A.B. Quintanilla

(Redirected from A.B. Quintanilla III)

Abraham Isaac Quintanilla III (born December 13, 1963), known professionally as A.B. Quintanilla III or A.B. Quintanilla, is an American record producer, songwriter and musician.[1][2] Called the "King of Kumbia" (or "King of Cumbia") due to his influence and impact on the cumbia music genre, he is the older brother of singer Selena, known as the "Queen of Tejano Music", having produced and written many of her hit songs throughout her career, is the creator and founder of the bands Kumbia Kings and Kumbia All Starz, also having produced and written their hit songs as well as performing as a member of both, and has contributed, produced and written many songs for other artists.[3][4][5][6][7][8][A]

A.B. Quintanilla III
Quintanilla in 2022
Born
Abraham Isaac Quintanilla III

(1963-12-13) December 13, 1963 (age 60)
Other names
  • A.B. Quintanilla III
  • A.B. Quintanilla 3
  • A.B. Quintanilla
  • ABC Quintanilla III
  • Ibrahim L. Calderón
  • DJ Ibrahim
  • King of Kumbia
  • King of Cumbia
Occupations
  • Record producer
  • songwriter
  • musician
Spouses
Evangelina "Vangie" Almeida
(m. 1988⁠–⁠2000)
Heather Grein
(m. 2002⁠–⁠2004)
Brenda Ramírez
(m. 2004⁠–⁠2009)
Rikkie Leigh Robertson
(m. 2011⁠–⁠2017)
Angela Orellano
(m. 2019)
PartnerSummer Clary (1999–2000)
Children7
Parent(s)Abraham Isaac Quintanilla Jr. (father)
Marcella Ofelia Samora (mother)
RelativesSuzette Quintanilla (sister)
Selena Quintanilla (sister)
Chris Pérez (brother-in-law)
Bill Arrigara (brother-in-law)
AwardsSee below
Musical career
OriginLake Jackson, Texas, U.S.
Genres
Instrument(s)
  • Bass guitar
  • guitar
  • backing vocals
Years active1981–present
Labels
Member ofKumbia All Starz
Formerly ofLos Dinos
Kumbia Kings
Websitewww.abquintanilla3.com

Along with Selena, his other sister Suzette, and his father Abraham, he became a member of Los Dinos in 1980. As a member of Los Dinos, A.B. played bass guitar, produced, and wrote songs for Selena that became successful singles such as "Como la Flor", "Amor Prohibido" and "No Me Queda Más".[9] After Selena's death, he would create the bands Kumbia Kings and Kumbia All Starz.

Early life edit

Abraham Isaac Quintanilla III was born on December 13, 1963, in Toppenish, Washington.[10] He is the oldest child of Abraham Isaac Quintanilla Jr. and Marcella Ofelia Quintanilla (née Samora); and the older brother of Suzette Quintanilla and the late Selena Quintanilla.[11][12][13][14] Shortly after he was born, Quintanilla and his parents would move to Lake Jackson, Texas, where he would be raised there and where his two younger sisters were born.

Career edit

While living in Lake Jackson, Texas, A.B. learned to play the guitar and bass. Alongside Selena, his sister Suzette, and their father, Abraham, he became a member of the successful band Los Dinos. A.B. also became Selena's producer.

He co-wrote Selena's hit songs like "Como la Flor" ("Like the Flower") and "Amor Prohibido" ("Forbidden Love").

A.B.'s sister, Selena, was murdered on March 31, 1995, which greatly devastated him. He helped produce "Como Te Extraño" ("How I Miss You") by Pedro "Pete" Astudillo, which was written for Selena as well as Astudillo's late grandmother. The song earned Astudillo a Premios Lo Nuestro award for Best Song of the Year in 1996.[15]

A.B. Quintanilla later resurfaced in 1999 by creating the Kumbia Kings, which mixed cumbia and pop music. The Kumbia Kings went on an international tour, had several CD releases and participated on such shows as Cristina Saralegui's El Show de Cristina. Quintanilla also produced for such entertainers as Thalía, Alicia Villarreal, Verónica Castro and Cristian Castro.

He produced and arranged the 2004 album, A.B. Quintanilla III Presents Joe Lopez, which includes "Cuando Estoy Contigo" ("When I Am with You") and "Soy Tan Feliz" ("I'm So Happy"), co-written by Quintanilla and Luigi Giraldo.

