CORPUS CHRISTI – After the sudden, tragic end to their three-year marriage in 1995, Chris Perez said he withdrew, mourning Selena's death.
"My initial kind of way of dealing with this was to stay away from it and not talk about it too much," Perez said.
The iconic "Queen of Tejano" was shot to death 20 years ago in a Corpus Christi motel room by Yolanda Saldivar, described by some as the obsessed president of Selena's fan club, now serving a life sentence.
A guitarist with Selena y Los Dinos, and now a musician in his own right, Perez said he eventually realized the importance of furthering Selena's legacy.
He even published a book in 2012 about their life together.
"It went from something that I tried to downplay to something I've gotten comfortable with," Perez said.
He said, "To be able to go out there and talk about it and see the love that the fans have 20 years later, is inspiring."
Perez said he will have that opportunity April 17-18, during the first annual Fiesta de la Flor, a musical and cultural celebration of Selena's life.
Fiesta De La Flor will be held at the North Bayfront Park in downtown Corpus Christi. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, April 17 and 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 18.
Perez will be among Grammy and Latin Grammy award-winners, along with popular regional bands performing during the two-day event.
Perez said he wants to be "in all that love we are feeling for that one person," the late Selena Quintanilla Perez.