Eighteen years after the sudden murder of Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, fans and musicians remain inspired by the singer's music.
Many south Texas restaurants, bars, and homes have posters and pictures of Selena hanging on their walls.
"She gave a lot of young Latina girl’s motivation to be more than they could be," stated Gloria Gomez-Jackson of San Antonio. "She gave us hope and inspired us by bringing her Hispanic and mainstream music together."
“I may not have much, but I will always have Selena’s school picture and driver’s license in my billfold,” said Louis Bustamante of Devine.
“You know, there are not too many people when you say their first name do you know who they really are,” observed Bustamante.
“Say Elvis, Cher, Prince and even Lucy, and you know who people are talking about,” he continued. “And my favorite is someone right here from Texas---when I think about her or listen to her music, it always makes me smile….Selena.”
Just two weeks before Selena’s 24th birthday on March 31, 1995, the Tejano Music Award winner was shot and killed by her fan club president and manager of her boutique shop in a Corpus Christi hotel.
North American’s mourned her death and then Governor George W. Bush proclaimed her birthday, April 12, 1995, as “Selena Day” in Texas.
“Any time I feel sad, I just listen to her music,” said Bustamante, before he pulled out his wallet. “Here, let me show you.”
Bustamante opened his wallet and showed a school photo and version of Selena’s Texas driver’s license.
“She stays in my heart every day and I am proud of her,” he smiled as he revealed her pictures.
“That is beautiful,” One observer commented. “She was so beautiful and I still see her pictures in restaurants and bumpers stickers on cars.”
"Yes, she still inspires many bands today," stated Bustamante.
Comments