A.B. Quintanilla left Kumbia Kings in mid-2006. A.B., along with new members and ex-Kumbia Kings Chris Pérez (A.B.'s brother-in-law, Selena's widower) and Pee Wee; started the group Kumbia All Starz in 2006. This new group had hits such as "Chiquilla", "Parece Que Va a Llover", and "Speedy Gonzales". The Kumbia All Starz have become immensely popular in South America, especially in Bolivia, where they performed a series of concerts in 2014.

A.B. Quintanilla signed with DEL Records and would reform and rename Kumbia All Starz to a new band called Elektro Kumbia in 2016.[16] In 2017, they released a single called "Piña Colada Shot".[17] The band would change the name back from Elektro Kumbia to Kumbia All Starz in late 2017.

In media edit

In the 1997 film Selena, Quintanilla was played by Jacob Vargas, while Rafael Tamayo played him as a child. In the 2020 Netflix TV series Selena: The Series, he was played by Gabriel Chavarria, while Juan Martinez played him as a child.

Personal life edit

A.B. Quintanilla has seven biological children, six sons and one daughter, born between 1989 and 2007, and had a stepdaughter during his third marriage. He has a daughter Martika Quintanilla (born September 21, 1989) and a son Svani Quintanilla (born November 27, 1990) with his first wife Vangie Almeida.[18] He also has one grandchild.[citation needed]

He married Rikkie Leigh Robertson on November 4, 2011.[19] On July 5, 2016, he announced after a concert that he was getting divorced from his wife.[citation needed] The divorced finalized in September 2017. They have no children together.

Quintanilla married Angela Orellano, also known as Anjelah Orellano, an Argentinian woman, on September 16, 2019, in Las Vegas.[20]

Discography edit

Albums with Selena
Albums with Kumbia Kings
Albums with Kumbia All Starz

Awards and nominations edit

Year Award Category Work Result
1999 Tejano Music Awards Song of the Year "Te Quiero, Te Amo" (performed by David Lee Garza) (written by A.B. Quintanilla III) Won
2000 Tejano Music Awards Album of the Year – Group Amor, Familia y Respeto Won
Most Promising Band of the Year A.B. Quintanilla III and Kumbia Kings Won
Showband of the Year Won
Tejano Crossover "Azúcar" Won
Billboard Latin Music Awards Pop Album of the Year, Group Amor, Familia y Respeto Nominated
Pop Album of the Year, New Artist Won
Premio Lo Nuestro Regional Mexican Group of the Year A.B. Quintanilla III and Kumbia Kings Nominated
Regional Mexican New Artist of the Year Won
Latin Grammy Awards Best Tejano Album Amor, Familia y Respeto Nominated
2001 Tejano Music Awards Showband of the Year A.B. Quintanilla III and Kumbia Kings Won
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards Favorite Group – Latino Nominated
Latin Grammy Awards Best Tejano Album Shhh! Nominated
2002 Premio Lo Nuestro Regional Mexican Group of the Year A.B. Quintanilla III and Kumbia Kings Nominated
Tejano Performance Nominated
Video of the Year "Shhh!" Nominated
Tejano Music Awards Album of the Year – Group Shhh! Won
Crossover Song of the Year "Shhh! (Remix)" Won
Showband of the Year A.B. Quintanilla III and Kumbia Kings Won
Billboard Latin Music Awards Pop Album of the Year, Group Shhh! Won
Top Latin Albums Artist of the Year A.B. Quintanilla III and Kumbia Kings Nominated
2003 Tejano Music Awards Male Entertainer of the Year A.B. Quintanilla III Won
Showband of the Year A.B. Quintanilla III and Kumbia Kings Won
Latin Grammy Awards Best Pop Album by a Duo/Group with Vocals 4 Nominated
Best Regional Mexican Song "Ay! Papacito" (Límite) (with Alicia Villarreal) Nominated
American Music Awards Favorite Latin Artist A.B. Quintanilla III and Kumbia Kings Nominated
2004 Premio Lo Nuestro Regional Mexican Group of the Year A.B. Quintanilla III and Kumbia Kings, Juan Gabriel, El Gran Silencio Won
Regional Mexican Song of the Year "No Tengo Dinero" (with Juan Gabriel and El Gran Silencio) Won
Billboard Latin Music Awards Latin Pop Album of the Year, Duo or Group 4 Won
Premios Juventud Dynamic Duo Thalía with A.B. Quintanilla III and Kumbia Kings Nominated
Best Moves A.B. Quintanilla III and Kumbia Kings Nominated
Best Re-Mix "No Tengo Dinero" (with Juan Gabriel and El Gran Silencio) Nominated
Party Starter "Sabes a Chocolate" Nominated
2005 Billboard Latin Music Awards Latin Pop Album of the Year, Duo or Group Fuego Won
Premios Juventud I Hear Them Everywhere A.B. Quintanilla III and Kumbia Kings Nominated
Favorite Urban Artist Nominated
Latin Grammy Awards Best Regional Mexican Song "Na Na Na (Dulce Niña)" (with Cruz Martínez and Luigi Giraldo) Nominated
Best Engineered Album Fuego (Seth Atkins, Javier Garza, Cruz Martínez and Robert "Bobbo" Gómez III) Nominated
2006 Premio Lo Nuestro Pop Album of the Year Fuego Nominated
Pop Group of the Year A.B. Quintanilla III and Kumbia Kings Nominated
Premios MTV Latinoamérica MTV Tr3́s Viewer's Choice Award Nominated
Latin Grammy Awards Best Tropical Regional Mexican Album Kumbia Kings Live Won
2007 Billboard Latin Music Awards Latin Pop Album of the Year, Duo or Group Ayer Fue Kumbia Kings, Hoy Es Kumbia All Starz Nominated
2008 Premio Lo Nuestro Pop Album of the Year Nominated
Pop Song of the Year "Chiquilla" Nominated
Pop Breakout Artist or Group of the Year A.B. Quintanilla III and Kumbia All Starz Nominated
Premios Texas Lifetime Achievement Award A.B. Quintanilla III Won
Latin Grammy Awards Best Pop Album by a Duo/Group with Vocals Planeta Kumbia Nominated
Premios Oye! Popular Field Best Tropical by a Duo/Group or Solo Nominated
2009 Billboard Latin Music Awards Latin Pop Album of the Year, Duo or Group Nominated

