Abraham Quintanilla Jr., father of the late Selena Quintanilla, died at the age of 86. His son, A.B. Quintanilla, confirmed his death in a brief message on December 13. “It’s with a heavy heart to let you guys know that my Dad passed away today…” he posted alongside a photo of his father. Abraham managed Selena’s career and was credited with the success of the family band, Selena y Los Dinos. Born in 1939 in Corpus Christi, Texas. Abraham had always loved music, forming his own band, The Dinos, which played pop music. However, as the music trends changed, especially in Texas, The Dinos soon became Los Dinos and transitioned to Spanish-language music. He married Marcella, Selena’s mother, in 1963, and when Selena was born in 1971, he saw musical talent “from day one.” He formed Selena y Los Dinos with their children A.B. on bass and Suzette on drums. Selena eventually transitioned to a solo career, with Los Dinos by her side at live events. Selena’s career was cut short when she was shot and killed by Yolanda Saldívar, who was the president of her fan club, in 1995.
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Abraham was a fierce advocate for preserving Selena’s legacy following her murder, despite criticism for how her music and image were promoted post-humorously. He was portrayed by Edward James Olmos in the 1997 biographical film on Selena’s life and by Ricardo Chavira in the 2020 Netflix series.
Below, the full tribute from A.B. Quintanilla.
Abraham “A.B.” Quintanilla III
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