Emilio Navaira, the man known as "the King of Tejano Music" and "the Garth Brooks of Texas," remains in a coma after a March 24 bus accident and may not survive. Reporter Ramiro Burr offers a quick guide to the music of Navaira, who won a Grammy in 2003 for Best Tejano Album.
Burr says he thinks Navaira is as beloved as was Selena, the Tejano singer who experienced huge crossover success after her murder in 1995. He witnessed 700 people gather at the Alamo Dome in San Antonio in a vigil for Navaira on Monday. The crowd and about a dozen musicians spoke of Navaira as a kind and giving person.
Navaira has been putting out records for almost 20 years. Sensaciones was his first big hit, with a sound that was pioneering for its time.
In the mid-'90s, Navaira experienced some crossover success: He recorded two country albums, On the House and Life Is Good, with well-known Nashville producer Barry Beckett. Both cracked the Billboard charts.
"Juntos" is a love song that demonstrates the breadth of his talent, but Navaira may be best known for "Como Le Hare." The title translates to "How Will I Do It?" It's about a guy who has messed up his relationship and is trying to fix it. "Como Le Hare" is a catchy, hummable song — so popular that the title became a catch phrase.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.