This website will be unavailable from Thursday, May 30, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. through Monday, June 3, 2024 at 7:00 a.m. due to data center maintenance.
79R19912 MW-D
By: Alonzo H.R. No. 2232
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Eleven years ago, 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 was also 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 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 11th 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 11th anniversary of the passing
of Selena Quintanilla Perez.