Marcella Samora Biography: Who Is Selena’s Mother?

Marcella Samora is the mother of Selena Quintanilla, the popular Tejano singer who was tragically murdered in March 1995. Marcella was born Marcella Ofelia Samora on July 17, 1944. She has Mexican and Cherokee Indian roots. 

Undoubtedly, the parents of famous celebrities are often also launched into the limelight due to their children’s fame, and Marcella Samora is no exception. Marcella Samora is the mother of Selena, the late American singer who is regarded as one of the most celebrated Mexican-American entertainers of the late 20th century. Fondly referred to as the ‘Queen of Tejano music,’ Selena became one of the most exciting music stars of the early ’90s and charmed listeners all around the world. She also won awards and established herself as a music powerhouse.

Selena got so famous at the height of her powers as a musician that her family members, including her mother, became a target of the media and fans of the singer. Today, so many years after Selena’s death, her mother, Marcella Samora, is still being discussed by fans of the iconic songstress. Marcella Samora’s life story is quite an interesting one. From raising her daughter to becoming who she became to fighting for justice when the singer was killed, she is known to be a strong woman who loved her child beyond words.

How Old is Marcella Samora?

Marcella Samora is 79 years old as of 2024 and was born on July 17, 1944. There is a dearth of information about her early days, and thus, it is not clear exactly where she was born or what the circumstances surrounding her birth were. Also, details about the identity of her parents remain quite vague at the moment. Some sources have revealed that she was born to a Texan father and a mother from Colorado.

According to our findings, Samora’s father originated from Amarillo, a city in Texas, while her mother was born in Colorado. We also gathered that she has Mexican roots and is half-Cherokee Indian. Because information about Marcella Samora’s early days is not readily available to the public, details about where she grew up and what schools she went to remain vague at the moment.

We also do not have details about who her siblings are, if she is close to any of them, or if she is, in fact, an only child. However, we know that Marcella Samora spent some in Washington as an adult. What she did for a living in Washington is not very clear, But it was there that she met her husband, with whom she had her children.

Marcella Samora Has Been Abraham Quintanilla’s Wife For Over 5 Decades

Marcella Samora is a happily married woman who has shared a special bond with her husband for decades. Samora is married to Abraham Quintanilla, who happens to be an American singer, songwriter, producer, and former US Air Force personnel.

They have remained together since their marriage and have avoided any controversy over the years. Abraham Quintanilla is widely renowned for his musical prowess and for introducing his children to music through which they found their passion and excelled as musicians right from when they were kids.

Abraham Quintanilla, who was born on February 20, 1939, and is now 85 years old, fell in love with music in his teenage years and eventually joined a band called Los Dinos after dropping out of high school to pursue a career in music. Los Dinos found some success with their music, releasing hit singles, including ‘So Hard to Tell’ and ‘Give Me One Chance’ in 1959. In October 1961, Abraham Quintanilla got drafted into the United States Air Force and took some time off from making music.

After boot camp, he was stationed at McChord Air Force Base in Tacoma, Washington. He served in the Air Force until he was honorably discharged from active duty in November 1963. He consequently went back to making music and rejoined the Los Dinos band. He continued making music with the band until the late 1960s when he quit and began doing something else to support his family.

Samora And Her Husband, Abraham Quintanilla, Met in the 1960s

Marcella Samora and Abraham Quintanilla met each other in Washington in the early 1960s. Samora was living in Washington at the time, although it is not very clear what she was doing for work at the time. On his part, Quintanilla had just been stationed at McChord Air Force Base in Tacoma, Washington. It was while they were both in Washington that their parts crossed.

Details about how they got to meet each other for the first time have remained unclear. However, the couple apparently got attracted to each other and started talking when their parts crossed. Some reports say that this happened around 1961. The couple dated for a couple of years before they decided to settle down and become husband and wife.

According to our findings, Quintanilla and Samora got married on June 8, 1963. The venue of their marriage has not been revealed. However, we know that they have remained together since their marriage, meaning they have been married now for the past 60 years.

In the early 1970s, a few years after their marriage, Marcella Samora and her husband moved to Lake Jackson, Texas, where Quintanilla began working full-time to support his wife and children. He started by working for Dow Chemical, putting his passion for music aside. It is not very clear what Marcella herself did at the time. It was in Texas that they raised their children together.

All Marcella Samora’s Children Became Musicians

Marcella Samora and Abraham Quintanilla’s marriage produced three children whom they are very proud of. Incidentally, all their children became musicians just like their father. Their first child, a son called Abraham “A.B.” Quintanilla III, was born in 1963 while the couple was still living in Washington. Their second child, a daughter named Suzette Quintanilla, was born in 1967, this time in Texas.

Eventually, their last child, Selena, was born in 1971 in Texas. All their three children grew into very responsible, family-oriented adults who did very well for themselves. They all took after their father and went into music. Let’s take a look at how their lives panned out.

