Abraham Quintanilla Jr., the patriarch behind one of the most influential Latin music families of the last century and father of the late Tejano superstar Selena Quintanilla, has died. He was 86 years old.
The news was shared on Saturday, December 13, by his son, music producer Abraham “AB” Quintanilla III, in a instagram post honoring his father’s life.
“It is with great sadness to let you know that my dad passed away today,” AB wrote, along with a photo of Quintanilla Jr. with Pedro Infante’s classic song “Cien Años.”
In this Nov. 3, 2017 file photo, Selena’s widower Chris Perez, Selena’s brother AB Quintanilla III, Selena’s sister Suzette Quintanilla, and Selena’s parents Marcella Samora and Abraham Quintanilla Jr. attend singer Selena Quintanilla’s posthumous honoring with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood, California.
David Livingston/Getty Images, FILE
Quintanilla Jr. is widely remembered for his central role in shaping the career of Selena, who rose to international fame in the early 1990s and became a defining voice of Tejano and Latin pop music.
As a representative of the family, he guided Selena and her band, and was portrayed by Edward James Olmos in the film “Selena,” starring Jennifer Lopez.
Additional details about his death were not immediately released.
