Profile of Freddy Fender on Famous Like Me

Freddy Fender, born Baldemar Huerta in San Benito, Texas on June 4, 1937, is a Tejano, country, and rock and roll musician, known for his work as a solo artist and in the groups Los Super Seven and the Texas Tornados.

Early Years

As a child, Baldemar and his parents travelled throughout the United States as migrant farm hands. At the age of 16, Baldemar quit school and started a three year hitch in the United States Marines. He returned to Texas and played bars and honky-tonks throughout the south, mostly to Latino audiences. In 1957, he released two songs to moderate success in Mexico and South America, Spanish versions of Elvis Presley's "Don't Be Cruel", and Harry Belafonte's "Jamaica Farewell". In 1959, Baldemar changed his name to Freddy Fender. He took Fender from the headstock of his guitar, and Freddy because it sounded good to him. He then headed for California.

Initial Success

In 1959, Fender recorded "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights." The song became popular in 1960, but he was beset by legal troubles after he and a band member were arrested for narcotics possesion. After a two year prison term, Fender ended up in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he would spend the next five years.

By the end of the 1960s, Fender was back in Texas working as a mechanic, and attending a local junior college, while only playing music on the weekends.

Number One Pop and Country

In 1974, Fender recorded "Before The Next Teardrop Falls." The single was selected for national distribution, and became a number one hit on the Billboard Country and Pop charts. His next four singles, including a remake of "Wasted Days", all hit the number one spot on the Billboard Country charts.

During the next few years, Fender had several major country hits, including the No. 1 hits "Secret Love" (1975) and "You'll Lose a Good Thing" (1976).

Texas Tornadoes

In the 1990s, Fender teamed up with fellow Tex-Mex musicians Doug Sahm, Flaco Jimenez and Augie Myers to form the Texas Tornados, whose work was widely acclaimed. Following the death of Sahm, the production of the Tornadoes slowed.

Fender today

Most recently, Freddy Fender has signed a contract with a major label, and continues to sing, play and tour from his base in Texas.

Discography

• 1974 - Before The Next Teardrop Falls [Dot]

1. Roses Are Red
2. I'm Not A Fool Anymore
3. Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends
4. You Can't Get There From Here
5. I Love My Rancho Grande
6. Wasted Days And Wasted Nights
7. I Almost Called Your Name
8. Before The Next Teardrop Falls
9. Wild Side Of Life
10. After The Fire Is Gone
11. Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye

• 1975 - Before The Next Teardrop Falls [MCA]

1. Roses Are Red
2. I'm Not A Fool Anymore
3. Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends
4. You Can't Get There From Here
5. I Love My Rancho Grande
6. Wasted Days And Wasted Nights
7. I Almost Called Your Name
8. Before The Next Teardrop Falls
9. Wild Side Of Life
10. After The Fire Is Gone

• 1975 - Are You Ready For Freddy?

1. Secret Love
2. Loving Cajun Style
3. Take Your Time
4. I Can't Put My Arms Around a Memory
5. Cielito Lindo Is My Lady
6. Begging to You
7. What'd I Say
8. How Much Is That Dog in the Window
9. Teardrops in My Heart
10. You Came in the Winter of My Life
11. I'm Not Through Loving You Yet
12. Goodbye Clothes

• 1975 - Since I Met You Baby

1. Since I Met You Baby
2. A Man Can Cry
3. Louisiana Blues
4. Crazy Baby
5. I'm Gonna Leave
6. Little Mama
7. You're Something Else For Me
8. Too Late To Rememdy
9. Find Somebody New
10. Go On Baby (I Can Go On Without You)
11. Wild Side Of Life

• 1976 - Rock 'N' Country

1. Vaya Con Dios
2. You'll Lose a Good Thing
3. I Need You So
4. Mathilda
5. My Happiness
6. Just Out of Reach of My Two Open Arms
7. Rains Came
8. Take Her a Message
9. Since I Met You Baby
10. Big Boss Man
11. I Can't Help It If I'm Still in Love With You

• 1976 - Your Cheatin' Heart

1. Let The Good Times Roll
2. High School Dance
3. You Don't Have To Go
4. Lovers' Quarrel
5. Three Wishes
6. Your Cheatin' Heart
7. Crazy Kat
8. I Got A Woman
9. Whip It On Me

• 1976 - If You're Ever In Texas

1. Don't Do It Darling
2. It's All In The Game
3. San Antonio Lady
4. What A Difference A Day Made
5. Living It Down
6. Pass Me By (If You're Only Passing Through)
7. If You're Ever In Texas
8. Sometimes
9. Just One Time
10. It's Too Late
11. 50's Medley: Donna / For Sentimental Reasons /You're Mine / Cherry Pie / Sincerely / Earth Angel / Angel Baby / Daddy's Home

