Abraham Quintanilla facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Abraham Quintanilla
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Quintanilla in 2020
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Abraham Isaac Quintanilla Jr. |
| Born | February 22, 1939 Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S. |
| Genres | Polka, doo-wop, Tejano |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Years active | 1956–present |
| Labels | Falcon, J.W. Fox, Bernal, Epitome |
Abraham Isaac Quintanilla Jr. (born February 22, 1939) is an American singer, songwriter, and music producer. He is best known as the father and manager of the famous Tejano singer Selena. He guided her career from a young age.
Quintanilla was born in Corpus Christi, Texas, to a Mexican-American family. He started his music journey in 1956 with a group called "the Dinos." He later left the group in the late 1960s to focus on his family. When he discovered Selena's amazing singing talent, he formed a new band. This group, called Selena y Los Dinos, included Selena and her two older siblings. Under his guidance, the band became very successful in Tejano music by the late 1980s. This success helped Selena start her solo career and become one of the most celebrated Latin music artists ever. After Selena's tragic passing in 1995, Quintanilla helped produce a movie about her life. Actor Edward James Olmos played him in the film.
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Early Life and Music Beginnings
Abraham Isaac Quintanilla was born on February 22, 1939, in Corpus Christi, Texas. He was the middle child of six siblings. His parents worked hard in Texas, picking vegetables, cotton, and fruits. When he was a teenager, his parents changed their faith and became Jehovah's Witnesses. His father later worked fixing cars.
Quintanilla went to Roy Miller High School. He joined two friends to form a high school choir called the Gumdrops. Abraham left high school early to follow his dream of becoming a singer. His mother did not approve of his choice to become a professional musician.
Joining the Dinos
In 1956, Quintanilla saw his old classmates performing at a school dance. He loved their sound. When he learned that one of their singers was leaving, Abraham asked to join "the Dinos." The group gave him a chance, and he became their "third voice." In the beginning, the Dinos earned about thirty US dollars for their shows. The band was inspired by groups like The Four Aces and Mills Brothers.
In 1959, Los Dinos released their first song, "So Hard to Tell." It became a hit on a local radio station called KEYS. This helped the band get more shows at dances in Texas towns like Corpus, Kingsville, and Woodsboro.
Growing Popularity
The Dinos' second song, "Give Me One Chance," sold 150,000 copies. This song was played a lot on radio stations across South Texas. The band's popularity grew after this success. Los Dinos recorded ten English-language songs. They also sang cover versions of songs by popular artists like The Beatles and Ray Stevens.
However, their next songs, "Twistin' Irene," "Ride Your Pony," and "Lover's Holiday," did not sell well. In October 1961, Quintanilla joined the United States Air Force. He was stationed in Tacoma, Washington. There, he met Marcella Samora, who was half-Mexican American and half-Cherokee Native American. Quintanilla and Samora got married on June 8, 1963.
A Change in Music Style
After Abraham left the Air Force in November 1963, his wife gave birth to their first child, Abraham "A.B." Quintanilla III. The family moved back to Corpus Christi, Texas. Quintanilla rejoined Los Dinos. They started singing American pop and rock and roll music again.
One time, while performing for a crowd of Mexican descent, Los Dinos were asked to play Spanish-language Mexican music. When they kept playing their pop and rock songs, the audience became upset. The band admitted they didn't know any Mexican music. The audience was given their money back, and the band had to be escorted out by police. Because it was expensive to make English-language music and to connect with their audience, the band changed their style to Chicano rock. In 1964, Los Dinos recorded their first Spanish record, Con Esta Copa (With This Cup). This song became a big hit in Texas and was played a lot on the radio.
The band released three more records. On June 29, 1967, Marcella gave birth to their second child, Suzette Michelle Quintanilla. By 1969, Los Dinos' popularity began to fade. Quintanilla decided to leave the band. The other members continued without him for a few more years before ending the group in 1974.
Selena y Los Dinos: A New Beginning
In the early 1970s, Quintanilla moved to Lake Jackson, Texas. He worked full-time to support his family, putting his music dreams aside. While living there, his wife Marcella became pregnant with their third child. They were expecting a boy and planned to name him Marc Antony. However, on April 16, 1971, Marcella gave birth to a daughter. A woman in the hospital room suggested the name "Selena."
Discovering Selena's Talent
One day, Quintanilla was teaching his oldest child, A.B., to play the guitar. Selena, who was very young, came in and started singing along with her father. Quintanilla immediately noticed Selena's beautiful voice. He believed she was truly gifted and began working to help her develop her singing talent.
Quintanilla formed a new music group. He named it Selena y Los Dinos (Selena And The Guys), inspired by his old band. With help from a friend who used to manage a recording studio, Quintanilla started recording songs with Selena. He was building a path for his children to have a music career.
Challenges and Success
In 1979, Quintanilla opened a Mexican restaurant called PapaGayo's (Parrots). He built a stage so his children could perform for the customers. However, the restaurant faced difficulties during the recession of 1981 and had to close. This economic hardship greatly affected the Quintanilla family. To avoid losing everything, Abraham moved his family to Corpus Christi. Selena y Los Dinos and their father performed at street corners, parties, weddings, and any event that could help them earn money.
In 1984, Selena y Los Dinos signed with Freddie Records. They released their first album, Selena Y Los Dinos. Selena, being a young female singer in a music style mostly dominated by men, faced some criticism. Quintanilla then moved his children to Cara Records. They released their second album, The New Girl in Town. This album led to Selena y Los Dinos performing on the Johnny Canales Show.
By 1989, Selena had released eight more albums. These albums helped Selena become a dominant force at the Tejano Music Awards, starting in 1986. Selena's performances at these awards caught the attention of Jose Behar, who was a leader at Sony Music Latin. Behar signed Selena to Capitol/EMI. He later said he believed Selena would become as big as Gloria Estefan.
Selena won a Grammy Award in 1993 for "Best Mexican-American Album" for her album Selena Live!.
Selena's 1994 album Amor Prohibido became one of the biggest-selling Latin albums of all time. It sold over two million copies in the U.S. and more than five million worldwide. Selena's sales and fan base grew, helping her get closer to her dream of recording an English crossover album.
Selena's Legacy
On March 31, 1995, Quintanilla's youngest child, Selena, tragically passed away. She was killed by a former friend and manager of her fan club.
Since Selena's passing, Quintanilla has been involved in every project related to her music and story. This includes albums, documentaries, and other productions. Soon after Selena's death, Abraham Quintanilla and his family started The Selena Foundation. This charity helps children who are going through difficult times. Abraham Quintanilla has appeared in many TV specials about Selena. He continues to produce new music and film projects through his company, Q-Productions.
In the 1997 movie Selena, Edward James Olmos played Abraham Quintanilla. Quintanilla himself was a co-producer for the film. In the 2020 Netflix series Selena: The Series, Ricardo Chavira played him. In 2021, Quintanilla released his memoir, a book about his life, called A Father's Dream: My Family's Journey in Music.
Images for kids
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Quintanilla in 2020
See also
In Spanish: Abraham Quintanilla para niños
