Chris Pérez facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chris Pérez
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Pérez performing in 2012
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Christopher Gilbert Pérez
August 14, 1969 San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
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| Education | Thomas Jefferson High School |
| Occupation | Musician |
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| Children | Noah Pérez (son), Cassie Pérez (daughter) |
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| Musical career | |
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| Instruments | Guitar |
| Years active | 1986–present |
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Christopher Gilbert Pérez (born August 14, 1969) is an American guitarist. He is best known as the lead guitarist for the Tejano band Selena y Los Dinos. He married the band's lead singer, Selena, on April 2, 1992.
Chris Pérez grew up in San Antonio, Texas. He was one of two children born to Gilbert Pérez and Carmen Medina. In 1986, he started his music career by joining Shelly Lares' band. By the late 1980s, Chris was well-known among Tejano musicians for his great guitar skills. This caught the attention of A.B. Quintanilla, who was looking for a new guitarist for Selena y Los Dinos. After Chris joined the band, he and Selena began a personal relationship.
Selena's father, Abraham Quintanilla, wanted them to end their relationship. He worried that Chris's image might harm Selena's career. They did not listen to his warnings and continued their relationship. Abraham then fired Chris from the band. Chris and Selena got married in 1992. On March 31, 1995, Selena was killed by her former friend and manager, Yolanda Saldívar.
After Selena's death, Chris formed the Chris Pérez Band. They wrote songs for their first album. The band signed with Hollywood Records. Their first album, Resurrection, won a Grammy Award. It was for Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album. The band broke up after their second album, Una Noche Mas (2002). Chris continued in music, often playing with A.B.'s groups, the Kumbia Kings and the Kumbia All Starz. He later formed another band, the Chris Pérez Project, in 2010. In 2012, Chris wrote a book about his relationship with Selena. It was called To Selena, with Love.
Contents
Early Life and Music
Christopher Pérez was born on August 14, 1969, in San Antonio, Texas. His father, Gilbert Pérez, was a computer programmer. His mother was Carmen Medina. Chris is of Mexican-American background. His parents divorced in 1974 when he was four. His mother remarried in 1978.
Chris learned to play the French horn in middle school. He joined his school's concert band with his mother's help. He later taught himself to play electric guitar. His mother did not approve at first. She worried about the rock-and-roll world. Chris's favorite musicians included Van Halen and Iron Maiden. He also admired Ricky Martin. Many of his guitar solos are inspired by Carlos Santana.
When Chris was seventeen, he wanted to move to Los Angeles, California. He dreamed of starting a rock band. He lived with his father and worked at a library. In 1986, Tony Lares asked Chris to join his cousin Shelly Lares' band. Tony told Chris that Shelly played Tejano music. This music mixes traditional Mexican folk music, polkas, and country music. It is sung in Spanish or English. Chris did not like Tejano music. He wrote in his book that he joined Shelly's band with "foot-dragging resistance." This was because the job paid more than the library. He became Shelly's music director. He also helped write three songs for Shelly's first album in 1989. His guitar playing was well-liked by the band and fans. Around this time, he also started a rock band with friends. He planned to leave Shelly's band.
Music Career
1989–1995: Selena y Los Dinos
In 1989, Roger Garcia, the lead guitarist for Selena y Los Dinos, left the band. The group's bassist, A.B. Quintanilla III, had heard good things about Chris. A.B. and other band members watched Chris rehearse with Shelly. Quintanilla invited Chris to a Selena performance. He asked if Chris wanted to play with Selena y Los Dinos. Chris said yes. He liked Los Dinos' sound, which was more "hip and sophisticated." He hoped to learn more about music from A.B., whose work he admired.
Chris auditioned for the band's manager, Abraham Quintanilla, Jr. Abraham did not like Chris's rocker look at first. He wanted Chris to change his appearance for the band. Abraham worried that Chris might hurt Selena's "perfect image." A.B. convinced his father to accept Chris. He also encouraged Chris to try different music styles. Chris and A.B. became close friends. They sometimes wrote songs together for Selena's recordings. Chris, like Selena, knew little Spanish. The lead keyboardist Ricky Vela helped him learn.
Chris and Selena's Relationship
In 1989, Chris and A.B. wrote Selena's Coca-Cola commercial jingle. After the company approved it, A.B. took the band on vacation to Acapulco, Mexico. During the trip, Chris realized he liked Selena. He tried to stay away from her, but it was hard. He decided to try to start a relationship with her. They told each other how they felt at a Pizza Hut restaurant. Soon after, they became a couple. They kept their relationship a secret from Selena's father. They feared Abraham would try to break them up. This made Selena stressed.
Selena's sister, Suzette, eventually told Abraham about the relationship. Abraham took Chris off the bus and told him it was over. The couple continued their relationship in secret. Selena hoped her mother, Marcella, would approve. One day, Abraham stopped the tour bus. He went to the back where Chris and Selena were sitting. He yelled that their relationship was over. Selena yelled back at him. Chris tried to calm them. But he joined the argument after Abraham insulted him. Abraham threatened to break up the group if they did not split up. Selena and Chris gave in. Abraham fired Chris from the band. He stopped Selena from leaving with him. Selena was very upset.
After Chris was fired, he moved back in with his father. He started playing music wherever he could. He wrote that he "started enjoying my life again." Selena, however, was sad about their separation. They tried to stay in touch while she was touring. On April 2, 1992, Selena knocked on his hotel-room door. She came in crying, saying she could not live without him. Selena wanted to get married that day. Chris thought it was not the right time. Selena insisted her father would never accept their relationship. She said he would not come to any wedding they planned. Chris agreed. They eloped in Nueces County, Texas.
