H.R. No. 69

	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 21st 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, 2016, the 21st anniversary of her death.
	Alonzo
	______________________________
	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.R. No. 69 was unanimously adopted by a rising
	vote of the House on February 19, 2015.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House