Selena - The Day The Music Died

On this day in 1995, Selena Quintanilla-Perez died. She was murdered by a business associate who she had considered a close friend. Selena was only 23.

My parents, brother and sister were big fans of Selena. I was familiar with her music but since I've never been a big fan of Tejano music I was always on the perimeter of the family's adoration for Selena.

Selena was on the verge of being the first big Tejano music star to do a crossover. It was at this point that I started paying attention to her music. I've always wondered what her career would be like today if she were still alive.

If I remember correctly, her last concert at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo held the attendance record when it was in the Astrodome. I believe it was somewhere around 65,000 people who were there that day to see her perform. It would be her last performance in Houston.

Selena (the movie) was released in 1997 and I remember the controversy over the casting of the leading lady. It was someone by the name of Jennifer Lopez, yes, JLo. Many people were upset that someone of Puerto Rican descent had been cast to play a person of Mexican descent.

My thought is that JLo did a great job portraying Selena and it was a tribute to her. The fact that a Tejano musician could have a major movie made about them was an honor in itself.

There have been several famous people who have died that I can remember what I was doing when I heard the news. On that list are Princess Di, Elvis Presley, John Lennon and Selena.

I was working for Texas Commerce Bank (now Chase) at the time and I was in the office that day. In the Hedwig Village building was a friend/colleague named Celinda.

Word started spreading through the building that Selena had been shot. A maintenance man (who was one taco short of a combination plate) goes running through the building looking for Celinda to make sure she was safe because well, Selena and Celinda must have sounded the same to him and never mind that Selena was in Corpus Christi and Celinda was in Houston. I still chuckle when I think of that story...and no offense to Selena but uh, Celinda looked NOTHING like her.

I called my mom that day because I knew she was a big fan. Like many of her fans, my mom was very upset.

If you're ever in Corpus Christi, there is a statue of Selena right there on Shoreline Drive. It's a very nice memorial to her.

Here is a montage that is a tribute to her. You will see her in the famous purple outfit at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo.