Abraham Quintanilla Jr, Father Of Musical Legend Selena And Producer, Dies At 86

Abraham Quintanilla Jr., the musician, producer and guiding force behind the career of Tejano icon Selena Quintanilla, has passed away at the age of 86. His death was confirmed on December 13 by his son, A.B. Quintanilla III.

Sharing the news on Instagram, A.B. wrote, “It’s with a heavy heart to let you guys know that my Dad passed away today…”. No details regarding the cause of death were disclosed in the post.

Born on February 22, 1939, in Corpus Christi, Texas, Quintanilla Jr. began his journey in music in the 1950s as part of a group called The Dinos. His life would later become deeply intertwined with the rise of one of the most influential Latin artists of all time – his daughter Selena.

Recognising Selena’s vocal talent at a young age, Quintanilla

Jr. played a central role in shaping her career. He formed the band Selena y Los Dinos in 1981 and managed the group, laying the foundation for Selena’s eventual mainstream success. According to A.B. Quintanilla, their father envisioned his children as “The Mexican Jacksons.”

Selena y Los Dinos gained steady popularity through live performances before Selena signed with EMI Latin in 1989. Her career soared in the years that followed, culminating in a Grammy win in 1994 for Best Mexican-American Album. She was later honoured posthumously with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys in 2021.

Selena’s life was tragically cut short in 1995, when she was shot and killed at the age of 23 by Yolanda Saldívar, the former president of her fan club. Saldívar is currently serving a life sentence.

Following Selena’s death, Quintanilla Jr. continued to manage her legacy through posthumous music releases and brand partnerships. He was also involved in legal disputes related to Selena’s image and story, including a 2016 lawsuit against former son-in-law Chris Pérez over a proposed television series based on Pérez’s memoir To Selena, with Love. The lawsuit was later dismissed in 2021.

Quintanilla Jr.’s role in his daughter’s story is explored in the recent Netflix documentary Selena y Los Dinos: A Family’s Legacy, which features interviews and personal footage from the family’s archives. Reflecting on the project, Selena’s sister Suzette Quintanilla said, “I mean, you can’t get any more real than having my mother and my father, my brother, her husband (guitarist Chris Pérez), my bandmates, and myself be a part of telling our story.”

In 1997, Quintanilla Jr. attended the premiere of the biographical film Selena in Corpus Christi alongside Jennifer Lopez, who portrayed the singer. Speaking at the after-party, he told a Caller-Times reporter, “It was very nice that so many people showed up. But no, it is not a comfort. I can’t say that. I don’t think anything could be a comfort. I have seen the movie four times now. It is just as hard every time. The movie is great but … it is just very difficult.”