Pop History Lesson

Abraham Quintanilla made rash and unfounded statements when he spoke about the music industry and this country in particular when he said that 40 years ago, “America wasn’t ready for Latin artists singing in English, even if they were Americans” (“The Resonance of Selena” by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez, April 9).

If that was the case, how do you explain Ritchie Valens and Santo and Johnny [in the late ‘50s], and Cannibal and the Headhunters, ? and the Mysterians, Sam the Sham and Vikki Carr [early- to mid-’60s], to name just a few of the Latino artists and bands that flourished long before Selena became a household name?

Maybe Quintanilla’s band just didn’t have what it takes to make that ever-elusive hit single.

JOHN ZAVESKY, Los Angeles