Last month marked the 17th anniversary of the tragic death of singer and songwriter Selena Quintanella, known as “La Reina de la musica Tejana” – The Queen of Tejano music.
Selena was born and raised in Texas. She started singing at age three and had her own band by the time she was nine, called Selena y Los Dinos. Selena signed her first recording contract, with EMI/Capitol, in 1989, and her popularity quickly grew. She was named “Top Latin Artist of the 90’s” and “Best selling Latin artist of the decade” by Billboard magazine.
In addition to her musical success, she was also an actress, dancer, model and designer. She enjoyed going to schools to encourage education, and was involved with civic organizations such as D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education).
Selena’s rise to the top was cut short at the age of 23. On March 31, 1995, she was murdered at a Days Inn hotel in Corpus Christi, Texas by Yolanda Saldívar, who had been president of the Selena Fan Club. The Quintanella family had recently fired Saldívar when they discovered she was embezzling money from the club.
Saldívar received a life sentence; she will be eligible for parole in 2025. She is in protective custody due to death threats from other prisoners.
On April 12, 1995, then governor George W. Bush declared Selena’s birthday of April 16 as “Selena Day”.
