Selena

▪ 1996

      (SELENA QUINTANILLA PEREZ), U.S.-born Hispanic singer (b. April 16, 1971, Lake Jackson, Texas—d. March 31, 1995, Corpus Christi, Texas), was dubbed the Latin Madonna and was poised to achieve crossover success with the release of her first English-language album before being murdered, apparently by the founder of her fan club, who was suspected of embezzlement. Selena, who had performed from the age of nine with the family band, was a vivacious entertainer whose fluid voice celebrated the sound of Tejano, a fast-paced accordion-based Latin dance music that combined elements of jazz, country, and German polka and was rooted in South Texas. Selena's Tex-Mex popularity earned her laurels as the queen of Tejano, and she won a 1994 Grammy award for best Mexican-American album for Selena Live. Another album, Amor Prohibido, sold more than 400,000 copies and was nominated for a 1995 Grammy award. At the time of Selena's shooting death, her song "Fotos y Recuerdos" was number four on Billboard's Latin chart.

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