A.B. Quintanilla facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
A.B. Quintanilla
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Quintanilla in 2020
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Born |
Abraham Isaac Quintanilla III
December 13, 1963 |
Other names |
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Occupation |
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Spouse(s) |
Evangelina "Vangie" Almeida
(m. 1988–2000)Heather Grein
(m. 2002–2004)Brenda Ramírez
(m. 2004–2009)Rikkie Leigh Robertson
(m. 2011–2017)Angela Orellano
(m. 2019) |
Partner(s) | Summer Clary (1999–2000) |
Children | 7 2 with Vangie Almeida: Martika Quintanilla (b. 1989) Svani Quintanilla (b. 1990) 1 with Summer Clary: Gianni Quintanilla (b. 1999) 2 with Heather Grein: Abraham Isaac Quintanilla IV (b. 2002) Elijah Jae Quintanilla (b. 2004) 2 with Brenda Ramírez: Elrey Quintanilla (b. 2005) Justin Quintanilla (b. 2007) 1 stepchild with Brenda Ramírez: Madison Ramírez (b. 2001) |
Parent(s) | Abraham Isaac Quintanilla Jr. (father) Marcella Ofelia Samora (mother) |
Relatives | Suzette Quintanilla (sister) Selena Quintanilla (sister) Chris Pérez (brother-in-law) |
Awards | See below |
Musical career | |
Origin | Lake Jackson, Texas, U.S. |
Genres | |
Instruments |
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Years active | 1982–present |
Labels |
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Abraham Isaac Quintanilla III (born December 13, 1963), known professionally as A.B. Quintanilla III or A.B. Quintanilla, is an American record producer, songwriter and musician. Called the "King of Kumbia", he is the older brother of singer Selena, known as the "Queen of Tejano Music", having produced and written many of her hit songs throughout her career, is the creator and founder of the bands Kumbia Kings and Kumbia All Starz, also having produced and written their hit songs as well as performing as a member of both, and has contributed, produced and written many songs for other artists.
Along with Selena, his other sister Suzette, and his father Abraham, he became a member of Los Dinos in 1980. As a member of Los Dinos, A.B. played bass guitar, produced, and wrote songs for Selena that became successful singles such as "Como la Flor", "Amor Prohibido" and "No Me Queda Más" After Selena's death, he would create the bands Kumbia Kings and Kumbia All Starz.
Early life
Abraham Isaac Quintanilla III was born on December 13, 1963, in Toppenish, Washington. He is the oldest child of Abraham Isaac Quintanilla Jr. and Marcella Ofelia Quintanilla (née Samora); and the older brother of Suzette Quintanilla and the late Selena Quintanilla. Shortly after he was born, Quintanilla and his parents would move to Lake Jackson, Texas, where he would be raised there and where his two younger sisters were born.
Career
While living in Lake Jackson, Texas, A.B. learned to play the guitar and bass. Alongside Selena, his sister Suzette, and their father, Abraham, he became a member of the successful band Los Dinos. A.B. also became Selena's producer.
He co-wrote Selena's hit songs like "Como la Flor" ("Like the Flower") and "Amor Prohibido" ("Forbidden Love").
A.B.'s sister, Selena, was murdered on March 31, 1995, which greatly devastated him. He helped produce "Como Te Extraño" ("How I Miss You") by Pedro "Pete" Astudillo, which was written for Selena as well as Astudillo's late grandmother. The song earned Astudillo a Premios Lo Nuestro award for Best Song of the Year in 1996.
A.B. Quintanilla later resurfaced in 1999 by creating the Kumbia Kings, which mixed cumbia and pop music. The Kumbia Kings went on an international tour, had several CD releases and participated on such shows as Cristina Saralegui's El Show de Cristina. Quintanilla also produced for such entertainers as Thalía, Alicia Villarreal, Verónica Castro and Cristian Castro.
He produced and arranged the 2004 album, A.B. Quintanilla III Presents Joe Lopez, which includes "Cuando Estoy Contigo" ("When I Am with You") and "Soy Tan Feliz" ("I'm So Happy"), co-written by Quintanilla and Luigi Giraldo.
A.B. Quintanilla left Kumbia Kings in mid-2006. A.B., along with new members and ex-Kumbia Kings Chris Pérez (A.B.'s brother-in-law, Selena's widower) and Pee Wee; started the group Kumbia All Starz in 2006. This new group had hits such as "Chiquilla", "Parece Que Va a Llover", and "Speedy Gonzales". The Kumbia All Starz have become immensely popular in South America, especially in Bolivia, where they performed a series of concerts in 2014.
A.B. Quintanilla signed with DEL Records and formed Elektro Kumbia in 2016. In 2017, he released a single called "Piña Colada Shot".
Personal life
A.B. Quintanilla has seven children, six sons and one daughter, born between 1989 and 2007, and had a stepdaughter during his third marriage. He has a daughter Martika Quintanilla (born September 21, 1989) and a son Svani Quintanilla (born November 27, 1990) with his first wife Vangie Almeida. He also has one grandchild.
He married Rikkie Leigh Robertson on November 4, 2011. On July 5, 2016, he announced after a concert that he was getting divorced from his wife. The divorced finalized in September 2017. They have no children together.
Quintanilla married Angela Orellano, also known as Anjelah Orellano, an Argentinian woman, on September 16, 2019, in Las Vegas.
