|
WCYF headliner clinging to life after crash
By SHANNON CRABTREE scrabtree@leader-news.com
 | | EMILIO |
|
Wharton County Youth Fair officials thought they had a truly special headliner for the 2008 Tejano night, but now are wondering if Grammy winner Emilio will ever be able to perform again.
Emilio Navaira was reportedly driving his tour bus in Houston around 5 a.m. Sunday morning when the vehicle crashed. He was one of six people involved.
Thrown through the vehicle's windshield, at presstime Tuesday he was listed in critical condition at Houston's Memorial Hermann Hospital reportedly in an induced coma.
Doctors quoted in the Houston news media said Tuesday at his life is in jeopardy - and, if he survives that the recovery would be a long one.
Plans to announce him as the headline act of the fair's popular Tejano night immediately fizzled.
"Having someone like him - we were expecting it (the fair day) to be really huge," WCYF Assistant Fair Coordinator Carrie Lopez said. "We had just kind of lucked into (getting him). The guy we use to promote Tejano night is good friends with Emilo's manager."
With more than a dozen albums to his credit, Emilo and his band Rio are considered a premiere Tejano group.
He won a Grammy in 2003 with his album Acuerdate and reportedly played the first Go Tejano Day at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo in 1990.
"We thought we had a deal when we had him booked," WCYF President Darrell Kutach said, adding the production company has been in contact with the fair since word began to spread.
"I have no idea at this time (who will play). But I'm sure he will come up with some big name entertainment, maybe several bands. I don't know that anyone can fill his shoes, but maybe they can fill the bill."
Silver Wings Ballroom owner Dixie Guyer said Monday the popular Tejano artist had played El Campo about a year ago.
"He had a big fan base. He's a really big draw," she said, adding the music sound, a mix of rock and roll, blues and country with a Spanish or Mexican overtone is hugely popular.
WCYF officials agreed.
"We're kind of on hold now and going to try to find somebody else," Lopez said. "Anybody well known - it's too late. It is going to be a hard hit on our Tejano night. To get somebody of that caliber - that's hard."
Fair officials said they wish the performer a speedy recovery, but added they have to start working on a contingency plan immediately.
The 2008 WCYF runs May 3 -10 with Tejano night closing out the fair. This week Emilio and his band Rio had been scheduled to perform in California.
El Campo singer Alys Piloto, part of Rudy & Alys, is scheduled to perform at the upcoming fair Tuesday night.
"I've been hearing about (Emilio) on the news," she said. "I feel bad for him and his family. My heart goes out to them."
Although Piloto's musical choices tend more to country, she said she was aware of Emilio's fame and the draw it would have brought to the fair."
"He is huge in Tejano music," she said, adding he is becoming as well known as Selena. The singer, briefly an El Campo resident who performed at El Campo's Pan American Ballroom, was shot and killed in Corpus Christi in 1995 by the manager of her fan club.
"And I hear he has a good heart - that he gives back to the community," Piloto said. "It's sad."
| 
