SAN ANTONIO — Abraham Quintanilla Jr., the father of beloved Tejano music legend Selena Quintanilla-Perez, has died at age 86, his family announced Saturday.
His son, Abraham “A.B.” Quintanilla III, announced his death on Instagram, writing: “It’s with a heavy heart to let you guys know that my Dad passed away today…”
Born Feb. 22, 1939, in Corpus Christi, Quintanilla first made his mark in music as a member of the singing group Los Dinos in the 1950s before stepping away from performing to focus on family.
Shaping a family legacy
Quintanilla is perhaps best known for recognizing his youngest daughter Selena’s extraordinary talent and forming the family band Selena y Los Dinos. He enlisted his son A.B. on bass and daughter Suzette on drums, guiding the group through the Tejano music circuit and eventually helping launch Selena’s rise to fame in the late 1980s and early 1990s…