Selena believed her father would leave them alone if they were married. They planned to keep the marriage a secret. But the media announced their elopement on the radio within hours. Selena's family tried to find her. Abraham was very upset. He kept to himself for a while. Selena and Chris moved into an apartment. Later, Abraham came to them. He apologized and accepted the marriage. He also welcomed Chris back into the band.
Chris became a full member of the Quintanilla family. Abraham asked Chris to write songs for a rock band he was managing. This was after Abraham opened a recording studio, Q-Productions, in late 1993. This led to a recording for Selena. The lead singer of the rock group, Nando "Guerro" Dominguez, went to Selena's house. Chris was finishing the recording session. Selena asked to record Dominguez's demo. Her version of the song was not released until 2004. It was added to her album Momentos Intimos as "Puede Ser". A.B. wrote "Ya No," the last song for Selena's album Amor Prohibido (1994). He wanted to make it a rock song. He asked Chris for help.
1995–1998: Life After Selena
In spring 1995, Abraham found out that Yolanda Saldívar was misusing money. She managed Selena's boutiques and fan club. They had a meeting in early March. Saldívar denied any wrongdoing. Selena tried to fix her friendship with Saldívar. On March 30, 1995, Selena and Chris met Saldívar at a motel. They wanted to get financial papers for taxes. When Selena and Chris got home, she saw that Saldívar did not give her the right papers. She called Saldívar, who wanted Selena to come back to the motel alone. Chris said it was too late. He did not want Selena driving alone at night. Selena agreed to meet Saldívar the next morning.
On March 31, Selena woke up early to meet Saldívar. When they returned to the motel room, Selena ended their working relationship. As Selena turned to leave, Saldívar shot her. Selena was taken to a hospital. Doctors could not save her. She was pronounced dead within the hour.
Chris was very sad after Selena's death. He felt guilty for not protecting her. In 1996, he moved back in with his father in San Antonio. A friend introduced him to Venessa Villanueva. They became a couple in 1998. In 2001, Chris married Venessa. They had two children, a boy named Noah and a girl named Cassie. They divorced in 2008. Chris has stayed in touch with the Quintanilla family since Selena's death.
1999–2010: Chris Pérez Band and Kumbia Groups
Chris's friend, John Garza, moved in with him after Selena's death. They started writing music. Chris found this helped him heal. In 1998, he formed a rock band with Garza. The band also included Rudy Martinez, Joe Ojeda, and Jesse Esquivel. The band was named the Chris Pérez Band. Chris preferred the name Cinco Souls, but the others wanted to use his name. The band signed with Hollywood Records. They went to A&M Studios in Los Angeles to record their first album. Chris wrote "Best I Can" to express his feelings about losing Selena.
Another song, "Another Day," was also about his devotion to Selena. Resurrection was released on May 18, 1999. It won a Grammy Award in 2000. The record company released two songs to radio stations. These were "Resurrection" (English) and "Por Que Tu Fuiste" (Spanish). The Los Angeles Times said the album was "upbeat and danceable." The Chris Pérez Band opened for the Mexican band Mana. In March 2000, Chris started working on his second album. On April 16, the band released Una Noche Más. This was their second and last album before they broke up. Chris joined his brother-in-law A.B.'s band, the Kumbia All Starz, in 2006. He left it in 2010 to form his own band. On April 7, 2005, Los Dinos reunited for the Selena ¡VIVE! tribute concert.
2010–Present: New Projects and Book
In 2010, Chris formed a new group called the Chris Pérez Project. He worked with Puerto Rican singer Angel Ferrer. They released the song "Todo es Diferente."
In March 2012, Chris published To Selena, With Love. The book described his relationship with Selena. He was unsure about writing the book at first. But fans kept asking him to write it. He did not ask the Quintanilla family for approval beforehand. He told Abraham after the book was finished. Abraham approved of it. Chris said writing the book helped him "move forward." The book was liked by critics and fans. To Selena, With Love also cleared up a rumor. It confirmed that Selena was not pregnant when she died.
In August 2021, Chris's label, Blue Mariachi Productions, signed its first artist. This was ZEUS. El Mero Necio, also known as Carlton Zeus.
In December 2021, the 1997 movie Selena was added to the National Film Registry. This was on the film's 25th anniversary. Chris marked the event with a statement and a photo.
Personality and Music Style
Chris Pérez is known for being a shy person. Early in his career, he was seen as a rebellious rocker. He was different from Abraham Quintanilla's "clean-cut" image. Chris admitted he felt uncomfortable being an entertainer. Before his book, he kept his personal life private. He avoided media attention.
Carlos Valdez, who prosecuted Yolanda Saldívar, described Chris as "shy and uncomfortable when in the spotlight." Valdez said music was not work for Chris. He loved being a guitarist. Valdez called it his "reason for [his] existence." Valdez also said Chris was "honest, sincere, and someone who could be trusted."
Leila Cobo of Billboard magazine said Chris's music includes cumbia music, R&B, rap, and funk music. Chuck Taylor, another Billboard editor, called The Chris Pérez Project's first album "a lot of classic rock elements." David Cazares called Chris's debut album "average rock" music. The San Antonio Express-News said Resurrection mixed "pop rock grooves and Tejano soul." Chris is known for using Latin music styles. These include cumbia and Latin rock.
In the 1997 movie Selena, Chris was played by Jon Seda. Actor Jesse Posey played him in Selena: The Series.
Discography
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Published Works
- To Selena, With Love (2012)
