The appearance of Celia Cruz , the undisputed queen of salsa, among the 2026 class of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame , may have surprised some. The legendary Cuban singer , who died in 2003 at the age of 77, will be honored with the Early Influence Award, becoming the Rock Hall’s first predominantly Spanish-language inductee.  Her influence can be felt widely, especially in younger Latin stars like Colombia’s Karol G and Puerto Rico’s Ivy Queen. In 2019, Beninese singer Angélique Kidjo released