Ep 91: The Queen of Tejano, Part I

Selena Quintanilla-Perez first stepped into the tejano music scene in south Texas in the early 1980s. A Mexican-American from Texas whose first language was English, Selena’s dedication, hard work, and incredible family bond helped her breakthrough national, cultural, and language barriers in a music genre that was previously always dominated by men. She was the total package: stunningly beautiful, with a powerful singing voice, incredible dance moves, and a sense of humor that disarmed everyone. She was proving herself to be a capable businesswoman and entrepreneur making a name for herself in the fashion industry. And she did all of it before she was senselessly gunned down only two weeks before her 24th birthday. Join us as we discuss the music, fashion, and cultural icon that was Selena in this special two-part series.

Sources:

Colloff, P. (2010, April). Dreaming of Her. Texas Monthly. https://www.texasmonthly.com/arts-entertainment/dreaming-of-her/

Falcon, M. (2018, March 29). Everything you need to know about Selena Quintanilla Perez. Corpus Christi Caller-Times. https://www.caller.com/story/entertainment/2018/03/29/facts-selena-quintanilla-perez/461856002/

Guerra, J. (2020, March 25). Designing a dream: Martin Gomez says Selena was ‘not of this world.’ Preview | Houston Arts & Entertainment Guide. https://preview.houstonchronicle.com/selena/designing-a-dream-martin-gomez-says-selena-was-15154889

Listen to 911 calls made after Selena was shot in Corpus Christi, Texas. (2021, March 31). ABC7 New York. https://abc7ny.com/10462396/

Mendoza, M. (2015, March 3). 26 claims you may not know that emerge in the new release of “Selena’s Secret.” MySA. https://www.mysanantonio.com/entertainment/arts-culture/books/article/New-edition-of-controversial-book-detailing-6112278.php

Orozco, C. (1996, January 1). Selena Quintanilla Perez (1971-1995). Texas State Historical Association Handbook of Texas. https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/quintanilla-perez-selena-selena

Patoski, J. N. (1995, May). The Queen Is Dead. Texas Monthly. https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/the-queen-is-dead/

Patoski, J. N. (1995, December). The Sweet Song of Justice. Texas Monthly. https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/the-sweet-song-of-justice/

Perez, C. (2013). To Selena, with Love. Celebra.

Quintanilla, A. (2021). A Father’s Dream: My Family’s Journey in Music. Cafe Con Leche Books.

Reinert, P. (1995, October 18). Ranger says police ignored the suicide story. Houston Chronicle.

Sabawi, F. (2021, September 14). Chris Perez says he has ‘amicably resolved’ yearslong legal battle with Selena’s family. KSAT. https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2021/09/14/chris-perez-says-he-has-amicably-resolved-yearslong-legal-battle-with-selenas-family/

Selena. (n.d.). Selena Wiki. .css-j9qmi7{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:2.8rem;width:100%;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:start;justify-content:start;padding-left:5rem;}@media only screen and (max-width: 599px){.css-j9qmi7{padding-left:0;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;}}.css-j9qmi7 svg{fill:#27292D;}.css-j9qmi7 .eagfbvw0{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;color:#27292D;}