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In a poignant loss for the music world, Abraham Isaac Quintanilla Jr., the father of the iconic Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla, has passed away at the age of 86. As the patriarch of the musical family, Abraham was instrumental in the formation of Selena y Los Dinos and remained a steadfast guardian of his daughter’s enduring legacy.
His passing was announced by his son, Abraham “A.B.” Quintanilla III, who shared the news through an Instagram post on Saturday, December 13. “It’s with a heavy heart to let you guys know that my Dad passed away today,” A.B. wrote. The family has not disclosed the cause of death.
Abraham Quintanilla Jr. is survived by his wife, Marcella Quintanilla, and their three children: A.B., Suzette Quintanilla, and the late Selena. Selena’s tragic death in 1995 at the age of 23, at the hands of her fan club’s former president, remains a defining moment in the family’s history and the music industry at large.
“It’s with a heavy heart to let you guys know that my Dad passed away today,” A.B. wrote. No cause of death has been released.
Abraham was married to Marcella Quintanilla, and together they had three children: A.B., Suzette Quintanilla and Selena, who was killed in 1995 at age 23 by the former president of her fan club.
Since Selena’s death, Abraham continued to oversee her legacy and helped kept her memory alive through her fans.
A musician himself, Abraham founded and managed Selena y Los Dinos, the family band that launched Selena’s career. A.B. played bass, Suzette was the drummer, and Selena’s husband, Chris Pérez, later joined as guitarist. Before managing his children, Abraham performed in his own band, Los Dinos.
In a 2020 interview with People, A.B. said his father’s background in music helped him recognize Selena’s extraordinary talent early on.
“There are a lot of families who think, ‘My kids are talented, they sing, they’re awesome,’ but my dad, as a musician, saw something that we didn’t,” he said.
Following Selena’s death, Abraham remained closely involved in preserving her legacy, working on projects including Netflix’s “Selena: The Series” and the recent documentary “Selena y Los Dinos: A Family’s Legacy.”