On Tejano Music 5: Introduction to Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, “Queen of Tejano Music”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Publisher: In-Sight Publishing

Publisher Founding: March 1, 2014

Web Domain: http://www.in-sightpublishing.com

Location: Fort Langley, Township of Langley, British Columbia, Canada

Journal: In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal

Journal Founding: August 2, 2012

Frequency: Three (3) Times Per Year

Review Status: Non-Peer-Reviewed

Access: Electronic/Digital & Open Access

Fees: None (Free)

Volume Numbering: 12

Issue Numbering: 3

Section: A

Theme Type: Idea

Theme Premise: “Outliers and Outsiders”

Theme Part: 31

Formal Sub-Theme: Tejano Music

Individual Publication Date: August 15, 2024

Issue Publication Date: September 1, 2024

Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen

Word Count: 1,742

Image Credits: J.D. Mata. 

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN): 2369-6885

*Please see the footnotes, bibliography, and citations, after the publication.*

Abstract

A seasoned Musician (Vocals, Guitar and Piano), Filmmaker, and Actor, J.D. Mata has composed 100 songs and performed 100 shows and venues throughout. He has been a regular at the legendary “Whisky a Go Go,” where he has wooed audiences with his original shamanistic musical performances. He has written and directed nerous feature films, web series, and music videos. J.D. has also appeared in various national T.V. commercials and shows. Memorable appearances are TRUE BLOOD (HBO) as Tio Luca, THE UPS Store National television commercial, and the lead in the Lil Wayne music video, HOW TO LOVE, with over 129 million views. As a MOHAWK MEDICINE MAN, J.D. also led the spiritual-based film KATERI, which won the prestigious “Capex Dei” award at the Vatican in Rome. J.D. co-starred, performed and wrote the music for the original world premiere play, AN ENEMY of the PUEBLO — by one of today’s preeminent Chicana writers, Josefina Lopez! This is J.D.’s third Fringe; last year, he wrote, directed and starred in the Fringe Encore Performance award-winning “A Night at the Chicano Rock Opera.” He is in season 2 of his NEW YouTube series, ROCK god! J.D. is a native of McAllen, Texas and resides in North Hollywood, California. Mata discusses: the early queen of Tejano; very realistic as a parent; Rock God; and Abraham Quintanilla Sr.’s attitude.

Keywords: Abraham Quintanilla Jr., Chicano music history, entrepreneurial spirit, male-dominated industry, Mexican-American grit, Selena’s clothing line, Tejano music rise, unwavering discipline.

On Tejano Music 5: Introduction to Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, “Queen of Tejano Music”

Scott Douglas Jacobsen: I wanted to focus on individual stars in the history of Tejano music. So, regarding Selena, who has come up several times in the last few weeks in our sessions, when did she start coming into the limelight? How did she become the early queen of Tejano?

J.D. Mata: She was only 23 when she died, so her career was cut short. Despite this, Selena is the most covered Tejano artist in history. Everything has been written about her, but I am still interested because I want to share my perspective. As a Tejano artist and from my perspective, having been there during the launch of her career and the rise of Tejano music, my viewpoint will make this particular episode enjoyable. 

Jacobsen: Her career must have started in her teens, meaning her talent was recognized much earlier. 

Tejano: From what I know, Selena started gaining attention in the early 1980s. She was born in Lake Jackson, Texas, close to Houston. Due to financial reasons, her family moved to Corpus Christi, about a couple of hours from where I’m from, in McAllen, Texas. Selena’s father, Abraham Quintanilla Jr., was a musician with his band. He was already a working musician, and the way the story goes, Abraham was very strict and determined. He noticed that his youngest daughter, Selena, had perfect pitch, likely in the early 1980s or even the late 1970s, since she was born in 1971.

I’m not sure exactly when Abraham first realized Selena could sing so well, but since he was a musician, he had already taught his son A.B. (Abraham Isaac Quintanilla III) to play bass, and they eventually convinced the older sister, Suzette, to play drums. This was the beginning of the band Selena y Los Dinos.

When the family moved to Corpus Christi, they opened a restaurant called Papa Gayo’s, where Selena, still a little girl, would sing. They paid their dues, played at the restaurant, had birthday parties, and did whatever else they could. Abraham became their manager, and they started from the ground up—no nepotism, no shortcuts.

