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Chris Perez Net Worth – How Much Does He Make?

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Ever wondered what Chris Perez net worth is? He is a man of many talents but his life has not been without controversy.

As recently as last year Chris Perez and his late wife’s family were fighting over the proceeds of her estate. It was only in September last year that Perez tweeted that he and the Quintanilla family had resolved their legal dispute over a documentary about Selena’s life. So, who is Chris Perez?

Who is Chris Perez?

Chris Perez Net Worth

Chris Perez (first on the left) in Los Angeles. Photo credit: Shutterstock @ Joe Seer

Chris Perez is a guitarist, songwriter, and author. He sprang to fame as the lead guitarist in the band Selena y Los Dinos. He fell in love and married the talented Selena, the frontline singer in the band. Her tragic death left him widowed and without a job. Chris Perez picked himself up, putting together a band that earned a Grammy with its first album.

This is the story of Chris Perez.

Chris Perez place of birth and early life

Christopher Gilbert Perez was born on the 14th of August 1969 in San Antonio, Texas. He is a Mexican American and is one of two children. He has a sister. His parents Саrmеn Меdina аnd Gіlbеrt Реrez, a software engineer, divorced in 1974 when Chris Perez was just four years old. His mother remarried in 1978.

Chris Perez went to Thomas Jefferson High School. His mother encouraged him to join his school’s concert band where he played the French Horn. Despite encouraging his earlier musical ambitions, Perez’s mother was unhappy when he started to play the electric guitar.

Chris Perez taught himself to play the guitar by listening to the music of his favorite bands. These included Def Leppard, Kiss, Van Halen, Iron Maiden, and the Scorpions. He was a keen follower of Carlos Santana, fashioning many of his guitar solos on the work of Santana. In the 1990s he has also expressed his admiration of Ricky Martin.

Chris Perez mastered the guitar and soon became a sought-after musician. He would go on to win awards and many accolades in the world of music.  At the age of 17, Chris moved to Los Angeles to live with his dad. He got a job at the library, but soon joined his cousin’s band.

Chris Perez’ Professional Career

How much does Chris Perez Make

Chris Perez (centre). Image Credit: Shutterstock @ Kathy Hutchins

Chris Perez is a heavy metal and Latin rock guitarist.

Yet, Chris’s first musical job was in his cousin, Shelly Lares’, band. The band played a mixture of country and folk music in both English and Spanish. This was definitely not Perez’s musical genre Still, the money he received for playing in the band was higher than the salary he earned at the library.

Chris Perez did very well with the band. He became the musical director after Tony Lares left and co-wrote many of the songs. The group made their first album in 1989.

Selena y Los Dinos

By 1989 Chris had earned a reputation as a respected guitarist in the Tejano music scene. Hearing of his talents, AB Quintanilla, the bassist, and drummer, for the band Selena y Los Dinos, approached Perez to become their lead guitarist. The band supported lead singer Selena Quintanilla, the queen of Tejano music.

Chris was a rock guitarist and looked like one. Selena had a clean-cut image and her father; Abraham was worried that Perez would tarnish that image. Her brother, AB, prevailed and in the end, won the argument. Perez joined the band. supporting the lead singer Selena Quintanilla.

Perez supported Selena in her second album, “Ven Conmigo” in 1990. The album made triple platinum. The band then moved on to “Entre a Mi Mundi” released by EMI Latin in 1992. The album drew critical acclaim and more music lovers came to appreciate the musical talents of Chris Perez.

The last album, titled “Dreaming of You” was released after Selena’s death. It made it to number one on the US Billboard 200 on the 4th of August 1995. The album sold more than 175,000 copies on the day it was released. It stayed on the US Billboard 200 for 49 weeks.  Selena was the first Latin artist to make it to number one on the US Billboard 200.

While making music with Selena Quintanilla, Chris and Selena fell in love. According to the book “To Selena with Love” written by Chris Perez, Selena’s father Abraham was unimpressed with Chris’ image. He was later fired after Selena’s father found out about their secret relationship.

After Selena and Chris married, he continued to work for Selena y Los Dinos until Selena’s death in 1995, when she was murdered at a very young age of just 23.

After Selena

After Selena’s tragic death, Perez started his own band called the Chris Perez Band in 2008. Band members included Rudy Martinez, bass guitarist John Garza, vocalist Joe Odeja, on the keyboard, and Alex Tamez on the drums.

 

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A post shared by Chris Perez (@chrispereznow)

Chris Perez started writing songs for their first album, many of them about his love for Selena. The band signed a deal with Hollywood Records. Their debut album “Resurrection” recorded at Henson Studio was released on the 18th of May 1999. It was a stunning success, winning a Grammy Award for Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album.

It wasn’t long before the band went their separate ways. They released a second album “Una Noche Mas” before disbanding in 2002. The name of the album translates in English to “One More Night”.

Between 2003 and 2006, Chris played with the Kumbia Kings, releasing “Duetto’s” in 2005. He played for the Kumbia All-Stars between 2006 and 2011. He kept in touch with AB Quintanilla, Selena’s older brother, who played for both bands between 2001 and 2008.

During the Covid-19 Perez posted pictures of himself on social media working in his home music studio. He launched “Just Say Good-bye” by the Chris Perez Band on the 2nd of April 2020.

