As a true diva, Cruz was of her time and capable of transcending it. Her voice carried lessons in presence and stamina, and her enduring legacy has created a space for feminist interventions in salsa.
Cruz remains matchless in meeting the pain of exile and immigration with as full and joyous a song as she sang. Hear a playlist of her best songs, plus music by the artists she inspired.
Like most things in our century, nostalgia has caught up with us at a bewildering rate. This week's additions to the Heat Check playlist take you back while they push you forward.
Whatever your relationship with Journey's 1981 hit, a perseverance anthem that has itself persevered, there is no escaping the longing it evokes for youth, love and a chance at greatness.
The group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last year. The NYPD said Ocasek, who co-founded the group with Benjamin Orr, was 75; public records list his age as 70 years old.