Thirty years after her tragic death, Selena Quintanilla’s music and legacy continue to captivate audiences in El Paso, where she rose to fame with the support of local radio stations and DJs. Her broadcasts across the border reached fans from Juárez to Monterrey, thanks to powerful Spanish-language signals.
Local DJ Sammy Martinez remembers the impact of her early broadcasts: “We used to get letters from the entire Western Hemisphere because our station could be heard everywhere at night.” Martinez first met Selena at 13, when she performed as Selena y Los Dinos. He gave her airtime not because she was famous, but because he saw potential in her.
Selena’s music quickly gained popularity among listeners, including military service members overseas. Her performances drew massive crowds, and legends like Jesse Rios recall her determination: “In fact, when she went to Monterrey, after they came back, she was in my office a couple of days after that. And she was like, Jessie, there were so many people.”
The station played Selena’s music continuously as fans mourned the news of her death on March 31, 1995. Despite her untimely passing, her voice and spirit remain alive in El Paso. As Marco Lara, who worked behind the scenes during one of her performances, puts it: “Selena was loved by the El Paso audience. We loved her man. She was loved.”
Source: https://kfoxtv.com/news/local/selena-quintanillas-legacy-lives-on-in-el-pasos-airwaves-30-years-later-music-singer-song-writer-singing-concerts-radio