I took off for Corpus Christi on Sunday afternoon. I left Kentucky and
the 20 degree Fahrenheit weather behind. In Corpus it was 78 degree
Fahrenheit and it stayed that way the entire 4 days I was there -without
a cloud in the sky!
Why was did I travel to Corpus Christi?
To see the place where my favorite female singer Selena lived! And visit
her memorials and her museum.
The first place I went to was Selena’s gravesite. Not knowing exactly
where it was, I drove around for ten minutes, but couldn’t find it. When
I finally did locate it, access to it was blocked off by burial service
-- so I left and went to the museum.
I arrived at the museum around 2:00 pm. I was met in the lobby by a
wonderfully nice person, whose name was Delores. I think she told me she
had been there since around 1993. She was a very nice lady. We talked
for about 15 minutes.
Then I headed down the hallway into the heart of the museum. There were
many of Selena's costumes, letters from celebrities, her Grammy Award,
her Faberge egg collection and many other things concerning her life!
There was also a video of Selena playing as well. It was very well done!
It was obvious that it was put together with a great deal of love.
After about 30 minutes, I went back to the lobby. I was asked Delores if
Mr. Quintanilla was around. Right after I asked, he walked through the
door!
I introduced myself. He was very gracious! He asked me if I’d like to
see the studio upstairs. I said “absolutely”!
He called, I believe his name was Joe, and Joe took me upstairs. The
first studio we went to was the one where Selena recorded. You can see
this studio in the movie when Abraham (James Edward Olmos) tells Selena
(Jennifer Lopez) “we got gold”.
I passed some employees along the way. I saw Suzette at one of the
computers!
We then went to another studio. A gentleman by the name of Brian Moore
was there. He told me some great stories. He had the Grammy he won on
the sound mixing console!
He had recorded Selena since the age of 13. You can see Brian briefly in
the movie. He’s in the control room when Jennifer Lopez is singing “I
Could Fall In Love”. (I’m sure diehard Selena fans know this already.)
Selena recorded “I Could Fall In Love” in Nashville I believe. “Dreaming
Of You” was recorded at Q productions during the making of the English
Album.
There was also a spacious concert type hall at the museum. It’s used for
concerts and videos. On the wall are the original letters
S E L E N A that they used in the Astrodome scenes.
I then went to the gift shop to get some things for a couple of fans
back home. After that, it was back to the gravesite, where I was able to
get through this time and visit the Selena’s gravesite. As all the fans
know it is a beautiful memorial. I took some photos. I visit it again
later before I left to come back home.
It’s a beautiful cemetery. It’s on Ocean Drive. It was a very short
drive from where I was staying on the Omni Bayfront. I actually could
see where the Selena Memorial Statue was from my baloney. I took some
photos of that as well.
I went back a couple of days later to the museum to thank them again. I
thanked Delores and everyone else for their hospitality. I also dropped
something off for the Selena Foundation.
Everyone was so very nice. I can’t emphasize that enough. I will
probably go back again soon.
Corpus Christi was a very nice place to visit, and I enjoyed it very
much.
I only wish, as I am sure everyone does, that I could have visited the
studio and met and watched Selena record.
I have been a Selena fan since the mid 90's. Even though I do not speak
Spanish, her music is universal. I really love her music. She sang with
such feeling and conviction!
She reminds me a lot of my other favorite performer, Elvis Presley. I
was lucky enough to see Elvis in concert. He exuded the same good
feelings towards his fans. It was like they were singing directly to
you!!
Another thing I love about Selena was how much she loved her
fans. She always made time for them and she never refused an autograph.
Selena was destined to do some great things in her life.
She had it all.
A great voice, stunning looks, amazing dance moves…she would have been a
huge star.
.jpg "Night approaches in Corpus Christi")