La Sonora Matancera

Famous actors, writers, gangsters, and politicians talked, laughed, and danced, enthralled by cabaret performers in ruffled skirts.

In 1950, Rogelio Martinez, the director of the most famous orchestra in Cuba, La Sonora Matancera, spotted Celia under the dazzling spotlight at the Tropicana.

When he asked her to be their lead singer, Celia knew that this was a chance of a lifetime.

"Claro que sí" she told Rogelio.

Everything Celia knew and loved was in Cuba, but she started to think that maybe she should get out of the country just for a little while, until everything was a bit more stable at home.

So when Celia had the chance to perform in Mexico for a year, she took it.

She and the rest of La Sonora Matancera packed their bags and hopped on a plane headed west.

Celia felt a shiver of worry as she climbed the stairs to the plane, but she told herself that she'd be back after one short year, singing at her favorite Cuban clubs again.

In 1959, Celia Cruz left Cuba.

She was on a flight to Havana, excuse me, from Havana to Mexico City, because she was singing the Sonora Matancera, and they had a gig at the Teatro Blanquita, and so they were going over there, but During that time, the Bay of Pigs invasion took place, and all Cubans that could not return were declared by Castro persona non grata.

And she lost her right of citizenship and returned.

And she, in fact, never did return.

Yes.

But by the by the late 40s, she's performing at the top cabarets in Havana and she's starting to record with with different groups.

But it's not until she joins the aforementioned Sonora Matancera in 1950, which was this hugely popular orchestra that had been around since the 20s.

And she becomes their new lead singer.