Emilio

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Emilio Navaira

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Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Emilio Navaira III
Born = birth date and age|1962|8|23
Origin = San Antonio, Texas, USA
Instrument = Vocals, rhythm guitar
Genre = Country, Tejano
Occupation = Singer-songwriter
Years_active = 1993-present
Label = Columbia/CBS
Capitol/EMI Latin
Capitol Nashville
RCA/BMG Latin
RCA/Ariola
Associated_acts = Ednita Nazario
URL = http://www.emilioyrio.net/

Emilio (born Emilio Navaira III, August 23, 1962) is an American Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter of Mexican heritage, who performs both country music and Tejano music. He has also charted more than ten singles on the "Billboard" Hot Latin Tracks charts, in addition to six singles on the "Billboard" Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts. Emilio is also one of a few Tejano artists to have significant success in both the United States and Mexico.cite web |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0DE3D71539F932A35752C0A960958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=print |title= A Tejano Singer Sets Out To Bridge Music and Nations |accessdate=2007-11-12 |last=Myerson |first=Allen R. |date=1996-01-01 |work=The New York Times]

Biography

Emilio Navaira III was born in 1962 as the third patriline Navaira to be named Emilio Navaira. [Burr, Ramiro. (August 21, 1998) San Antonio Express-News "Colombian cumbias; Emilio's birthday bash." Section: Weekender; Page 22H.] Raised in San Antonio, Texascite web |url=http://wc08.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:hxfwxqlgldde~T1 |title=allmusic ((( Emilio > Biography ))) |accessdate=2007-11-12 |last=Ankeny |first=Jason |work=Allmusic] Emilio began singing to Willie Nelson, George Strait and "Little Joe" tunes at an early age and initially thought of being a music teacher.Hinojosa, Cassandra. (February 20, 2004) Corpus Christi Caller-Times "Two Tejano kings. Grammy winners Navaira , Little Joe visit Kingsville" Section: Weekend; Page E4.]

In 1985 at age 23, Emilio began his performing career by singing lead vocals for David Lee Garza y Los Musicales. In 1987, Cuantas Veces by David Lee Garza Y Los Musicales beat out Alpha by Mexican American singer Selena for Album of the Year at the Tejano Music Awards. In 1989, Navaira formed his own band, Emilio y Groupo Rio. That same year Emilio signed with Columbia Records (then known as CBS Records). This relationship resulted in Emilio recording more than fifteen studio albums to date, including several with his Rio Band.

By the mid 1990s, Emilio began crediting himself solely as Emilio, eventually switching his focus to country music.cite web |url=http://www.oldies.com/artist-biography/Emilio.html |title=Emilio biography |accessdate=2007-11-12 |work=Oldies.com] Between 1989 and 1996, Emilio had released seven Spanish albums with cumulative sales of about 2 million.DeVault, Russ. (March 7, 1996) The Atlanta Journal-Constitution "Tejano's new star. As he crosses over into country, Emilio finds "Life Is Good"." Section: Features; Page D1.] This success lead to mainstream commercial exposure, with companies such as Coca-Cola and Wrangler Jeans using his songs in their advertisements in the 1990s. Emilio had also gained a sponsorship with Miller Lite beer, who had persuaded him to use their slogan at the time, "Life is good", as the title of his first country album.

Emilio signed with Capitol Records and released his first country music single called "It's Not the End of the World" which reached the Top 30 on the country charts in 1995. His album was a surprise success as well reaching #13 on the country charts and also a high placing on the Top 200. Several more singles including a Spanish version of "It's Not the End of the World" followed but none of these singles came close to the Top 40 except "Even If I Tried" which reached #41 in 1996. In 1997, he released a second country album, "It's On The House" but it was not as successful as his first country album. Two more minor country singles followed and gradually Emilio faded from country music and increasingly came back to Tejano music.

Tour bus accident

Navaira was hospitalized in critical condition after his tour bus crashed early in the morning on March 23, 2008, in Bellaire (a small municipality partially surrounded by Houston, Texas). Navaira's tour bus was traveling north along west 610 Loop near the Southwest Freeway when it crashed into a set of freeway barrels shortly before 4 a.m. Although there was some initial confusion regarding whether Navaira was the driver [ [http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/latinnotes/archives/2008/03/emilio_navaira.html Emilio Navaira in critical condition after accident, Latin Notes, MySanAntonio.com, March 23, 2008] ] , his agent, Joe Casias, and Bellaire police officials said that he was driving at the time of the accident. Authorities also indicated that Emilio was not licensed to drive a bus. [ [http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5641425.html Emilio was driving tour bus without proper license] ] [ [http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Music/03/25/emilio.ap/index.html Injured singer's future uncertain] ] Navaira had performed the previous night at Hallabaloo's, a Houston nightclub. Emilio was taken by Life Flight to Memorial Hermann Hospital [ [http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5641425.html Tejano star Emilio Navaira hospitalized after bus crash] ] [ [http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=6036960 Tejano singer injured in accident] ] where a blood clot in his head was removed; [ [http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Music/03/23/navaira.crash.ap/index.html Grammy winner Emilio Navaira critically injured in bus crash] ] [ [http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=6036960 Tejano star still critical] ] Emilio's initial treatment included being kept in a medically-induced coma and induced hypothermia to minimize brain swelling. Doctors cautioned that he might not survive. [ [http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5641425.html Police: Emilio was driving bus without proper license] ]

