World of music loses two shining stars from Texas
Emilio Navaira’s no-frills sound made Tejano soar
Emilio Navaira was a showman and an everyman with a sturdy voice who could lasso Tejano and country songs with an endearing ease.
Those qualities, and a bit of goofy dancing, made the San Antonio native a Tejano music legend. His no-frills sound helped him become one of the biggest stars in the genre’s ’90s boom era, alongside La Mafia and the late, great Selena.
Navaira died Monday night at his home in New Braunfels. He was 53.
The musician suffered a “massive heart attack,” according to Tejano Nation, a popular music site. After emergency responders arrived at his home, he was transported to Resolute Health Hospital in New Braunfels, where he was later pronounced
dead. Navaira is survived by five children from two marriages.
The news was confirmed Tuesday, just after midnight, on his Twitter account. Befitting a genre lion like Navaira, news of his death soon spread through the tangle of social media, with fans and fellow Tejano luminaries expressing condolences.
Grammy-winning producer Michael Morales, who was working with Navaira on new music, called the singer’s voice “truly a God-given gift.”
“Rest in paradise my friend Emilio Navaira. I was just with him … (Cinco) de Mayo weekend laughing about old times. My heart goes out to all his familia. Gonna miss you brother,” posted producer and musician A.B. Quintanilla.
Quintanilla is the brother of Selena, who recorded the ballad “Tu Robaste Mi Corazon” with Navaira.
Oscar de la Rosa, lead singer for Tejano group La Mafia, called Navaira “mi amigo y compañero, uno de los grandes en nuestro genero.” (“My friend and companion, one of the greats in our genre.”)
Navaira was the last Tejano act to play RodeoHouston in 2007 for a crowd of over 69,000. He was scheduled to perform at the El Dorado nightclub in Houston on May 28.
Navaira rose to prominence as the lead singer for David Lee Garza y los Musicales, where he flourished from 1984-88.
Bandleader and accordion player Garza remembers Navaira as “a very humble man.”
“He started at a very young age with Los Musicales and gave his all in every song he ever sang with us because he sang from the heart,” Garza said. “His music will live forever on radio and in our hearts.”
Navaira started his own band in the late ’80s. He founded Rio with his brother Raúl. The siblings were known for their onstage antics, most notable a silly dance move known as the “Emilio Shuffle.”
Navaira eventually began recording under the single moniker Emilio, a nod to his growing popularity. He released more than a dozen solo albums and won several Tejano Music Awards, including male vocalist (multiple times), vocal duo (with brother Raúl) and male entertainer of the year. He also earned a 2002 Grammy for best Tejano album for “Acuérdate.”
Navaira’s influence went beyond the awards spectrum, shaping the sounds of his Tejano peers and the generations that followed.
“Emilio played a huge role in my career as a Tejano singer,” says Juan Carlos Villegas, lead singer for Houston-based Tejano group Negami. “I grew up a mariachi singer and was introduced to Tejano in the early ’90s. Eventually, we shared the stage in the U.S. and in Mexico.”
Navaira’s elite status in Tejano music made him one of the genre’s few acts to achieve crossover success. The rich, sturdy voice that made him a standout in Tejano was also perfect for country music. He released two country albums in the mid-’90s, “It’s on the House” and “Life is Good.” The latter carried his most successful crossover hit, 1995’s “It’s Not the End of the World,” a reflective song that became a top 30
country hit. Other singles, including a cover of Van Morrison’s “Have I Told You Lately,” earned modest radio play.
Navaira’s career stumbled in later years, due to problems with alcohol. The abuse nearly killed the singer on Easter 2008 when he was driving his tour bus in Houston and crashed it into traffic barrels on the northbound Loop 610, just before the Southwest Freeway exit. Navaira was ejected through the windshield and suffered massive brain injuries that required several operations. He pleaded guilty to a drunkendriving charge, resulting in a fine, three days in jail and 27 days of house arrest.
Despite the grim outlook, he made a miraculous
recovery and returned to touring and recording. He performed at a 2010 fundraiser in San Antonio and was soon back to regular dates throughout the U.S. and Mexico. A duets album, “Juntos,” was released in 2015.
Singer Shelly Lares, also from San Antonio, said she was saddened by the news of Navaira’s death.
“He has been a friend since I was 10 years old, and we not only performed so many places together, he and his amazing family are friends,” she said.
Navaira’s talents were uniquely Texan. His life struggles were universal. And his musical legacy will live on far beyond Lone Star borders.