Selena, 16 Years Later

Here’s the thing, along with  commemorating the official Cesar Chavez Day, today is also the anniversary of the day that Tejano singer Selena died.

There have been more Twitter and Facebook posts about Selena today than about Cesar. I’m not about to give an unsolicited opinion or comment about that, but I’m not surprised. Selena was  a Tejano pop star: Jennifer Lopez and Edward James Olmos made a movie about her. Chavez doesn’t rank as a pop icon, and that may explain the difference.

But this isn’t to minimize Selena, her talent or her fan base. In fact, back in 1995 I wrote a piece for the San Antonio Express-News about the outpouring of grief and affection after the singer’s sudden, violent and untimely death. I remember the spontaneous memorials that appeared across the country; the impromptu gathering of people in the streets, home made signs, blaring of her music. I wrote the piece as an explanation for people who may not have understood the outpouring of affection.

That piece was reprinted in a paperback biography and has since taken a life of its own on the internet.

HERE‘s a link to that piece.

And here’s one of the few Selena videos that hasn’t been blocked on the webs by EMI. It’s not a complete song and it’s live version of my favorite Selena ditty: La Carcacha. My brother and I drove a carcacha when we were teen agers, a ’69 Galaxy that didn’t go in reverse.

Follow Victor Landa on Twitter: @vlanda
[Photo by hellboy_93]

[Video credit: Tejano2DaBone]