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ King of Kumbia is also spelled as King of Cumbia. Cumbia is the correct spelling of the music genre while Kumbia is the stylization used by A.B. Quintanilla III.

References edit

  1. ^ "Remembering Selena: Q&A with A.B. Quintanilla III". Billboard. March 31, 2015. Selena's brother, producer/songwriter A.B. Quintanilla III talks to Billboard for the 20th anniversary of the singer's death.
  2. ^ "Selena Quintanilla's Brother, A.B. Quintanilla, Is on the Top 10 Most Wanted Felons List". Telemundo. August 3, 2017. Selena Quintanilla's brother, Abraham Isaac Quintanilla III or better known as A.B. Quintanilla, is finding himself in quite the problem
  3. ^ "A.B. Quintanilla's All Starz Gran concierto en Cochabamba" [A.B. Quintanilla’s All Starz Great concert in Cochabamba]. Opinión Bolivia (in Spanish). April 10, 2011. El Rey de la Cumbia. Después de tres años A.B. Quintanilla está de regreso a los escenarios del mundo musical y su primer impulso fue salir de gira por Latinoamérica para complacer a sus fans. Bolivia es uno de los países privilegiados y sus segui. [The King of Cumbia. After three years A.B. Quintanilla is back on the stage of the musical world and his first impulse was to go on tour in Latin America to please his fans. Bolivia is one of the privileged countries and its followers.]
  4. ^ Salas, Sonia (December 23, 2016). "AB Quintanilla en Esta Navidad es Otra Onda" [AB Quintanilla in This Christmas is Another Wave]. Univision (in Spanish). Sonia Salas entrevista el Rey de la Cumbia AB Quintanilla y habla sobre su nueva banda Elektro Kumbia, nuevo álbum y próximo concierto en Dallas el 31 de diciembre en Reliant Lights. [Sonia Salas interviews the King of Cumbia AB Quintanilla and talks about his new band Elektro Kumbia, new album and upcoming concert in Dallas on December 31 at Reliant Lights.]
  5. ^ "Los problemas de A.B. Quintanilla, un "rey de la cumbia"" [The problems of A.B. Quintanilla, a “king of cumbia”]. Prensa Libre (in Spanish). August 1, 2017.
  6. ^ Maldonado, Paloma (September 19, 2022). "Así se ve el elenco de 'Selena' a 25 años de su estreno: una de las actrices falleció" [This is how the cast of 'Selena' looks 25 years after its premiere: one of the actresses died]. Univision (in Spanish). "El Rey de la Kumbia", A.B. Quintanilla, fue interpretado por Jacob Vargas en 'Selena'. En la película se pudo ver cómo era su relación con la cantante, además de su evolución profesional al ser integrante de la banda conformada por la familia Quintanilla. [“The King of Kumbia”, A.B. Quintanilla, was played by Jacob Vargas in 'Selena'. In the film it was possible to see what his relationship with the singer was like, in addition to his professional evolution as a member of the band made up of the Quintanilla family.]
