Selena was already a bonafide superstar in the world of Tejano music when she recorded her first English-speaking single, “I Could Fall in Love.” After her tragic murder on March 31, 1995, the song was released as a posthumous single off her final album, Dreaming of You, in June and hit No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.
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The Texas-bred singer recorded the song in Nashville shortly before her untimely death. Below, we look at the Nashville-based songwriter and producer who wrote “I Could Fall in Love.”
Meet the Writer Behind “I Could Fall in Love”
Keith Thomas was already an accomplished songwriter and producer when he penned one of Selena’s most defining songs. Born and raised in Conyers, Georgia, near Atlanta, Thomas got his start in music during childhood as the lead singer of his father’s gospel band. He then became a session musician in Atlanta while in high school where he met country superstar Ronnie Milsap, who signed him as the first staff writer at his publishing company, Ronjoy Music.
After later becoming a staff writer and producer at Christian record label, Word Records, Thomas formed his own publishing company, Yellow Elephant Music, where he produced three of BeBe and CeCe Winans albums, including Heaven and Different Lifestyles. Both albums hit No. 1 on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart, the latter also topping the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. He also co-wrote their hit “Addictive Love.”
At the start of the 1990s, Thomas found crossover success by co-writing Amy Grant’s chart-topping hit “Baby Baby.” The two found success again with “Lucky One” and “House of Love.” He also topped the charts with Vanessa Williams, producing her hits “Save the Best For Last” and “The Sweetest Days.”
Thomas made history with “I Could Fall in Love,” as it solidified Selena as the first artist to have both a Spanish and English song in the top 10 on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart when “Tú Sólo Tú” and “I Could Fall in Love” claimed the No. 1 and No. 2 spots, respectively, on that chart for five consecutive weeks.
“I consider my wheelhouse to be more melodic than lyrical, although one of my biggest hits, Selena’s, ‘I Could Fall in Love,’ I wrote both music and lyrics,” Thomas explained to American Songwriter. “I typically write the melody first, with a lyrical hook, unless I’m moved by a particular story or situation and then I’ll dive in and finish.”
Thomas scored another massive success when he produced Williams’ rendition of “Colors of the Wind” with Robbie Buchanan for the Disney film, Pocahontas. Her version reached the top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. In addition to Pocahontas, Thomas has made his mark in other films and TV shows, including producing the soundtrack for the TV show, Touched by An Angel, and producing Trisha Yearwood’s “You’re Where I Belong” for the Hugh Laurie and Geena Davis-led 1999 live-action film, Stuart Little. He also co-penned and produced Mandy Moore’s “I Wanna Be With You,” which became her only top 40 hit.
Whitney Houston, Luther Vandross, 98 Degrees, Gladys Knight, Michael Bolton and Yolanda Adams are among the vast range of artists who Thomas has worked with over the years. Additionally, the Thomas and BeBe Winans-penned “Don’t Cry” is featured on the soundtrack for the 2022 Whitney Houston biopic, I Wanna Dance with Somebody.
“A well-written song that offers hope can change our perspective on life,” Thomas tells American Songwriter. “Songwriters have the ability to affect change, to evoke laughter, tears, hope, healing or a wide range of emotions that we experience on a regular basis. Songwriting is one of the most powerful tools we have at our disposal.”
Photo Credit: Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History / Selena Photos Acquisition Commemorates Singer’s 50th Birthday