A.B. Quintanilla III

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Marcella Samora and Abraham Quintanilla welcomed their first son, A.B. Quintanilla III, on December 13, 1963. At that time, they were still in Washington, and Abraham Quintanilla had just been honorably discharged from the US Air Force. However, just one month after that, the family relocated to Texas and settled in Corpus Christi, a city in the state.

A.B. Quintanilla III took an interest in making music when he was little, especially because he watched his father sing and heard lots of music in the house. Eventually, his father taught him how to play the guitar and bass. Soon, he was introduced to ‘Selena y Los Dinos,’ a band formed by his father and included his two sisters, Selena and Suzette, as band members.

Apart from being a singer and instrumentalist for the band, A.B. Quintanilla III also learned how to produce music and eventually became a music producer for Selena when she went solo. In fact, he helped her produce some of her hit songs, including “Como la Flor” (“Like the Flower”) and “Amor Prohibido” (“Forbidden Love”). In 1995, Selena was murdered, and this completely devastated A.B. Quintanilla.

He was so shattered that he stopped making music for some time. However, in 1999, years after Selena y Los Dinos had been disbanded following Selena’s death, A.B. Quintanilla III bounced back and created another band called the Kumbia Kings. The group, which mixed cumbia and pop music, found success and went on an international tour, producing several CDs and participating in such shows as Cristina Saralegui’s El Show de Cristina. Quintanilla has also produced for such entertainers as Thalía, Alicia Villarreal, Verónica Castro, and Cristian Castro.

In 2006, he left Kumbia Kings and formed another group called Kumbia All Starz alongside new members and ex-Kumbia Kings Chris Pérez, his brother-in-law, and Pee Wee. This new group found lots of success, released hit songs, and became immensely popular in South America, especially in Bolivia. In 2016, A. B. Quintanilla signed with DEL Records and formed Elektro Kumbia the same year. Today, he is still producing music and has made his parents extremely proud of his accomplishments.

Suzette Quintanilla

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Marcella Samora and her husband welcomed their second child, Suzette Quintanilla, on June 29, 1967. By this time, they were already settled in Texas after leaving Washington. So, Suzette was born in Texas. At the moment, she is 56 years old. Like her older brother, A.B. Quintanilla, Suzette Quintanilla also developed an interest in music when she was very little and was taught how to beat drums by her father.

She was then introduced to the band ‘Selena y Los Dinos,’ where she performed alongside her siblings A.B. Quintanilla and Selena Quintanilla. Suzette was their drummer and was very good at what she did. Suzette was very passionate about drumming and, even today, she recalls those days in the band as some of the best days of her life when she performed alongside her siblings.

However, in 1995, things came crashing down when Selena, who was the leader of the band, was brutally murdered. Suzette was so heartbroken that she decided to stop drumming altogether. Today, Suzette no longer drums or does anything musically. However, she has focused on preserving her sister Selena’s legacy. Suzette is now the CEO and president of Q Productions, the official Selena website.

She also oversees the Quintanilla family’s record company. Suzette is also active as the manager of the Selena Museum in their native town of Corpus Christi in Texas. She also coordinates the licensing for ventures like the best-selling Selena MAC Cosmetics collection. Suzette has been behind the organizing of various Selena tribute concerts over the years.

In 2020, she organized a tribute that was scheduled for May 2020, almost exactly 25 years after Selena’s death. However, the concert was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All over Suzette’s Instagram page, photos and videos of Selena are seen, signifying how much she has dedicated her life to preserving her sister’s legacy.

Selena Quintanilla

Selena is Marcella Samora and Abraham Quintanilla’s last child. However, she is by far the most popular and successful family member. Selena was born on April 16, 1971. It was also in Texas that she was raised alongside her siblings. According to our findings, Marcella Samora and her husband raised Selena and their other children as Jehovah’s Witnesses. The circumstances surrounding Selena’s birth are quite interesting.

When Marcella Samora became pregnant with the singer, she fell sick but didn’t know she was pregnant at first. When they went to the hospital, a doctor told them that she had a tumor that needed to be removed via surgery immediately. However, before they agreed to have surgery, Samora and her husband decided to visit another doctor for his opinion, and this second doctor told them that she had no tumor but was pregnant. Marcella Samora and her husband were overjoyed. Selena was born soon after.

Like her other siblings, Selena developed an interest in music when she was very little. Her father, Abraham Quintanilla, noticed her musical abilities when she was six years old and quickly nurtured her talent. He eventually introduced her to the band Selena y Los Dinos, which translates to ‘Selena and The Guys.’ Selena was to sing while A.B. Quintanilla played the guitar and bass, and Suzette Quintanilla played the drums.

At first, the band struggled to gain acceptance; however, Selena’s unique voice and incredible stage presence became irresistible, and they started to gain popularity. Selena’s popularity kept growing massively, and in 1987, she emerged as the winner of the Tejano Music Award for Female Vocalist of The Year, making her one of the most exciting artists at the time. Two years later, in 1989, she signed with EMI Latin, a brand of Universal Music Latin Entertainment.

