H.R. No. 64
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Friends and fans of Tejano legend Laura Canales were
deeply saddened by her untimely passing on April 16, 2005, at the
age of 50; and
WHEREAS, Born on August 19, 1954, in Kingsville, Ms. Canales
was inspired to pursue a career in music by her choral director at
H. M. King High School; although few women performed in the Tejano
arena at the time, she made her recording debut with Los Unicos in
1973, the same year of her high school graduation; she later
performed with El Conjunto Bernal, Snowball & Company, and Encanto,
and among her many hits were Eternamente, O Gran Dios, Cinco Canas
Mas, and Si Vivi Contigo; an album released in 1977 ranked 10th on
Billboard's "Hot Latin" chart, and her 1990 record, No Regrets,
remained on the charts for 13 weeks; and
WHEREAS, Much of this talented Texan's popularity derived
from her rich and supple singing voice; known for delivering a
soulful punch to her polkas, rancheras, and ballads, she won
numerous Tejano Music Awards for Best Female Vocalist and Best
Female Entertainer in the 1980s, and in 1983 Governor Mark White
presented her with a "Yellow Rose of Texas" award; recognized for
her loyalty to her roots while many other Tejano artists crossed
over to English-language pop, she was included in the first class of
inductees in the Tejano Roots Hall of Fame in 2000; and
WHEREAS, Fun-loving and easygoing, Ms. Canales nevertheless
was determined to continue her education, and some 20 years after
her high school graduation, she enrolled in courses at Texas A&M
University--Kingsville; after earning her undergraduate degree in
clinical psychology, she had begun working on her master's degree
when she became ill; and
WHEREAS, Known as "La Reina de la Onda Tejana," or "the Queen
of the Tejano Wave," Laura Canales is credited with breaking gender
barriers and opening doors for such artists as Selena, Jennifer
Peña, and Shelly Lares; this gifted and beloved daughter of South
Texas is truly missed, and the achievements of the First Lady of
Tejano ensure that she will never be forgotten; now, therefore, be
it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Laura Canales on April
16, 2016, the 11th anniversary of her death.
Alonzo
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 64 was unanimously adopted by a rising
vote of the House on February 19, 2015.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House