At that time, the Tejano music industry still needed to be fully formed. The term “Tejano” wasn’t widely used yet. Back then, it was referred to as Chicano or orchestral music. It was a male-dominated industry with few female artists, and Selena and her family needed connections to help them. They truly came from nothing.

The only thing they had going for them was Mexican and Mexican-American grit. A father who was very driven didn’t drink, and I think they were Jehovah’s Witnesses. He was a very devout Jehovah’s Witness. Nothing can stop you when you have spirituality, purpose, and righteousness. And then you combine that with talent.

I don’t think people realize how much of an impact Selena’s dad had. I’m sure some do, but that’s the only reason Selena became famous. Her father had to do everything, from knowing how to fix the tour bus to having business acumen. He was no-nonsense. Nobody messed with him.

Nobody messed with him because he was a strong, powerful, and naturally gifted entrepreneur. The music industry is also about business. I’ve struggled and found it hard to break in because I haven’t had someone to advocate for me with strong business acumen and a no-nonsense attitude. Many artists have that so that they can break through that impenetrable wall.

For me, man, that’s been a weak point. I’m a very fine artist but a terrible businessperson.

Jacobsen: You’ve mentioned that before.

Mata: Yes. Selena was very astute in business. It’s been written that she wanted to get out of the Tejano industry. She was planning to leave the music industry altogether. She wanted to design her clothing line, and she loved it.

I’m jumping ahead, but she had a clothing line. She designed her clothing, and she loved doing it. She adored fashion. Again, this is speculation, but some evidence suggests that she wanted to leave the music industry to pursue her entrepreneurial spirit in fashion.

Just like her father, who was very headstrong and entrepreneurial, Selena was very entrepreneurial, too. She saw fashion as her future and loved designing clothes. The woman we were talking about earlier, Yolanda Saldívar—the one who killed Selena—was one of the managers of her boutiques. Selena had boutiques where she sold the clothing she designed. It’s speculated that she was planning to leave music and focus solely on her fashion business.

But back to Selena’s journey, I think people must fully understand it. First of all, a lot of it is luck, and a lot of it is hard work. You’ve got to be no-nonsense. Her father was no-nonsense; he didn’t tolerate any foolishness.

The band was very disciplined from the time they were kids. They had to practice regularly. There was no drinking on stage, and they were always punctual. Abraham had a reputation for being very disciplined.

Jacobsen: It sounds like the Jackson 5, whose father was known for highly regimented and directed parenting to get them to perform. Unfortunately, that also came with extremes of abuse. Was there any of that in Selena’s family structure?

Mata: No, there was never any abuse from Abraham Quintanilla Sr. He’s a very good man. He reminds me a lot of my dad, though he didn’t have that entrepreneurial gift.

My dad had many gifts—he was a musician, but he didn’t have the entrepreneurial gift. That was key regarding Selena and the band Selena y Los Dinos. The fact that Abraham Quintanilla, her father, was also a musician meant he understood the industry.

For example, they touched on this in the movie, but when they performed, they weren’t allowed to interact with the audience during Q&As or autograph signings. Mister Quintanilla believed there had to be a mystique. You go, do your show, say your hellos, but you don’t befriend your audience members. It was a very tight ship, and it worked.

You write your songs in Tejano music—there are no covers. While they might perform some older Spanish songs, big hits like “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” and “Amor Prohibido” were original. Going back to the original question, it was around the late seventies or early eighties that Abraham, a musician himself, saw the potential in his daughter and his kids. He was no-nonsense and recognized the natural genius in them. 

Jacobsen: He was also very realistic as a parent.

Mata: Yes. A.B. Quintanilla, Selena’s brother, was the band leader, songwriter, and producer—a gifted and terrific musician. Abraham saw that and thought, “Let’s form a band.” They started small, not in talent, but in resources. They made their lights with cans and did everything on a shoestring budget—something I can relate to as a Tejano artist. I’d be wealthy if I had a nickel for every amplifier I had to lug around. But that’s part of the game.

They did the same. They set up, tore down, and as they got more popular and started touring, they got a tour bus—a used one that broke down a lot. Abraham, being the genius he was, knew about mechanics. Since they couldn’t afford to hire one, he had to learn. So whenever the bus broke down, he’d often fix it.