She released her self-titled debut album the same year. Around that time, her brother, A.B. Quintanilla, became her principal music producer and songwriter. As her popularity grew, Selena released her third studio album, Entre a Mi Mundo, in 1992. It found huge success, peaking at number one on the US Billboard Regional Mexican Albums chart for eight consecutive months. Because of the album’s commercial success, many music critics labeled it the “breakthrough” recording of her musical career.

In fact, one of the album’s singles, “Como la Flor,” became one of her most popular signature songs ever. In 1993, she released Live!, a live album. The album also became hugely successful. In fact, the album eventually won the Best Mexican/American Album at the 1994 Grammy Awards, and this made it the first recording by a female Tejano artist to win a Grammy. The following year in 1994, she put out her single, Amor Prohibido, which became incredibly big.

As a matter of fact, the song became one of the best-selling Latin albums in the United States. The best-selling song has also been critically acclaimed as being responsible for Tejano music’s first marketable era. Selena’s incredible contributions to music and her fashion sense have turned her into one of the most celebrated Mexican-American entertainers of the late 20th century.

Sadly, on March 31, 1995, Selena was murdered. The singer was shot and killed by a woman called Yolanda Saldívar. Shockingly, Saldívar was Selena’s close friend and confidant. Saldívar was even the former manager of Selena’s boutique, salon, and clothing store called Selena Etc. Boutiques.

How Selena’s Tragic Death Shattered The Family

When Selena was murdered, Marcella Samora was completely desolate. The sad development shook her to her very bone marrow and left her feeling empty for a long time. As expected, the whole Quintanilla family was left shattered. It was a blow they never saw coming. She was the family’s biggest superstar who was only starting to blow out across the world, and then she was suddenly gone.

The tragic death of Selena led to the disbandment of the band Selena y Los Dinos because her sister, Suzette, decided to stop playing drums, and her brother, A.B. Quintanilla, stopped making music for some time following the shock of his sister’s death. The tragic incident was too traumatic for them to handle.

Also, fans were so devastated that for many weeks after her death, Selena’s songs dominated the charts, and she was the main topic of discussion in the media. Fans were also so enraged that they asked for the head of Selena’s killer, Yolanda Saldívar. The situation was so grave that Saldívar had to be protected closely by the police.

How Justice Was Served

After Selena was brutally murdered, her killer, Yolanda Saldívar, tried to escape from the crime scene. But she was cornered by police and told to surrender. When she realized she had been cornered and had no place to escape to, she threatened to kill herself after locking herself up in her car. However, police officers were able to convince her to give herself up.

Saldívar was eventually taken to court and was placed on a criminal trial held at the Harris County Criminal Courthouse in Downtown Houston, in the U.S. state of Texas. The trial attracted so much media attention and is hailed as one of the most publicly followed trials in the history of the state of Texas. Saldívar pleaded not guilty during the trial and explained that the shooting was accidental.

Marcella Samora and her family monitored the trial and ensured justice was served. During the trial, several witnesses were called, including Selena’s father, Abraham Quintanilla, and her widower, Chris Chris Pérez. Eventually, Yolanda Saldívar was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison with possible parole after 30 years. Justice had been served, and Selena’s family found some solace in that.

Where is Marcella Samora Now?

Marcella Samora presently lives in the United States, and she and her family have worked very hard to ensure that the memory and her daughter’s legacy are kept alive. In May 1995, some months after Selena’s death, Samora and her family started The Selena Foundation in memory of Selena. The foundation was founded as a charitable organization that assists children in crisis. The non-profit organization encourages young and underprivileged children to take their education seriously and work hard to become better human beings.

In 1997, Abraham Quintanilla served as a co-producer of Selena, a biographical musical drama film about the life and career of Selena before she was tragically murdered. On her part, Suzette Quintanilla has worked extremely hard to keep her sister’s legacy burning as she is now the CEO and president of Q Productions, the official Selena website, and also serves as the manager of the Selena Museum in Corpus Christi in Texas, where Selena’s items are on display. She has also organized concerts in honor of Selena.

The family has bonded harmoniously to ensure that Selena and what she stood for are not forgotten by newer generations. On November 3, 2017, Selena was honored posthumously with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood, California. That day, the entire Quintanilla family came together for the ceremony, including Selena’s widower, Chris Pérez.

FAQs about Marcella Samora

Who is Marcella Samora?

Marcella Samora is the mother of Selena Quintanilla and the wife of Abraham Quintanilla.

How Old is Marcella Samora?

Marcella Samora is 79 years old in 2024. She was born on July 17, 1944, and her zodiac sign is Cancer.

How Many Children Does Marcella Samora Have?

Marcella Samora has three children, namely Abraham Quintanilla III, Suzette Quintanilla, and Selena Quintanilla (1971 – 1995).

What is Marcella Samora’s Net Worth?

Marcella Samora’s net worth is $1 million as of 2024. She likely was one of the persons who inherited her daughter’s estate after the young lady died.

How Tall is Marcella Samora?

Marcella Samora is 5 feet 5 inches or 165 cm tall.