Celia Cruz Makes It Into the Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame as a ‘Musical Influence’
New Jersey Hall of Famer Celia Cruz (Class of 2023) will be inducted into the Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame Class as a 2026 “Musical Influence” this November. As it says on the Rock Hall’s website, “One of the best-selling Latin artists of all-time, Celia Cruz’s powerful music was the sound of freedom…shaping and popularizing the Afro-Cuban genre.” She directly influenced artists like Sheila E, Gloria Estefan and Jennifer Lopez.
Cruz, born in 1925 Havana, died in 2003 Fort Lee at 77, after having lived in Bergen County for 41 years. She sold over 30 million records and is internationally known as “The Queen Of Salsa.” When Castro seized power in 1959 Cuba, she emigrated first to Mexico and then to New Jersey. In 1966, legendary bandleader Tito Puentes handpicked her to front his band on tour and in the studio for four albums. In 1974, she teamed with Johnny Pacheco for their groundbreaking Celia & Johnny album.
Seven Grammys later, she was posthumously awarded the Recording Academy’s prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. (She’s also in the Latin Music Hall of Fame and has her own exhibit in the Smithsonian Institute.)