• 1977 - The Best of Freddy Fender

1. Before The Next Teardrop Falls
2. Wasted Days And Wasted Nights
3. Secret Love
4. You'll Lose A Good Thing
5. Vaya Con Dios
6. Living It Down
7. Sugar Coated Love
8. Wild Side Of Life
9. Since I Met You Baby
10. The Rains Came
11. I Love My Rancho Grande
12. Mathilda

• 1977 - If You Don't Love Me

1. We'll Take Our Last Walk Tonight
2. Louisiana Woman
3. How Are Things With You
4. If You're Looking for a Fool
5. If That's the Way You Want It
6. If You Don't Love Me
7. Think About Me
8. I Don't Want to Be Lonely
9. Faking the Feeling
10. Love Rules the Heart
11. Your Loving Couldn't Take the Walking Out of My Shoes
12. I Don't Dream About You Anymore

• 1977 - Merry Christmas / Feliz Navidad

1. Please Come Home for Christmas
2. Pretty Paper
3. Love Gets Better at Christmas
4. If Christmas Comes to Your House
5. Blue Christmas
6. Christmas in the Valley
7. Santa! Don't Pass Me By
8. When They Ring Those Christmas Bells
9. I'll Be on the Chimney
10. Natividad (The Infant Song)

• 1978 - Swamp Gold

• 1979 - Tex-Mex

1. You're Turning Down The Flame Of Love To Low
2. Leaning
3. If That's All That's Worrying You
4. Just Because
5. I Really Don't Want To Know
6. Walking Piece Of Heaven
7. She Came To The Valley
8. I'm A Fool To Care
9. She's Gone
10. Sweet Summer Day
11. Forgive
12. Cajun Stomp

• 1979 - The Texas Balladeer

1. Yours
2. Squeeze Box
3. My Special Prayer
4. Walk Under A Snake
5. Trapped
6. Share Your Love
7. He's Got Nothing On Me But You
8. Gotta Travel On
9. Turn Around
10. Rock Down In My Shoe

• 1980 - Together We Drifted Apart

• 1982 - The Border Soundtrack
  • Across The Borderline (with Ry Cooder)

• 1991 - The Freddy Fender Collection (re-recordings)

1. Wasted Days and Wasted Nights
2. It's All in the Game
3. Since I Met You Baby
4. I Can't Stop Loving You
5. Before the Next Teardrop Falls
6. Tell It Like It Is
7. Secret Love
8. You'll Lose a Good Thing
9. Pledging My Love
10. Vaya con Dios

• 1991 - Favorite Ballads

1. Wasted Days and Wasted Nights
2. Release Me
3. Welcome To My World
4. Talk to Me
5. I Can't Stop Loving You
6. Since I Met You Baby
7. It's All In The Game
8. Please Help Me I'm Falling
9. Secret Love
10. Tell It Like It Is
11. Pledging My Love
12. Before The Next Teardrop Falls
13. Green Green Grass of Home
14. You Lose a Good Thing
15. Crying Time
16. She Thinks I Still Care
17. Help Me Make It Through The Night
18. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
19. Vaya Con Dios
20. Together Again
21. Make The World Go Away
22. You Win Again
23. Funny How Time Slips Away
24. Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye

Honors

• Academy of Country Music (1975) - "Most Promising Male Vocalist"
• Country Music Association (1975) - "Single of the Year" for "Before The Next Teardrop Falls"
• Grammy nominations in 1975, 1976, and 1997
• Tejano Music Hall of Fame (1987)
• Inaugural Balls - Presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush Sr.
• Grammy Award "Best Mexican/American Performance" (1990) - for the Texas Tornados
• European Walk of Fame (1993) - in Rotterdam, the Netherlands
• Freddy Fender Lane (1994) - dedicated in his hometown of San Benito, Texas
• Hollywood Walk of Fame (1999)
• Texas Music Hall Of Fame (1999)
• Nashville Sidewalk of Stars (1999)
• Grammy Award "Best Mexican/American Performance" (1999) - for Los Super Seven
• Louisiana Hall Of Fame (2001)
• Grammy Award "Best Latin Pop" (2002) - for La Musica de Baldemar Huerta
• HomeFest - an annual festival in San Benito in Freddy Fender's honor

External Links

• Official Freddy Fender web site

This content from Wikipedia is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Freddy Fender