I’m probably jumping ahead, but going back to the beginning, they were doing it—forming the band. They were so young, but playing was the only way to improve. You can practice a lot at home, and that’s crucial, but to improve, you have to get out there and perform. And they did a lot of that. They paid their dues as kids growing up.

Selena did speak Spanish. She sang in Spanish, but her Spanish was broken when she first started getting interviewed. However, she improved over time.

Speaking of which, this is a good time to pitch my YouTube series, Rock God. In episode 8, I talk about meeting Selena. The series is about a musician living in Los Angeles who has yet to catch his big break but eventually makes it big in the nursing home market.

And so, in this episode, Aaron, the main character, is broke. He decides to go back to McAllen, Texas, and go back home. But one of the things he does every month is clean Selena’s Hollywood star. So he’s going to clean her star for the last time.

As he’s cleaning the star, a guy riding one of those electric scooters that people use for transportation now hits him in the head. After getting hit, he has an apparition of Selena. She appears and persuades Aaron to stay, telling him to stick it out no matter what.

That’s the way Selena was—someone who made many sacrifices. She stuck it out. She didn’t go to her prom or attend any football games. High school football is huge in Texas. She ended up getting her GED, but they sacrificed everything growing up.

Everything. Friends, experiences—everything. You had to. There was no other way. I left my hometown and have been here in Los Angeles since ’99. I sacrificed everything, too. My regimen is strict; I must practice my guitar and piano daily. I can’t go on vacation because I have to be ready.

What if the opportunity comes? What if someone calls and says, “Hey, we need you to play at The Whisky”? Or if you get a call for a role in a series?

Every relationship I’ve been in has been wrecked because I’m disciplined and true to my craft. I didn’t come to Los Angeles to fall in love—I came to make it big. Maybe I was summoned here. 

Jacobsen: Maybe you came to Los Angeles because you loved the craft.

Mata: Yes, for sure. I was. But my DNA summoned me because I come from a family of actors and musicians. I was chosen to try and make it big, to represent my family significantly. It’s a huge responsibility. I get it. I understand Abraham Quintanilla Sr.’s attitude, making his kids sacrifice everything for the music and the band. It’s like my life. Everything revolves around my craft and my art, trying to get out of this hole I’m in and breakthrough.

That’s why they broke down so many barriers. Despite being a young woman in a male-dominated industry, she got Selena where she was without any nepotism or handouts, all grit, hard work, and talent.

Bibliography

None

Footnotes

None

Citations

American Medical Association (AMA 11th Edition): Jacobsen S. On Tejano Music 5: Introduction to Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, “Queen of Tejano Music”. August 2024; 12(3). http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/tejano-music-5

American Psychological Association (APA 7th Edition): Jacobsen, S. (2024, August 15). On Tejano Music 5: Introduction to Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, “Queen of Tejano Music”. In-Sight Publishing. 12(3).

Brazilian National Standards (ABNT): JACOBSEN, S. On Tejano Music 5: Introduction to Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, “Queen of Tejano Music”. In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal, Fort Langley, v. 12, n. 3, 2024.

Chicago/Turabian, Author-Date (17th Edition): Jacobsen, Scott. 2024. “On Tejano Music 5: Introduction to Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, “Queen of Tejano Music”.” In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal 12, no. 3 (Summer). http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/tejano-music-5.

Chicago/Turabian, Notes & Bibliography (17th Edition): Jacobsen, S “On Tejano Music 5: Introduction to Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, “Queen of Tejano Music”.” In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal 12, no. 3 (August 2024).http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/tejano-music-5.

Harvard: Jacobsen, S. (2024) ‘On Tejano Music 5: Introduction to Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, “Queen of Tejano Music”’, In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal, 12(3). <http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/tejano-music-5>.

Harvard (Australian): Jacobsen, S 2024, ‘On Tejano Music 5: Introduction to Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, “Queen of Tejano Music”’, In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal, vol. 12, no. 3, <http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/tejano-music-5>.

Modern Language Association (MLA, 9th Edition): Jacobsen, Scott. “On Tejano Music 5: Introduction to Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, “Queen of Tejano Music”.” In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal, vo.12, no. 3, 2024, http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/tejano-music-5.

Vancouver/ICMJE: Scott J. On Tejano Music 5: Introduction to Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, “Queen of Tejano Music” [Internet]. 2024 Aug; 12(3). Available from: http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/tejano-music-5.

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