Tejano singer Selena is one of the most iconic figures in Latin music history, but before she broke big as a solo act, she recorded several albums with her band as Selena y Los Dinos. ∙ Los Dinos’ roots go back to the 1950s, when Selena’s father joined a group with that name; after they disbanded in the ’70s, he revived the moniker in 1981 for his family’s music. ∙ Selena y Los Dinos started out playing at weddings, parties, fairs, and other local events around Texas, and they released their first album, Mis Primeras Grabaciones, in 1984. ∙ In 1986 and 1987, Selena was named Female Vocalist of the Year at the Tejano Music Awards; she won again in 1989, kicking off an unparalleled run of nine straight victories in the category. ∙ After she signed a major label deal as a solo artist in 1989, she began to release music under her own name, although Los Dinos continued to serve as her backing band for live concerts. ∙ Ten years after Selena’s tragic death, Los Dinos reunited in 2005 for a massive tribute concert called Selena ¡VIVE!, which became the highest-rated Spanish-language TV special ever.