H.R. No. 45

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, 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, empowering women through her

inspiring lyrics and through her community involvement; 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, at the time of

her death, was recording her first album in English; that record 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, After Selena's passing, her life inspired a hit

movie, a Broadway-bound musical, and a successful clothing line,

and the soaring popularity of her music resulted in Billboard

naming her "Best Selling Latin Artist of the Decade" for the 1990s

with 18 million albums sold; and

WHEREAS, Though her life was cut tragically short, Selena

Quintanilla Perez left an indelible mark on this world through her

vast achievements as a performer of Tejano music, and it is fitting

that she be remembered on the 17th 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 82nd Texas

Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Selena Quintanilla

Perez on March 31, 2012, the 17th anniversary of her death.

Alonzo

______________________________ Speaker of the House

I certify that H.R. No. 45 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on February 24, 2011.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House