H.R. No. 68

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 Pérez, 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 Pérez, 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 Español; 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 Pérez 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 20th 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 84th Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Selena Quintanilla Pérez on March 31, 2015, the 20th anniversary of her death.

Alonzo Herrero

______________________________ Speaker of the House

I certify that H.R. No. 68 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on February 19, 2015.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House