Abraham Quintanilla, father and manager of late Tejano star Selena, has passed away. He was known for fostering Selena’s career and preserving her legacy after death
TEXAS, USA — Abraham Quintanilla, father of slain Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla, has died at the age of 86, his family members announced on social media Saturday morning.
The family patriarch was considered the driving force behind his daughter, Selena Quintanilla’s, rapid rise to fame and was her manager throughout her life. He was the founder of her band, Selena y los Dinos, which also included two of his other children.
His son, A.B. Quintanilla, announced his death on Instagram Saturday, saying, “It’s with a heavy heart to let you guys know that my Dad passed away today…”
Some of Selena’s hits included “Amor Prohibido,” “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” and “Como La Flor.” She was known as the Queen of Tejano and won the Grammy for Best Mexican-American Album in 1993.
Her family, friends, and fans were devastated in 1995 when Selena was murdered by the president of her fan club at the age of 23, just as she was entering the mainstream and crossing over into English-language audiences. Since her death, Abraham continued to oversee her legacy and helped kept her memory alive through her fans.
Abraham was a Tejano musician himself and was part of the band Los Dinos in the 1950s and 1960s. Selena was born in 1971 while he was working for Dow Chemical Company in Lake Jackson, Texas.
He was recently interviewed as part of a Netflix documentary about Selena’s life and career.
The family did not say a cause of death.