Mirza Aaqib Beg
Chris Pérez is a guitarist, songwriter, and author who rose to prominence when he became a member of the popular Tejano band Selena y Los Dinos in the late 80s. On August 14, 1969, Chris was born to Carmen Medina and Gilbert Pérez in San Antonio, Texas. When he was just four years old, his parents got separated, and Medina remarried four years after her split. Chris showed interest in music in his school days and, despite her mother’s protests, taught himself to play an electric guitar. He met Selena Quintanilla after joining the band, and the two slowly got closer over time. They eventually confessed their feelings for each other at a restaurant and became a couple in the early 90s.
Selena’s father, Abraham Quintanilla, was against their relationship and did everything possible to make Chris leave her daughter. But the couple ended up eloping and got married to each other in 1992. Abraham took them back into the family fold after some time. Unfortunately, their marriage did not last long as Selena was murdered in cold blood in 1995. Her death devastated Chris, who ended up relying on drugs and alcohol.
His emotional trauma lasted for a few years until he met Venessa Villanueva and fell in love with her. They got married in 2001 and have two children Noah and Cassie. But after seven years of marriage, the couple grew apart and filed for divorce in 2008. Although Chris’s personal life has been full of tragedies, he faced his problems gracefully and established himself as a well-known guitarist. His passion for music helped him earn a considerable fortune.
How Did Chris Pérez Make His Money?
Chris was only seventeen when he started dreaming of forming his own rock band in Los Angeles. While working at a library in 1986, he was offered the opportunity to join Shelly Lares’ band by Tony Lares. Although he did not like the kind of music that the band specialized in, he reluctantly joined because of the monetary incentives. By 1989, he went on to write songs and work as a musical director for Shelly. However, by that time, he was already planning to quit, and he was soon offered an opportunity that changed his life.
When Selena y Los Dinos’s lead guitarist left the band in 1989, Selena’s brother A.B. Quintanilla III ensured that Chris replaced him as he had heard many positive things about the young and ambitious guitarist. Although because of his romantic relationship with Selena, Abraham Quintanilla kicked him out of Selena y Los Dinos, Chris soon came back after they were married. He was with the Tejano band until his wife passed away, and the band got dissolved in 1995.
After leaving, Chris formed his own band named Chris Perez Band and released albums “Resurrection” and “Una Noche Más.” He also worked with A.B. Quintanilla III in the musical groups Kumbia Kings and Kumbia All-Starz. Interestingly, apart from being a lead guitarist and a songwriter, Chris is also an author. He wrote the book ‘To Selena, With Love,’ in which he gave a heartfelt tribute to one of the most iconic musicians of the twentieth century and expressed his love for her. He has since even established another band by the name of Chris Pérez Project (in 2010) and proudly serves as the owner/CEO of his own music label, Blue Mariachi Productions.
Chris Pérez’s Net Worth
Chris Pérez’s career as an author, singer, songwriter, as well as entrepreneur has been nothing short of sensational, and following his heart, he also made a significant amount of money in the process. His net worth is thus estimated to be around $4 million. Since he is still a sought-after guitarist, he will likely continue to earn more money, and his overall wealth will increase in the coming years.
Read More: Is Chris Perez Married to Melissa Jimenez? Do They Have Kids?
