79R11400 JNC-D

By:  Herrero                                                      H.R. No. 954



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, Ten years ago this day, a Texas star was forever 
dimmed with the tragic passing of the internationally acclaimed 
queen of Tejano music, Selena Quintanilla Perez, on March 31, 1995, 
at the age of 23, and her death both stunned and saddened the 
legions of fans around the world whose lives had been touched by her 
music; and
	WHEREAS, Born in Lake Jackson, Texas, on April 16, 1971, this 
extremely gifted young woman developed her love for music at an 
early age, having begun singing at the age of six and performing 
with Los Dinos, the Quintanilla family band, by the age of nine, 
following her family's move to Corpus Christi; and
	WHEREAS, Selena recorded her first album while still in her 
early teens and, as her popularity grew, her band became known as 
Selena y los Dinos; blessed with the guidance of her father, Abraham 
Quintanilla, who served as her manager and booking agent, she 
successfully made the transition from teen star to adult artist and 
garnered her first serious recognition in 1987 when she was named 
Female Vocalist of the Year and Performer of the Year at the Tejano 
Music Awards in San Antonio; and
	WHEREAS, With artistry and hard work she continued to build 
on her success by setting a dizzying pace for herself during which 
she would captivate audiences by dancing and singing in her 
trademark costumes; far from limiting herself to concert 
performances and recording albums alone, this dynamic entertainer 
was featured on one of Latin America's most popular shows, "Siempre 
en Domingo," had appeared on the renowned soap opera, "Dos Mujeres, 
Un Camino," played a singer in the film, "Don Juan DeMarco," and had 
begun a new chapter in her multifaceted career with the 
establishment of a boutique and hair salon in Corpus Christi and San 
Antonio; and
	WHEREAS, Selena became an internationally recognized star 
who was especially revered in Mexico, throughout Latin America, and 
in her home state of Texas, and, while developing her own phenomenal 
career, she also was instrumental in transforming the Tejano music 
industry into one of the fastest growing markets of music in the 
world; and
	WHEREAS, Her achievements as an entertainer gave her a means 
by which to reach a broader audience, and she put her accessibility 
to her adoring fans to good use, frequently speaking directly to her 
female fans in the audience between songs on women's issues and 
empowering them through her lyrics; Selena also taped a public 
service announcement in behalf of battered women for the Houston 
Area Women's Center and had expressed interest in personally 
visiting the shelter and performing in a fund-raiser to advance its 
deserving cause; and
	WHEREAS, A positive role model for Hispanic youth and women 
from all walks of life, Selena gave many young people hope and 
encouragement to persevere and to follow their dreams as she did, 
and she used her success to encourage students to complete their 
education, to stay away from drugs, and to make healthy choices 
through her support and involvement with many worthy organizations 
and events, including local schools, the DARE program, the Stay in 
School Jamboree, and the Coastal Bend AIDS Foundation, to name but a 
few; and
	WHEREAS, In 1994, Selena was awarded a Grammy for the year's 
best Mexican-American album, "Selena Live," and went on to sweep 
the year's Tejano Music Awards as well, winning the best album, 
recording, female vocalist, female entertainer, and Tejano 
crossover categories; and
	WHEREAS, She was nominated for a Grammy again the following 
year for the quadruple-platinum "Amor Prohibido," which produced 
three chart-topping singles and sold more than 400,000 copies in 
the United States alone; and
	WHEREAS, A young woman of tremendous charisma and talent, she 
became the first female crossover Latin artist signed to the SBK 
sister label to the EMI Latin recording company and was recording 
her first album in English at the time of her death in an 
achievement that was widely expected to establish Selena as a 
crossover star in the broader reaches of the pop music world; and
	WHEREAS, Though she had attained fame and fortune as an 
entertainer, Selena remained true to her roots and shared her 
culture's long-standing devotion to family, keeping her music a 
family affair with her husband, Chris Perez, backing her on guitar, 
her sister, Suzette Quintanilla Arriaga, serving as her band's 
drummer, and her brother, A. B. "Abe" Quintanilla III, assisting 
her as her producer, bassist, and cowriter; and
	WHEREAS, The tragedy of her death was so deeply felt by the 
Hispanic community that the People magazine issue in honor of 
Selena sold a record number of copies, and ultimately spurred the 
creation of the popular People En Espanol; and
	WHEREAS, Since Selena's passing, her life has inspired a hit 
movie, a Broadway-bound musical, and a successful clothing line; 
moreover, her music continues to top Latin and pop charts 
throughout the world, with the sales of many of her records still 
unsurpassed, and she was recently declared "Latin Artist of the 
Decade" by Billboard; and
	WHEREAS, Though her life was cut tragically short, Selena 
Quintanilla Perez left an indelible mark on this world and brought 
dignity and honor to her culture through her vast achievements as a 
performer of Tejano music, and it is fitting that she be remembered 
on the 10th anniversary of her passing, for she remains deeply 
mourned by the adoring family, friends, and fans she left behind; 
now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas 
Legislature hereby commemorate the passing of Selena Quintanilla 
Perez and that when the Texas House of Representatives adjourns 
this day, it do so in memory of Selena.