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Freddy Fender, born Baldemar Huerta in San Benito,
Texas on June 4, 1937, is a Tex-Mex and
Tejano|Tejano, country music|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
nightclub|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 language|Spanish
versions of Elvis Presley|Elvis Presley's "Don't
Be Cruel", and Harry Belafonte|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 magazine|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
:#Roses Are Red
:#I'm Not A Fool Anymore
:#Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends
:#You Can't Get There From Here
:#I Love My Rancho Grande
:#Wasted Days And Wasted Nights
:#I Almost Called Your Name
:#Before The Next Teardrop Falls
:#Wild Side Of Life
:#After The Fire Is Gone
:#Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye

*1975 - Before The Next Teardrop Falls MCA
:#Roses Are Red
:#I'm Not A Fool Anymore
:#Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends
:#You Can't Get There From Here
:#I Love My Rancho Grande
:#Wasted Days And Wasted Nights
:#I Almost Called Your Name
:#Before The Next Teardrop Falls
:#Wild Side Of Life
:#After The Fire Is Gone

*1975 - Are You Ready For Freddy?
:#Secret Love  
:#Loving Cajun Style
:#Take Your Time
:#I Can't Put My Arms Around a Memory
:#Cielito Lindo Is My Lady
:#Begging to You
:#What'd I Say
:#How Much Is That Dog in the Window
:#Teardrops in My Heart
:#You Came in the Winter of My Life 
:#I'm Not Through Loving You Yet
:#Goodbye Clothes

*1975 - Since I Met You Baby
:#Since I Met You Baby
:#A Man Can Cry
:#Louisiana Blues
:#Crazy Baby
:#I'm Gonna Leave
:#Little Mama
:#You're Something Else For Me
:#Too Late To Rememdy
:#Find Somebody New
:#Go On Baby (I Can Go On Without You)
:#Wild Side Of Life

*1976 - Rock 'N' Country
:#Vaya Con Dios
:#You'll Lose a Good Thing
:#I Need You So
:#Mathilda
:#My Happiness
:#Just Out of Reach of My Two Open Arms
:#Rains Came
:#Take Her a Message
:#Since I Met You Baby
:#Big Boss Man
:#I Can't Help It If I'm Still in Love With You

*1976 - Your Cheatin' Heart
:#Let The Good Times Roll
:#High School Dance
:#You Don't Have To Go
:#Lovers' Quarrel
:#Three Wishes
:#Your Cheatin' Heart
:#Crazy Kat
:#I Got A Woman
:#Whip It On Me

*1976 - If You're Ever In Texas
:#Don't Do It Darling
:#It's All In The Game
:#San Antonio Lady
:#What A Difference A Day Made
:#Living It Down
:#Pass Me By (If You're Only Passing Through)
:#If You're Ever In Texas
:#Sometimes
:#Just One Time
:#It's Too Late
:#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
:#Before The Next Teardrop Falls
:#Wasted Days And Wasted Nights
:#Secret Love
:#You'll Lose A Good Thing
:#Vaya Con Dios
:#Living It Down
:#Sugar Coated Love
:#Wild Side Of Life
:#Since I Met You Baby
:#The Rains Came
:#I Love My Rancho Grande
:#Mathilda

*1977 - If You Don't Love Me
:#We'll Take Our Last Walk Tonight    	  
:#Louisiana Woman
:#How Are Things With You
:#If You're Looking for a Fool
:#If That's the Way You Want It
:#If You Don't Love Me
:#Think About Me
:#I Don't Want to Be Lonely 
:#Faking the Feeling
:#Love Rules the Heart
:#Your Loving Couldn't Take the Walking Out of My
Shoes
:#I Don't Dream About You Anymore

*1977 - Merry Christmas / Feliz Navidad
:#Please Come Home for Christmas 	  
:#Pretty Paper
:#Love Gets Better at Christmas
:#If Christmas Comes to Your House
:#Blue Christmas
:#Christmas in the Valley
:#Santa! Don't Pass Me By
:#When They Ring Those Christmas Bells
:#I'll Be on the Chimney
:#Natividad (The Infant Song)

*1978 - Swamp Gold

*1979 - Tex-Mex
:#You're Turning Down The Flame Of Love To Low
:#Leaning
:#If That's All That's Worrying You
:#Just Because
:#I Really Don't Want To Know
:#Walking Piece Of Heaven
:#She Came To The Valley
:#I'm A Fool To Care
:#She's Gone
:#Sweet Summer Day
:#Forgive
:#Cajun Stomp

*1979 - The Texas Balladeer
:#Yours
:#Squeeze Box
:#My Special Prayer
:#Walk Under A Snake
:#Trapped
:#Share Your Love
:#He's Got Nothing On Me But You
:#Gotta Travel On
:#Turn Around
:#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)
:#Wasted Days and Wasted Nights
:#It's All in the Game
:#Since I Met You Baby
:#I Can't Stop Loving You
:#Before the Next Teardrop Falls
:#Tell It Like It Is
:#Secret Love
:#You'll Lose a Good Thing
:#Pledging My Love
:#Vaya con Dios

*1991 - Favorite Ballads
:#Wasted Days and Wasted Nights
:#Release Me
:#Welcome To My World
:#Talk to Me
:#I Can't Stop Loving You
:#Since I Met You Baby
:#It's All In The Game
:#Please Help Me I'm Falling
:#Secret Love
:#Tell It Like It Is
:#Pledging My Love
:#Before The Next Teardrop Falls
:#Green Green Grass of Home
:#You Lose a Good Thing
:#Crying Time
:#She Thinks I Still Care
:#Help Me Make It Through The Night
:#I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
:#Vaya Con Dios
:#Together Again
:#Make The World Go Away
:#You Win Again
:#Funny How Time Slips Away
:#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 for Best Mexican/Mexican-American
Album|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==
*http://www.freddyfender.com/ Official Freddy
Fender web site