Watch: Celebrity Deaths: 2025's Fallen StarsSelena Quintanilla's family is bidding farewell to their beloved patriarch. The late Tejano music icon's father Abraham Quintanilla, who was instrumental in forming his children's band Selena y Los Dinos, died Dec. 13. He was 86. Abraham's son Abraham "A.B." Quintanilla III confirmed the news on Instagram, writing alongside a photo of his dad, "It's with a heavy heart to let you guys know that my Dad passed away today..." Further details on his passing, including a cause of death, have not been shared. Born in Corpus Christi, Texas, Abraham pursued a career in music in the singing group Los Dinos, though he left the band in the late 1960s to raise his family with wife Marcella Quintanilla. Upon discovering his daughter's singing ability, he encouraged his kids to play music together-despite their initial resistance-with A.B. on bass, Selena on vocals and Suzette Quintanilla on drums. As Selena y Los Dinos' popularity in the Latin music world grew, Abraham continued to serve as the band's manager, playing a key role in their decision-making and creative direction until Selena was shot and killed in 1995, at which point the group disbanded.readSelena Quintanilla's Husband Chris Pérez Reveals His Relationship With Her Family 30 Years LaterIn the years since the tragedy, Abraham played a key role in preserving Selena's legacy through personal highs and lows. After famously disapproving of the Grammy winner's relationship with her guitarist Chris Pérez before eventually accepting their romance, the two publicly fell out in 2016 over a TV series Chris wanted to produce about his late wife, though they managed to resolve the conflict five years later.
Larry Busacca/Getty Images; Capture Pix/ShutterstockAbraham most recently appeared in the Netflix documentary Selena y Los Dinos, released in November, where he spoke about his late daughter's life and impact. He was also portrayed in the 1997 biopic Selena by Edward James Olmos, and later in the TV drama Selena: The Series-which aired for two seasons from 2020 to 2021-by Ricardo Chariva.
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App Watch: Celebrity Deaths: 2025's Fallen StarsSelena Quintanilla's family is bidding farewell to their beloved patriarch. The late Tejano music icon's father Abraham Quintanilla, who was instrumental in forming his children's band Selena y Los Dinos, died Dec. 13. He was 86. Abraham's son Abraham "A.B." Quintanilla III confirmed the news on Instagram, writing alongside a photo of his dad, "It's with a heavy heart to let you guys know that my Dad passed away today..." Further details on his passing, including a cause of death, have not been shared. Born in Corpus Christi, Texas, Abraham pursued a career in music in the singing group Los Dinos, though he left the band in the late 1960s to raise his family with wife Marcella Quintanilla. Upon discovering his daughter's singing ability, he encouraged his kids to play music together-despite their initial resistance-with A.B. on bass, Selena on vocals and Suzette Quintanilla on drums. As Selena y Los Dinos' popularity in the Latin music world grew, Abraham continued to serve as the band's manager, playing a key role in their decision-making and creative direction until Selena was shot and killed in 1995, at which point the group disbanded.readSelena Quintanilla's Husband Chris Pérez Reveals His Relationship With Her Family 30 Years LaterIn the years since the tragedy, Abraham played a key role in preserving Selena's legacy through personal highs and lows. After famously disapproving of the Grammy winner's relationship with her guitarist Chris Pérez before eventually accepting their romance, the two publicly fell out in 2016 over a TV series Chris wanted to produce about his late wife, though they managed to resolve the conflict five years later.
Larry Busacca/Getty Images; Capture Pix/ShutterstockAbraham most recently appeared in the Netflix documentary Selena y Los Dinos, released in November, where he spoke about his late daughter's life and impact. He was also portrayed in the 1997 biopic Selena by Edward James Olmos, and later in the TV drama Selena: The Series-which aired for two seasons from 2020 to 2021-by Ricardo Chariva.
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