A March 27, 2008 press release from Memorial Hermann Hospital reported that on the evening of March 26 Emilio "opened his eyes and moved his arms and legs." [ [http://www.memorialhermann.org/newsroom/article.asp?rss=mhhs.xml&article=^/news/17/story.htm Emilio Navaira Updates From Memorial Hermann-TMC, March 27, 2008 11:30 am] ] On April 4, 2008, the hospital announced that Emilio underwent a surgical procedure on March 31 to repair a pseudoaneurysm in his right lung and that he remained in critical condition. [ [http://www.memorialhermann.org/newsroom/article.asp?rss=mhhs.xml&article=^/news/21/story.htm Medical Update on Emilio Navaira From Memorial Hermann-TMC, April 4, 2008 12:00 pm] ]

On April 16, 2008, he was upgraded to fair condition. [ [http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5706122.html Emilio's condition improving] ] [ [http://www.memorialhermann.org/newsroom/article.asp?rss=mhhs.xml&article=^/news/23/story.htm Emilio Navaira Medical Update From Memorial Hermann-TMC, April 16, 2008 3:30 pm] ] On April 23, the hospital announced that Emilio was transferred to [http://www.tirr.org The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research (TIRR)] at Memorial Hermann as part of his rehabilitative care. [ [http://www.memorialhermann.org/newsroom/article.asp?rss=mhhs.xml&article=^/news/24/story.htm Emilio Navaira Transferred to Memorial Hermann TIRR, April 23, 2008 2:00 pm] ]

On May 1, 2008, police released initial reports that indicated that Emilio was intoxicated at the time of the crash. [ [http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5748031.html Emilio intoxicated at time of crash, tests reveal] , May 01, 2008] On May 8, the full report was released which indicated that Emilio had a blood alcohol content of 0.19, more than twice the legal limit in Texas. [ [http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5765659.html Emilio's blood alcohol level was 0.19, report says] , May 08, 2008] Emilio has previously been arrested twice on DWI charges, paying a fine and serving probation for the first one in 2000 while the second arrest from 2005 remains unresolved. Resolution of either of the two outstanding cases would escalate the remaining offense to a felony. [ [http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA.051008.METRO1BEmilio.37ade0d.html Emilio was spared from car monitor in DWI case] , May 09, 2008]

Aftermath

In late May 2008, a member of Emilio's band and the relative of another band member sued Emilio, Inc. (the singer's corporate identity) in state court because of the injuries they suffered from the accident. The suit sought unspecified damages. [ [http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5814574.html 2 sue Tejano star Emilio over Houston crash] , June 3, 2008]

On September 24, 2008, Emilio was involved in another car accident in San Antonio as a passenger while his wife was driving. According to a witness, the Navairas were stopped in a turn lane when a truck crossed at least two lanes of traffic and struck their vehicle. Both Emilio and his wife Maria were released from the hospital the following day. Emilio's agent, Joe Casias, stated that Emilio and his wife were headed home from a rehabiliation therapy appointment stemming from the March tour bus accident. [ [http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/Emilio_recovering_from_SA_wreck.html "Emilio leaves hospital after wreck," "San Antonio Express-News" via "MySA.com", David Saleh Rauf and Hector Saldana, September 26, 2008] . Retrieved on 2008-10-04.]

Discography

tudio albums

*^A"Southern Exposure" also peaked at #39 on US Heatseekers.

ingles

*^ACredited to Emilio Navaira.
*^B"No Es El Fin del Mundo" is a Spanish-language version of "It's Not the End of the World".
*^C"Por Siempre Unidos" also peaked at #7 on Latin Pop Airplay.

References

External links

*myspace|emilionavairayrio|Emilio Navaira y Rio
* [http://video1.memorialhermann.org/video/EmilioPressConf_MPEG-1.mpeg Video of March 26, 2008, hospital press conference]
* [http://www.memorialhermann.org/newsroom/default.asp Memorial Hermann Hospital newsroom] - updates on Emilio's condition
* [http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=6062522 Tejano star Emilio Navaira injured in Houston bus crash] - Dash cam video, audios, and pictures of the crash scene