Freddy Fender

Born Baldemar Huerta in Texas over half a century ago, singer, songwriter and guitarist Fender has an astonishingly soulful voice that finds him right at home singing country, Rockabilly, R&B, Swamp Pop and all manner of Tex Mex music. He began his career singing primarily in Spanish in the 1950s and gained a regional reputation in Texas. In an effort to broaden his audience, he adopted the stage name Fender and embraced Rockabilly and R&B music. Although the sides he recorded didn't have much success, they remain as wild and visceral as any regional rock 'n' roll recorded. Fender was busted for marijuana and served a 3-year jolt in prison, which pretty much set his career adrift after his release. Fender was on the fringes of the music business for almost 10 years until he hooked up with legendary Huey P. Meaux and released the song "Until the Next Teardrop Falls" on Meaux's Crazy Cajun label. The song was a huge hit, and the follow up "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights" was just as big, ironically making the journeyman Fender into an overnight sensation. He remained a big star for the rest of the 1970s. After sitting out much of the 1980s, Fender emerged with fellow Texans Flaco Jimenez, the late Doug Sahm and Augie Meyers in the highly acclaimed Tejano supergroup Texas Tornadoes.