Jose "Joe" Ojeda (born in 1968) is an American keyboardist and songwriter. Demonstrating a proclivity for music from an early age, Ojeda began assembling a band and eventually partnered with Pete Astudillo to form Los Bad Boyz. The duo performed locally until a Laredo-based DJ secured them a regular slot at a local nightclub. Their performances gained the favor of the club's staff and management, who recommended them as an opening act for Selena y Los Dinos. Impressed by their stage presence and musicality, the group's manager, Abraham Quintanilla, and the members of Los Dinos invited Los Bad Boyz to serve as regular openers. In December 1988, Ojeda and Astudillo integrated into Selena y Los Dinos, with Ojeda taking on the role of second keyboardist alongside Ricky Vela.
Ojeda and Astudillo's influence was featured in Selena (1989), their first studio album to feature compositional and production input. A.B. Quintanilla, the group's bassist and producer-songwriter, was particularly drawn to Ojeda and Astudillo's integration of cumbia music. He encouraged the adoption of this stylistic blend, recognizing its potential to broaden the group's appeal and infuse an "international flavor" into their sound. Their collaborative influence helped diversify the band's sonic identity beyond its earlier repertoire. Ojeda co-developed the foundational arrangement for "Baila Esta Cumbia" (1990), a track that marked a significant commercial breakthrough for the group in Mexico.
Following Selena's death in March 1995, Ojeda took a hiatus from music. In 1996, he co-founded The Chris Pérez Band with Los Dinos guitarist Chris Pérez. Ojeda co-wrote much of Resurrection (1999), which won the Grammy Award for Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album in 2000. After the release of their second album, Una Noche Más (2002), Ojeda withdrew from music to focus on his family. In the early 2010s, Ojeda briefly explored rock music with Ruido Añejo before returning to Tejano music with Astudillo in the group Pete Astudillo y Tekno-Mex. Touring ceased indefinitely following the COVID-19 pandemic. The release of Selena: The Series (2020-21) on Netflix reignited Ojeda's interest in performance, prompting him to pursue a solo career.
Life and career 1968–1988: Early career and Los Bad Boyz Jose "Joe" Ojeda was born in 1968 in Laredo, Texas. From a young age, Ojeda displayed an inclination toward music, often choosing to listen and watch his uncles play guitar rather than playing with his cousins. In 1978, after persistent requests, his mother bought him a used partially broken organ. Ojeda would turn on the radio to play along, developing his skills through informal practice.
In 1985, Ojeda began searching for a vocalist for his band. A mutual friend introduced him to Pete Astudillo. Ojeda and Astudillo bonded over their shared musical tastes. Together, they formed Los Bad Boyz and debuted at the reception hall of Astudillo's brother, Rogelio, who owned a catering business. Rogelio frequently recommended them to customers who could not afford live music. Los Bad Boyz struggled to book bigger gigs, often facing rejection from promoters, even when offering to perform for free. Astudillo believed their lack of recognition and the skepticism surrounding a two-person band contributed to these setbacks.
Frustrated by these challenges, Ojeda and Astudillo considered quitting music. However, local DJ The Bird Locutor #2 discovered them during a flea market performance. In August 1988, The Bird gave them a regular Tuesday night slot at Rox-Z in Laredo during Tejano nights, albeit unpaid. Although largely unnoticed by the audience, their music resonated with the club's staff and owners. Recognizing their potential The Bird suggested that Los Bad Boyz open for bigger acts. In September 1988, they opened for Selena y Los Dinos, a band featuring lead singer Selena, A.B. Quintanilla as producer-songwriter and bassist, Suzette Quintanilla on drums, Ricky Vela on keyboards, and Jesse Ybarra on guitar. Managed by the Quintanilla siblings' father, Abraham Quintanilla, the band had already become one of Texas's most requested Tejano groups on radio stations.
Initially skeptical of a two-person act, Abraham was impressed by Los Bad Boyz's performance. After the show, he approached them, inquiring about their management and offering his business card. Soon after, Abraham asked them to join Selena y Los Dinos on tour as an opening act, which they accepted. At the time, Ojeda was working at Auto Shack and found Abraham's offer appealing, as he disliked his job. Los Bad Boyz's first gig opening for Selena y Los Dinos was in Robstown, Texas. En route, Ojeda and Astudillo were pulled over in Agua Dulce, Texas, where police discovered Ojeda had unpaid tickets and arrested him.
Astudillo contacted Abraham, who persuaded the police chief to release Ojeda. During sound check, Astudillo asked Ojeda to extend their intro, but in doing so, Ojeda accidentally blew out one of Los Dinos' tweeters. Abraham stormed on-stage and told Ojeda he would not be paid. Nevertheless, Ojeda held Abraham in high regard, seeing him as fair and driven to push both bands to their best. He often heard Abraham tell his son A.B. to "sound good", viewing him as a coach-like figure with high standards for performance. Although Abraham was hesitant to officially bring Los Bad Boyz into the group due to financial concerns and the band's early success, A.B. gradually convinced him. On December 25, 1988, after a performance in Midland, Texas, Ojeda and Astudillo officially joined Selena y Los Dinos, with Ojeda as the second keyboardist and arranger and Astudillo taking on multiple roles in the band.