Discography
- Albums with Selena
- Mis Primeras Grabaciones (1984)
- Alpha (1986)
- Muñequito de Trapo (1987)
- And the Winner Is... (1987)
- Preciosa (1988)
- Dulce Amor (1988)
- Selena (1989)
- Ven Conmigo (1990)
- Entre a Mi Mundo (1992)
- Selena Live! (1993)
- Amor Prohibido (1994)
- Dreaming of You (1995)
- Albums with Kumbia Kings
- Amor, Familia y Respeto (1999)
- Shhh! (2001)
- All Mixed Up: Los Remixes (2002)
- 4 (2003)
- Presents Kumbia Kings (2003)
- La Historia (2003)
- Los Remixes 2.0 (2004)
- Fuego (2004)
- Duetos (2005)
- Kumbia Kings Live (2006)
- Greatest Hits (2007)
- Lo Mejor De (2016)
- Albums with Kumbia All Starz
- Ayer Fue Kumbia Kings, Hoy Es Kumbia All Starz (2006)
- Planeta Kumbia (2008)
- La Vida de un Genio (2010)
- Blanco y Negro (2013)
- Éxitos en Vivo (2014)
- Elektro Kumbia (2017)
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
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2000 | Premio Lo Nuestro | Regional Mexican Group of the Year | A.B. Quintanilla and Kumbia Kings | Nominated |
Regional Mexican New Artist of the Year | Won | |||
Latin Billboard Music Awards | Pop Album of the Year, Group | Amor, Familia y Respeto | Nominated | |
Pop Album of the Year, New Artist | Won | |||
Latin Grammy Awards | Best Tejano Album | Nominated | ||
2001 | Latin Grammy Awards | Best Tejano Album | Shhh! | Nominated |
2002 | Premio Lo Nuestro | Regional Mexican Group of the Year | A.B. Quintanilla and Kumbia Kings | Nominated |
Tejano Performance | Nominated | |||
Video of the Year | "Shhh!" | Nominated | ||
Latin Billboard Music Awards | Pop Album of the Year, Group | Shhh! | Won | |
Top Latin Albums Artist of the Year | A.B. Quintanilla and Kumbia Kings | Nominated | ||
2003 | Latin Grammy Awards | Best Pop Album by a Duo/Group with Vocals | 4 | Nominated |
Best Regional Mexican Song | "Ay! Papacito" (Límite) (with Alicia Villarreal) | Nominated | ||
American Music Awards | Favorite Latin Artist | A.B. Quintanilla and Kumbia Kings | Nominated | |
2004 | Premio Lo Nuestro | Regional Mexican Group of the Year | A.B. Quintanilla and Kumbia Kings, Juan Gabriel, El Gran Silencio | Won |
Regional Mexican Song of the Year | "No Tengo Dinero" (with Juan Gabriel and El Gran Silencio) | Won | ||
Latin Billboard Music Awards | Latin Pop Album of the Year, Duo or Group | 4 | Won | |
Premios Juventud | Dynamic Duo | Thalía with A.B. Quintanilla and Kumbia Kings | Nominated | |
Best Moves | A.B. Quintanilla and Kumbia Kings | Nominated | ||
Best Re-Mix | "No Tengo Dinero" (with Juan Gabriel and El Gran Silencio) | Nominated | ||
Party Starter | "Sabes a Chocolate" | Nominated | ||
2005 | Latin Billboard Music Awards | Latin Pop Album of the Year, Duo or Group | Fuego | Won |
Premios Juventud | I Hear Them Everywhere | A.B. Quintanilla and Kumbia Kings | Nominated | |
Favorite Urban Artist | Nominated | |||
Latin Grammy Awards | Best Regional Mexican Song | "Na Na Na (Dulce Niña)" (with Cruz Martínez and Luigi Giraldo) | Nominated | |
Best Engineered Album | Fuego (Seth Atkins, Javier Garza, Cruz Martínez and Robert "Bobbo" Gómez III) | Nominated | ||
2006 | Premio Lo Nuestro | Pop Album of the Year | Fuego | Nominated |
Pop Group of the Year | A.B. Quintanilla and Kumbia Kings | Nominated | ||
Premios MTV Latinoamérica | MTV Tr3́s Viewer's Choice Award | Nominated | ||
Latin Grammy Awards | Best Tropical Regional Mexican Album | Kumbia Kings Live | Won | |
2007 | Latin Billboard Music Awards | Latin Pop Album of the Year, Duo or Group | Ayer Fue Kumbia Kings, Hoy Es Kumbia All Starz | Nominated |
2008 | Premio Lo Nuestro | Pop Album of the Year | Nominated | |
Pop Song of the Year | "Chiquilla" | Nominated | ||
Pop Breakout Artist or Group of the Year | A.B. Quintanilla and Kumbia All Starz | Nominated | ||
Latin Grammy Awards | Best Pop Album by a Duo/Group with Vocals | Planeta Kumbia | Nominated | |
Premios Oye! | Popular Field Best Tropical by a Duo/Group or Solo | Nominated | ||
2009 | Latin Billboard Music Awards | Latin Pop Album of the Year, Duo or Group | Nominated |
See also
In Spanish: A.B. Quintanilla para niños
- Selena
- Los Dinos
- Kumbia Kings
- Kumbia All Starz
- Honorific nicknames in popular music
- Music of Texas
- Music of Latin America