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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZFENDER, Freddy(b Baldemar G. Huerta, 4 June 1937, San Benito TX; d 14 October 2006 of lung cancer, Corpus Christi TX) Tex-Mex, country and rockabilly singer. From a family of migrant workers, he lied about his age to join the U.S. Marines '53, and began playing Texas honky tonks in 1956, adopting his stage name in 1959. He made records for many small labels with songs in Spanish and rockabilly titles popular in the South, including 'Wasted Days And Wasted Nights' and 'Crazy, Crazy Baby'. He was arrested in Baton Rouge, LA on drug charges, was sentenced to five years and did three in Angola State Prison '60-3, allegedly paroled at the intercession of Governor Jimmie Davis. He worked clubs in New Orleans '63-8 but had trouble restarting his career, worked as a mechanic and had started on a sociology degree; producer Huey Meau wanted him to go in a country-rock direction. When an update of 'Before The Next Teardrop Falls' did not get a major label deal, Meau released it on his Crazy Cajun label; performed partly in English and partly in Spanish, it was picked up by ABC-Dot '75, the first of three country no. 1 hits and CMA Single of the Year, and he was ACM Top New Male Vocalist. He had further pop-country success with 'Secret Love' '75, 'You'll Lose A Good Thing' '76, 'Vaya Con Dios' '76; country hits with ''The Rains Came' '77, 'Talk To Me' '78, 'Walking Piece Of Heaven' '79. |