* En anglais uniquement
The Kumbia All Starz were born of the schism between bandleader
A.B. Quintanilla III and bandmate
Cruz Martinez that split the genre-defining group
Los Kumbia Kings.
Quintanilla and
Martinez first worked together backing up tejano queen
Selena, sister to
Quintanilla and a crossover vocalist who introduced tejano music into America's mainstream. Four years after
Selena's tragic death in 1995,
Los Kumbia Kings emerged, with repertoire written by
Martinez and
Quintanilla on their debut record,
Amor, Familia y Respeto.... The band enjoyed unprecedented success, including numerous chart-topping records and the creation of an immense fan base throughout the U.S. and Mexico. Rumors of mismanagement, theft, and betrayal struck in late 2006, resulting in the departure of founding member
Quintanilla. The battle between
Martinez and
Quintanilla was waged in the spotlight of Latin American media, including confrontations and bold statements made during live interviews on talk TV programs such as Christina and El Gordo y la Flaca. Determined to maintain a successful recording career,
Quintanilla formed the splinter group
A.B. Quintanilla's Kumbia All Starz. Utilizing
Kumbia Kings veterans, of which there have been many,
Quintanilla released his debut under the new band name in late 2006, entitled
Ayer Fue Kumbia Kings, Hoy Es Kumbia All Starz, which landed the number one spot on Billboard's Latin Pop Albums chart. Though for a time
Martinez maintained and continued to work under the
Kumbia Kings name, a Mexican court later awarded
Quintanilla rights to the name.
Quintanilla continues to work and publish using the
Kumbia All Starz moniker, though it is widely thought that the band's identity will one day be seen as a footnote in the greater
Kumbia Kings Kontroversy. ~ Evan C. Gutierrez