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Chris Pérez’s love story with Selena Quintanilla remains one of the most cherished romances in music history. The two met while performing together in Selena y Los Dinos, forming a bond that quickly grew into a deep, undeniable connection. Despite early pushback from Selena’s family, their relationship endured, and they married in 1992 — a love tragically cut short when Selena was killed in 1995.
Nearly three decades later, Chris continues to honor Selena’s legacy both publicly and privately. He recently participated in the upcoming Netflix documentary Selena y Los Dinos, which features rare, never-before-seen footage and offers a more intimate look at Selena’s life, artistry, and early years with the band. In March 2025, he also joined the Quintanilla family in responding to the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles’ decision to deny Yolanda Saldívar’s request for release, sharing a collective statement that read, “While nothing can bring Selena back, this decision reaffirms that justice continues to stand for the beautiful life that was taken from us and from millions of fans around the world far too soon.”
From his marriage to Selena to his life after Selena’s death, HollywoodLife has 5 key things you should know about Chris.
Chris was married to Selena
Chris and Selena’s relationship began in secret. They initially decided to keep their romance from her father, Abraham, and the rest of the family. Eventually, their relationship was made public, and Abraham fired him. That didn’t keep Chris and Selena apart. They married in 1992. After that, he was accepted by her family. However, their marriage wasn’t always perfect. “We were married and together 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We had to learn how to handle that and that was both of us,” Chris told CNN in 2012. “It’s not like she brought up the idea and I was fighting it because honestly I was right there with her.”
He was a member of Selena’s band
Chris and Selena first met in 1989 when he joined the band Selena y Los Dinos as their lead guitarist. He was with the band initially until 1991 when Abraham found out about their relationship. He rejoined the band after marrying Selena in 1992. He was with the band until Selena’s death in 1995. Ahead of the first season’s release, Chris reflected on his love for Selena and her band.
“I loved her music even before I joined the band,” Chris wrote on Instagram. “I was intrigued by the fact that her brother had his name on everything as producer. Keyboard player Ricky Vela was my hero as far as musicianship goes. Her dad ran some amazing sound when I went to see them at an event in San Antonio. I learned so much by taking on their guitar player Roger Garcia’s parts and doing my best to stretch it even further. They had a girl drummer that laid it DOWN (Suzette really is a badass). Joe and Pete brought the ‘extra’ and added a whole other dimension PLUS Pete wrote amazing lyrics….and they sounded HEAVY. I will forever respect the band and the people involved in it.”
Chris felt guilt over Selena’s death
Selena was tragically shot and killed by Yolanda Saldívar at a motel on March 31, 1995, at the age of 23. In his book, To Selena, With Love, Chris revealed that Yolanda had tried to lure Selena to the motel the day before she was murdered. After her death, Chris felt guilty that he was unable to protect Selena. “There was a lot of that. A lot of (guilt) going through my mind,” he told the Houston Chronicle in 2012. “But when something happens like that so quickly, and the way it happened, I think it’s only natural for most people to feel the same way. The reason something like that happens is because nobody expected it to happen. We didn’t think this person was capable of doing what she did.”
Chris has remained close with Selena’s family in the wake of her death. He was there when Selena was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2017.
Chris remarried
Chris married Venessa Villanueva in 2001. They began dating in 1998. They have two children together. The couple divorced in 2008.
He has continued his music career
He formed the Chris Pérez Band in 1998. The band’s debut studio album, Resurrection, was released in 1999 and won the Grammy for Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album. The band’s final album, Una Noche Más, was released in 2000. After that, the band broke up. Chris would join Selena’s brother’s band, Kumbia All-Starz in 2005. He went on to form his own band once again, the Chris Pérez Project.
