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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A Texas star was forever dimmed with the tragic |
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passing of the internationally acclaimed queen of Tejano music, |
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Selena Quintanilla Perez, on March 31, 1995, at the age of 23, and |
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her death both stunned and saddened the legions of fans around the |
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world whose lives had been touched by her music; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Lake Jackson, Texas, on April 16, 1971, this |
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extremely gifted young woman developed her love for music at an |
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early age, having begun singing at the age of six and performing |
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with Los Dinos, the Quintanilla family band, by the age of nine, |
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following her family's move to Corpus Christi; and |
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WHEREAS, Selena recorded her first album while still in her |
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early teens and, as her popularity grew, her band became known as |
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Selena y los Dinos; blessed with the guidance of her father, Abraham |
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Quintanilla, who served as her manager and booking agent, she |
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successfully made the transition from teen star to adult artist and |
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garnered her first serious recognition in 1987 when she was named |
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Female Vocalist of the Year and Performer of the Year at the Tejano |
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Music Awards in San Antonio; and |
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WHEREAS, With artistry and hard work she continued to build |
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on her success by setting a dizzying pace for herself during which |
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she would captivate audiences by dancing and singing in her |
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trademark costumes; far from limiting herself to concert |
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performances and recording albums alone, this dynamic entertainer |
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was featured on one of Latin America's most popular shows, "Siempre |
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en Domingo," had appeared on the renowned soap opera, "Dos Mujeres, |
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Un Camino," played a singer in the film, "Don Juan DeMarco," and had |
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begun a new chapter in her multifaceted career with the |
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establishment of a boutique and hair salon in Corpus Christi and San |
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Antonio; and |
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WHEREAS, Selena became an internationally recognized star |
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who was especially revered in Mexico, throughout Latin America, and |
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in her home state of Texas, and, while developing her own phenomenal |
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career, she was also instrumental in transforming the Tejano music |
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industry into one of the fastest growing markets of music in the |
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world; and |
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WHEREAS, Her achievements as an entertainer gave her a means |
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by which to reach a broader audience, and she put her accessibility |
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to her adoring fans to good use, empowering women through her |
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inspiring lyrics and through her community involvement; and |
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WHEREAS, A positive role model for Hispanic youth and women |
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from all walks of life, Selena gave many young people hope and |
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encouragement to persevere and to follow their dreams as she did, |
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and she used her success to encourage students to complete their |
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education, to stay away from drugs, and to make healthy choices |
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through her support and involvement with many worthy organizations |
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and events, including local schools, the DARE program, the Stay in |
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School Jamboree, and the Coastal Bend AIDS Foundation, to name but a |
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few; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1994, Selena was awarded a Grammy for the year's |
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best Mexican-American album, "Selena Live," and went on to sweep |
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the year's Tejano Music Awards as well, winning the best album, |
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recording, female vocalist, female entertainer, and Tejano |
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crossover categories; and |
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WHEREAS, She was nominated for a Grammy again the following |
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year for the quadruple-platinum "Amor Prohibido," which produced |
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three chart-topping singles and sold more than 400,000 copies in |
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the United States alone; and |
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WHEREAS, A young woman of tremendous charisma and talent, she |
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became the first female crossover Latin artist signed to the SBK |
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sister label to the EMI Latin recording company and, at the time of |
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her death, was recording her first album in English; that record was |
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widely expected to establish Selena as a crossover star in the |
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broader reaches of the pop music world; and |
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WHEREAS, Though she had attained fame and fortune as an |
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entertainer, Selena remained true to her roots and shared her |
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culture's long-standing devotion to family, keeping her music a |
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family affair with her husband, Chris Perez, backing her on guitar, |
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her sister Suzette Quintanilla Arriaga serving as her band's |
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drummer, and her brother A. B. "Abe" Quintanilla III assisting her |
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as her producer, bassist, and cowriter; and |
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WHEREAS, The tragedy of her death was so deeply felt by the |
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Hispanic community that the People magazine issue in honor of |
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Selena sold a record number of copies, and ultimately spurred the |
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creation of the popular People En Espanol; and |
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WHEREAS, After Selena's passing, her life inspired a hit |
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movie, a Broadway-bound musical, and a successful clothing line, |
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and the soaring popularity of her music resulted in Billboard |
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naming her "Best Selling Latin Artist of the Decade" for the 1990s |
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with 18 million albums sold; and |
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WHEREAS, Though her life was cut tragically short, Selena |
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Quintanilla Perez left an indelible mark on this world through her |
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vast achievements as a performer of Tejano music, and it is fitting |
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that she be remembered on the 14th anniversary of her passing, for |
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she remains deeply mourned by the adoring family, friends, and fans |
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she left behind; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Selena Quintanilla |
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Perez on March 31, 2009, the 14th anniversary of her death. |