Welcome to Dreaming Of You: A Tribute to Selena...
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Welcome to Dreaming Of You: A Tribute to Selena...
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_________________________________ Selena's Triumphant Final Performances: On February 26, 1995, the Houston Astrodome was packed with fans waiting to see her. Selena was about to perform to a record crowd of over 61,000 people. Selena performed twice before at this venue, but this time was the most memorable. This time was her last... Tejano singer Emilio opened for Selena. After his performance had finished The Queen of Tejano walked out into the stadium, and was placed on an elegant horse carriage and was going to be carried to her throne, the stage. The carriage carried her past her screaming fans, she waived at them adoringly. The fans were what made Selena who she was, she knew this and that's why she loved them so much.
Above: Selena performs at The Houston Astrodome for the last time on February 26, 1995. Selena went on stage and opened her performance with her now historic "Disco Medley", and then naturally shifted to her Tejano hits from her Spanish albums. Selena was were she loved the most: on stage. After an hour of singing she walked off Astrodome stage for the last time to the cheers of her beloved fans. This Houston Astrodome Concert would be the most famous Selena concert ever... Selena performed for the last time in Chicago's Amphitheater to 19,000 people, on March 19, 1995. Her 30-min performance was as energetic as always. She walked off the stage and was gone forever. At the end of her Astrodome concert, before singing "Como La Flor", Selena gave her fans a haunting message: "I hope you'll remember this song", and before she walked off the stage she said, "Ill see you again soon!". She never did... _________________________________ March 31, 1995, Black Friday; On Friday March 31, 1995, a shocking news story was on all the Television stations... "A young singer, who Mexican-American Teenagers in this country compared to Madonna was shot and killed in Corpus Christi today..", announced Peter Jennings to a shocked latin music world. Selena was being launched to world-wide celebrity status, but not the way it should have been. The tragic events where reported on every channel that day. Selena was murdered by the woman who was the president of her fan club and manager of her boutiques. She went to fire her at the motel she was staying at because she and her father discovered that she was systematically stealing money from Selena. The fact that the singer was betrayed by someone who she trusted whole-heartedly was too much, Selena fired her that day. The woman's life was shattered because she dedicated her whole life to Selena, and she was obsessed with her. Knowing in advance that this event was inevitable, the woman purchased a gun a few weeks before. With it she cowardly silenced Selena's voice forever, by shooting her in the back as she was leaving the hotel room.
Above: One of the many Candle light vigils held for Selena on March 31, 1995, where thousands of fans cried for her. That day was one of the darkest days in music history, Selena had been stolen from her fans and she was stolen to all those millions that would have been her ardent fans. Candle light vigils were held in Selena's honor in Mexico, Central and South America where she was loved. In the U.S fans expressed their emotion in locations such as: Hollywood, where shrines were built in her honor, and places through out the southwest. Selena, was gone forever. The 23 years of life full of hard work, determination and success had ended. All of her dreams of becoming a world-wide sensation where stolen from her, shattered by a psychotic individual. And now her family and fans had to go on without her... _________________________________ The Final Good-Bye, and the Aftermath: A closed casket visitation for her fans was held in the Bayfront Plaza by the Corpus Christi Shore. More than 50,000 fans visited her that day. She was laid to rest on April 3, 1995. Her father, mother, sister, brother and husband, one-by-one placed a single white rose on her casket, followed by the multitude in attendance. Selena's favorite flower was the white rose, many today compare her beauty and elegance to it. Selena's funeral was private, only for her family and friends. She was paid tribute to as a daughter and not a celebrity.
Above: "Dreaming Of You" became the first Latin Album to debut @ #1 on the Billboard 200. Selena also became the first artist to chart 4 albums at the same time. In July of 1995, Selena's incomplete crossover album was released. "Dreaming Of You" contained the four songs Selena was able to complete and some remixed versions of her classics. The album became a HOT SHOT DEBUT ALBUM on the Billboard 200. Selena had become the first artist ever to debut a Latin CD @ #1, and she became the fastest selling female artist in history, surpassing Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. This album sold in one day, what Mariah Carey's album sold in one week. The album became multi-platinum before the year was out, selling over 3,000,000 copies. It was still charted on the Billboard 200 in 1999. It was also in 1995, that Selena charted 4 albums at the same time on the Billboard 200, which was something that no other artist in history was able to accomplish. But her posthumous accomplishments did not end there... _________________________________ Selena's Posthumous Accomplishments: Selena was no longer here with us, but her talent and inspiration was. Many people discovered her on the news stations as news anchors were giving the terrible news. Many others discovered her when People Magazine made a "PEOPLE TRIBUTE" issue dedicated to Selena. It sold close to 2,000,000 copies, becoming the most popular "PEOPLE TRIBUTE ISSUE", which it is still today. This accomplishment spawned not only People Magazine, but almost all magazines to create a Spanish Language Division of their magazine. People En Espanol, was born in the Fall of 1996, because of Selena.
