How Selena could make a Texas man a world record holder

TEXAS (KXAN) — A Texas man could soon be a Guinness World Record holder — all thanks to the Queen of Tejano Music herself.

Andrew Longoria will compete in a world record attempt June 29 centered around the largest collection of Selena Quintanilla memorabilia, with approximately 1,300 pieces gathered over the years. It’s a collection years in the making, ever since Longoria and his grandmother first purchased her “Dreaming of You” CD in 1997.

NewsNation affiliate KXAN first spoke with Longoria in January 2023 when he was preparing for his initial record attempt. He had to postpone that first attempt, but is back and vying for the world record.

He’s spent roughly a decade documenting his burgeoning collection as an ode to his love for Selena’s music.

“I was 5 years old when I got the [Dreaming of You] album,” Longoria told KXAN in 2023. “So to know how long I’ve been a fan and been collecting — it’s pretty phenomenal, to be perfectly honest.”

Growing up near the Selena Museum in Corpus Christi, Longoria said he frequently went to the museum and purchased little trinkets or received merchandise as gifts. But Longoria told KXAN he credited his grandmother, a bona fide Elvis Presley enthusiast, with inspiring his own collection.

His family’s traditions included gifting her Elvis-related presents each Christmas. That spark helped set off his own tribute to Selena and memorabilia surrounding her legacy.

Longoria’s world record attempt will take place June 29 at the Lake Jackson Historical Museum, located at 249 Circle Way in Lake Jackson. The free event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will include a display of Longoria’s collection along with kid-friendly activities, food trucks and other features.

More details on Longoria’s event are available online.