Perez has also used his fame to get into the world of television. He started in 1999 with appearances on “iMi Gente”, “My People”. In 2005 he made an appearance on “Selena ivive” and he made a documentary about his late wife, Selena.

In 2010, Perez and Puerto Rican singer, Angel Ferrer together formed the band the Chris Perez Project. In 2012, they released the album “Todo es Diferente.”

Chris Perez personal life and family

When Perez joined Selena y Los Dinos, he had a girlfriend back home. Nevertheless, he quickly fell under Selena’s spell. The two started dating during a trip to Mexico. They dated on the quiet because Selena’s father didn’t approve of Chris Perez. Yet, it wasn’t long before Selena’s sister, Suzette, informed her father, Abraham, about the relationship.

Abraham was furious. He warned Chris off but Perez refused to drop the relationship. Abraham fired the young guitarist as a result. Perez returned home but he and Selena continued with a long-distance relationship.

In 1992, Selena pitched up at Chris Perez’s hotel and suggested that they elope. She believed that her father would never agree to their marriage. She hoped that when her father realized that they were married he would have no choice but to accept the situation and welcome his new son-in-law into the family. Selena married Perez later that year on the 2nd of April. Selena was 20 years old and Chris Perez was 22.

After the marriage, Abraham forgave Perez for courting his daughter. The couple moved into a house close to the rest of Selena’s family.

Theirs was not a match made in heaven. They lived and worked together day and night, so there were inevitable disagreements. There was even a time when they considered divorce. Still, they were happy and successful until fate stepped in.

Selena was killed on the 31st of March 1995. She was just 23 years old and on the cusp of becoming a global music star. She was shot in the back by Yolanda Saldivar.

Selena had hired Saldivar to run her boutiques for her. Saldivar, her friend, and fan club manager had been embezzling funds. Selena had asked for paperwork to prove that the money had not been stolen. She left Perez in bed and headed for the hotel where she and Yolanda had planned to meet and discuss the matter.

Saldivar took a gun from her bag and took aim. Selena tried to flee the scene but she took a bullet wound to the shoulder. She died at the Corpus Christi Memorial Hospital.

Yolanda attempted suicide but the police caught up with her and put her in jail. Yolanda Saldivar is serving a life sentence for the murder. She may seek parole in thirty years.

Chris Perez was deeply affected by the death of his talented wife and may have started to abuse alcohol and drugs.

In 2007, Chris Perez made a heart-wrenching video about his late wife. He called it “The Making of Selena: Ten Years Later”. In 2016, Perez attended the unveiling of his wife’s image at Madame Tussauds and in 2017 her Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Selena was honored with a Recording Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammy’s on the 14th March 2021. She had previously received a Grammy Award in 1994. Chris Perez took to Facebook to celebrate the award, posting: “Lifetime Achievement Award! To say that I’m proud of all that Selena represents and so proud of her accomplishments would be a HUGE understatement.”

In 2020, Billboard magazine placed Selena third on their list of “Greatest Latino Artists of All Time”.

In 1998, John Garza introduced Chris to Vanessa Villanueva. They married on the 26th of October 2001. They have two children, a girl, Cassie, and a boy, Noah. They were divorced in 2008. The reasons given for the divorce were Perez’s heavy drinking and drug use. The children stayed with their mother following the divorce. Perez lost all his assets in the alimony battle.

Social Media Presence

Chris Perez is present on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

He has 1.1 million followers on Instagram, 40,000 on Twitter, and more than 1 million on Facebook.

Chris Perez controversy

Chris Perez has been in trouble with the law more than once. In 1992 he was imprisoned for driving under the influence and speeding. He was released without charge as the police couldn’t prove that he had been speeding.

A few months later was involved in a brawl with two members of Selena y Los Dinos band. The three brawlers were drunk. The hotel room and its contents were damaged as a result of their fight. Chris and the two band members were fired from the band and Selena’s father forbade her from seeing Chris.

No doubt that gave him more popularity and helped him grow his net worth.

Chris Perez Height and Weight

Chris Perez is five foot ten inches and weighs 138 kg.

Chris Perez net worth and bio summary

Though there are mixed reports of Chris Perez’s net worth estimate, it appears that he has around $1.2 million. His money was mostly earned through his music. Though he has also made a number of television appearances.

Summary table of Chris Perez life

Full name Christopher Gilbert Perez
Date of birth 14th August 1969
Place of birth San Antonio, California
Ethnicity Mexican American
Height 5’10”
Weight 138 kg
Profession Guitarist, songwriter, and author
Age 52
Marital Status Divorced
Wives Selena Quintanilla (m. 1992 – died 1995) Vanessa Villanueva (m. 2001 – d. 2008)
Children Daughter Cassie Perez, Son Noah Perez
Chris Perez Estimated Net worth $1.2 million
Awards Grammy Award for Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album

Where to from here?

At 52, Chris Perez net worth is likely to grow, as he is a relatively young man, and has undeniable talent when it comes to guitar playing and songwriting. What path will his career take in the future? With an estimated net worth of $1.2 million will he go into retirement and hang up his guitar for good? It seems unlikely. Chis Perez has loved music since he was a boy. There must be brilliant music ranging around in his imagination.