grand Marshal of New Jersey State Hispanic Parade 1995 Grand Marshal of Art Deco festival 2000 Queen of Viña del Mar International Song Festival
+List of Walk of Fame/Hall of Fames Walk of Fame Year Description Status Hollywood Walk of Fame 1987 Walk of Star Miami Calle 8 Walk of Fame 1991 Walk of Star Movieland Hall of Fame 1993 Hall of Fame inductee Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame 1994 Hall of Fame inductee Venezuela Walk of Fame 1995 Walk of Star Mexico's Plaza de las Estrellas 1997 Walk of Star Costa Rica's Walk of Fame (Plaza Real Cariari) 1997 Hall of Fame inductee International Latin Music Hall of Fame 1999 Hall of Fame inductee Miami Beach Walk of Stars 2001 Walk of Star Ritmo Latino 2003 Handprints Hall of Fame People en Español Hall of Fame 2006 Hall of Fame inductee New Jersey Hall of Fame 2013 Hall of Fame inductee Apollo Theater Hall of Fame 2014 Hall of Fame inductee Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2026 Hall of Fame inductee
Notes
References
External links Awards for Celia Cruz on the Internet Movie Database Celia Cruz Foundation — Posthumous Award