Emilio Navaira facts for kids

Emilio H. Navaira III (born August 23, 1962 – died May 16, 2016) was a famous American singer and songwriter. He was well-known for his Tejano and country music songs. Emilio won a Grammy Award and a Latin Grammy Award for his amazing music.

Most people knew him simply as Emilio. He had more than ten songs on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks charts. He also had six songs on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts. Emilio was one of the few Tejano artists who became very popular in both the United States and Mexico. Some even called him the "Garth Brooks of Tejano music." His biggest country hit was "It's Not the End of the World" in 1995. His song "Por Siempre Unidos" reached No. 7 on the Latin Pop Airplay chart in 1996. Emilio, along with Selena, helped make Tejano music popular around the world.

Emilio's Early Life

Emilio H. Navaira III was born on August 23, 1962, in San Antonio, Texas. His parents, Emilio Navaira, Jr. and Maria Hernandez, were Mexican-American. Growing up in San Antonio, Emilio was inspired by Tejano legends like Little Joe y la Familia. He also loved country music heroes such as Willie Nelson, Bob Wills, and George Strait.

Emilio went to McCollum High School and graduated in 1980. He received a music scholarship to Texas State University. He studied music and planned to become a teacher. However, he later decided to follow his dream of becoming a music artist.

Emilio's Music Journey

Emilio started his music career in 1983 when he was 21 years old. He became the lead singer for the band David Lee Garza y Los Musicales. In 1987, their album Cuantas Veces won Album of the Year at the Tejano Music Awards. It even beat out an album by the famous singer Selena.

In 1989, Emilio started his own band called Emilio y Grupo Rio. That same year, he signed with Columbia Records. This led to Emilio recording more than fifteen studio albums, many with his Rio Band.

By the mid-1990s, Emilio began using only his first name, Emilio. He also started focusing more on country music. Between 1989 and 1996, Emilio released seven Spanish albums. These albums sold about 2 million copies! His success led to big companies like Coca-Cola and Wrangler Jeans using his songs in their commercials. He also got a sponsorship with Miller Lite beer. They even convinced him to use their slogan, "Life is good," as the title for his first country album.

Emilio signed with Capitol Records and released his first country music single, "It's Not the End of the World." This song reached the Top 30 on the country charts in 1995. His album was also a big hit, reaching No. 13 on the country charts. He released more singles, including a Spanish version of "It's Not the End of the World." However, most of these songs did not reach the Top 40, except for "Even If I Tried," which reached No. 41 in 1996.

In 1997, he released a second country album called "It's on the House." This album was not as successful as his first. After two more minor country singles, Emilio slowly returned to Tejano music.

His 2002 album Acuérdate won the Grammy Award for Best Tejano Album. His 2007 album De Nuevo won the Latin Grammy Award for Best Tejano Album.

Emilio's Family Life

Emilio Navaira had five children. His three children from his first marriage to Cynthia Navaira also perform with Grupo Rio. Emilio Navaira IV plays drums, and Diego Navaira plays guitar. His daughter is named Emely. Emilio IV and Diego also had a band called Ready Revolution. In 2014, they formed The Last Bandoleros, a Tex-Mex band. They even toured with Sting in 2017. Diego is also known for his singing and appeared on the TV show The Voice. Emilio also had two children from his second marriage to Maru Navaira.

Emilio had two siblings: Raul "Raulito" Navaira, who sings backup for Grupo Rio, and Yvette Navaira.

Health Challenges

Emilio was involved in a serious bus accident on March 23, 2008, in Bellaire, Texas. He was driving his tour bus when it crashed. Emilio was taken to the hospital by helicopter. Doctors worked hard to help him recover from his injuries. He stayed in the hospital for a while and received special care to get better.

On September 24, 2008, Emilio was in another car accident in San Antonio. He was a passenger in the car his wife was driving. They were both released from the hospital the next day. Emilio's agent said they were going home from a therapy appointment for his recovery from the bus accident.

His Passing

Emilio was found at his home in New Braunfels on May 16, 2016. He was 53 years old. Emilio had performed his last concert in Monterrey, Mexico, just a few days before, on May 11, 2016. Reports showed that he passed away from a massive heart attack. Authorities confirmed that he died of natural causes due to heart disease.

Emilio's Albums and Songs

Studio albums

• ^ASouthern Exposure also reached No. 39 on the US Heatseekers chart.

Singles

• ^ACredited to Emilio Navaira.
• ^B"No Es El Fin del Mundo" is a Spanish version of "It's Not the End of the World".
• ^C"Por Siempre Unidos" also reached No. 7 on Latin Pop Airplay.

Guest singles

Music videos