Above: People Magazine paid tribute to Selena by releasing a Tribute Issue dedicated entirely to her. She became the first hispanic to graze the cover of such an issue. Shortly after her death, in the U.S Senate, the Senator from Texas spoke in honor of Selena and how much of a loss she was to the youth of America. The U.S Senate then held a moment of silence for the singer. And on April 16, 1995, what would have been Selena's 24th Birthday, the 43rd President George W. Bush proclaimed that day to be "Selena Day" in Texas, in honor of all her accomplishments in her career and her community involvement. In 1997, "Selena" a motion picture of her life was released in over 1,700 theaters across the U.S, and thousands more across the world. It became one of the most successful Latino Movies in history. And in 2001 "Selena: Celebration Of Life" will premiere in Hollywood to continue on her legacy. In 1997, Corpus Christi, built for her a $600,000 monument on the bayfront, called "Overlook Of The Flower", their fans flock to be close to Selena again. And they re-named the Bayfront Auditorium into "The Selena Auditorium", in Selena's memory. The Q-Productions Building, her family's business, also houses the Selena Museum, where hundreds of fans visit each week.
Above: Selena putting the finishing touches to a stage costume she would never wear. Selena's sister continues Selena's dream of being a fashion entrepreneur. Both Selena Etc Boutiques are still operational, under Suzettes supervision. Below:
The Selena Monument in Corpus Christi "La Mirador De La Flor" at the
People St. T-Head Entrance. The statue
was unveiled in a ceremony in May of 1997. Her
family established "The Selena Foundation", in order to help
Hispanic Youth stay in school and fulfill their dreams. Selena's sister took
over the Selena Etc, Inc business. The "SELENA" label is now
internationally known and sold in J.C Penny's and Sears in the U.S and in
other countries. Her Brother, A.B continued on. He began producing #1 songs for
other Latin artists and in 1999 his debut CD with his new band, Los Kumbia Kings
was released. Her mother continues to answer fan mail, and understandably, no
longer gives interviews to the press. Her husband now has The Chris Perez Band
and has won a Grammy.
Above: Selena's Posthumous Albums continue to carry on her legacy. "The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" (1997), "Anthology" (1998) and "All My Hits - Todos Mis Exitos Vol.2" (2000) are just a few of the #1 albums released since Selena's death. And her father, the person that made Selena the star she was, now dedicates his life in maintaining and defending his daughters legacy. He now runs, Q-Productions, Inc, a production studio which opened in 1994. He manages 5 or 6 groups including The Kumbia Kings. Every year since the tragedy, Abraham Quintanilla and Jose Behar with the help of their staff assemble a beautiful musical tribute to Selena. Every single year since 1995, a new Selena compilation CD is released. Each CD has reached #1 on the Billboard Latin 50 and has turned at least Gold Record Status. Selena was also inducted to the Latin Music Hall of Fame, and in 1999 Billboard Magazine named her the "Highest Selling Latin Artist of The Decade", and most recently, in 2000, she was named "One of the top 10 Latin Artist of The Year". Selena was now an important figure in the music world. All of her dreams were coming true, but she still was not there to see it. _________________________________ To Be Remembered Forever: It is not often that a special person, such as Selena, is able to accomplish so much in such a short life. She made Mexicans proud that she was triumphing and will soon become one of the biggest stars in the world. Selena was humble, caring, kind and believed in God. In other words, something that not too many artists are now a days. The Mexican community no longer has someone like that to look-up to. That's why we will never forget Selena, because she we can't afford to forget her, she was too special to loose. There will never be another, so we have to keep the one we had, or have. John Ortiz, from EMI Latin, spoke after Selena's death about what her future had in store for Selena. He said, "Selena would have gone places, where all other artists could only dream of". To millions of fans around the world, she already is there. _________________________________ Selena: The American Dream Page Five... _________________________________ NOTE: All information above was taken from press materials, and is believed to be accurate. If you see something that you know is NOT accurate, please email the correct information to the webmaster. Thank You.
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