1989–1995: Selena y Los Dinos During the 1989 Tejano Music Awards, Rick Trevino invited Selena y Los Dinos to be the opening act for the awards ceremony after La Sombra declined the offer. Representatives from CBS Records and newly formed EMI Latin attended the awards event to scout for new musical acts. EMI Latin's president, Jose Behar, wanted to sign Selena y Los Dinos to his label, while CBS was offering twice EMI's offer. Abraham found EMI Latin's proposal appealing due to the potential for a crossover deal, and he intended for his children to be the first musicians to sign with the company.
The production of the group's debut album began in June 1989. The goal of Selena was to be an introduction into the international Latin music market, with future sights into an English-language crossover. The band became "a bit more trendier and a little bit cutting-edge" on Selena with experimental production and songwriting. It was the first album with any production and songwriting assistance from Astudillo and Ojeda. Rock 'n' Roll James, host of Puro Tejano, a TV segment that aired in South Texas in the 1990s, observed that following the addition of Ojeda and Astudillo to Selena y Los Dinos, the group's repertoire became markedly more diverse in musical styles compared to their earlier recordings. He believed that A.B. recognized in them an "international flavor" capable of propelling the band to greater prominence.
A.B. was particularly fascinated by Ojeda and Astudillo's incorporation of cumbia music when they were a duo and insisted that Vela and he incorporate their style in future recordings. Ojeda and Vela learned how to complement each other as keyboardists. Ojeda believed he was the raw talent and saw Vela, who held a music degree, as being "school talent" who was a professional and an expert. Ojeda enjoyed recording "Amame, Quiereme" for Selena due to its lush, synth and keyboard-driven soundscape. The track was nominated for Vocal Duo of the Year at the 1990 Tejano Music Awards.
Selena y Los Dinos frequently incorporated cover songs into their live repertoire, with "Juana la Cubana" being a recurring selection. During one performance, Astudillo prompted Ojeda to open the song with a solo keyboard introduction. Ojeda improvised a syncopated riff with rhythmic embellishments that captured Astudillo's attention. Astudillo urged him to retrain the motif. After the concert, he requested that Ojeda reproduce the passage; however, Ojeda, having improvised the figure spontaneously, struggled to recall the precise voicing and articulation. Surrounded by the band, Ojeda eventually reconstructed the phrase, enhancing it with additional harmonic layers and rhythmic complexity. A.B. responded favorably to the arrangement, which ultimately served as the foundational groove and melodic framework for "Baila Esta Cumbia" (1990).
The band engaged in pre-production sessions at A.B.'s house, where Abraham would regularly drop by to observe their progress. Both Ojeda and Abraham championed the idea of including Selena's cover "La Tracalera" for their second studio album, Ven Conmigo (1990), arguing that it could serve as their breakout hit. In contrast, "Baila Esta Cumbia" was initially dismissed as unlikely to achieve commercial success. "Baila Esta Cumbia" ultimately launched Selena y Los Dinos' popularity in Mexico, a market traditionally resistant to Tejano acts. The song was later certified 6× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
For Entre a Mi Mundo (1992), the group diversified their sound, Ojeda brought traditional "street music" from Laredo. He helped A.B. with choosing the title for "La Carcacha". The album became the group's "breakthrough album", and ranked second in Billboard magazine's Regional Mexican Albums all-time best-sellers chart in 1994. In March 1994, Selena released Amor Prohibido, critics called it the group's "crowning achievement" and the singer's best work. , Amor Prohibido has been certified 41× platinum (Latin), denoting 2.46 million album-equivalent units sold. Amor Prohibido is the second-highest certified Latin album in the United States trailing only her posthumous album Dreaming of You (1995). Amor Prohibido is the fourth best-selling Latin album of all-time in the US with over 1.246 million copies sold . The recording has been ranked as the best-selling Tejano album of the 1990s, and the best-selling Tejano album of all time. On March 31, 1995, Selena was shot and killed. Ojeda was the last Los Dinos member to be informed, as he slept through constant phone calls from the band. He rushed to the hospital, where he was met with a weeping Abraham who embraced him and told him the news.
1996–2002: The Chris Pérez Band Ojeda struggled to cope with Selena's death, avoiding her music for an extended period. He credited his wife and daughters with providing the emotional support that helped him navigate the grief and begin to heal. Ojeda co-wrote tracks on Astudillo's Como Te Extrano (1995). Rene Cabrera of the Corpus Christi Caller-Times, noted his contribution on the album alongside former Los Dinos members, saying few know how to craft recordings like they do. By March 1996, Ojeda begun training as a recording engineer at Q-Productions.