  7. ^ Mercedes, Villa (December 22, 2022). "AB Quintanilla visitó la Casa de la Música" [AB Quintanilla visited the House of Music]. Agencia de Noticias San Luis (in Spanish). El "Rey de la Kumbia" se mostró asombrado por las instalaciones y comentó "muchas gracias a los integrantes de Casa de la Música por este tour que me brindaron, esto es un diamante escondido aquí en Villa Mercedes, San Luis". El músico estuvo más de dos horas recorriendo las instalaciones y habló con los técnicos y autoridades de Casa de la Música. [The “King of Kumbia” was amazed by the facilities and commented “many thanks to the members of Casa de la Música for this tour they gave me, this is a hidden diamond here in Villa Mercedes, San Luis.” The musician spent more than two hours touring the facilities and spoke with the technicians and authorities of Casa de la Música.]
  8. ^ "Valentina Márquez grabó un videoclip con un guión generado por inteligencia artificial" [Valentina Márquez recorded a video clip with a script generated by artificial intelligence]. www.lavoz.com.ar (in Spanish). La Voz. May 22, 2023. A.B. Quintanilla III, también conocido como "El Rey de la Kumbia", fue creador, líder y productor de los grupos musicales Kumbia Kings y Kumbia All Starz. [A.B. Quintanilla III, also known as “The King of Kumbia”, was the creator, leader and producer of the musical groups Kumbia Kings and Kumbia All Starz.]
  9. ^ "Mexican Independence Day Celebration A.B. Quintanilla III y Los Kumbia Kings". HoldMyTicket. Retrieved June 2, 2020.
  10. ^ "AB Quintanilla y Kumbia Kings All Starz". Outhouse Tickets. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  11. ^ Flores, Maricela (December 7, 2020). "La familia Quintanilla: Los padres y hermanos de Selena". De10.mx.
  12. ^ "Selena Quintanilla: los padres de la cantante, fotografías y el trabajo que realizan". Perú21. July 3, 2021.
  13. ^ "Selena, homenajeada con una estrella en el Paseo de la Fama de Hollywood". Las Vegas Review-Journal en Español. November 17, 2017.
  14. ^ Shaffer, Claire (November 12, 2019). "Netflix Shares First Look of Christian Serratos as Selena in New Series". Rolling Stone.
  15. ^ "Lo Nuestro 1996". Premios Lo Nuestro. Univision. Archived from the original on October 21, 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2007.
  16. ^ "Meet Elektro Kumbia: 13 Things to Know About A.B. Quintanilla's New Musical Group". June 22, 2016.
  17. ^ "AB Quintanilla y Elektro Kumbia debut 'Piña Colada Shot' video". January 28, 2017.
  18. ^ (No author.) "A.B. Quintanilla poses with sons for People en Espanol," Archived April 2, 2015, at the Wayback Machine People, "Moms & Babies" section, April 7, 2008.
  19. ^ "A.B. Quintanilla Marries Girlfriend! (Photos)". January 27, 2012. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
  20. ^ "Los Quintanilla's ❤️❤️ Este 16 de Septiembre Angela y yo nos casamos!!! Quería compartir esta buena noticia con toda mi gente que siempre está brindándome buenas vibras y amor!!! La verdad que hoy puedo decir que soy muy Feliz!!! Recuerden , la felicidad esta más cerca de lo te imaginas, solo tienes que buscarla!!!! @anjelah564". Instagram. September 21, 2019.

External links edit