Freddy Fender & The Texas Tornados In Austin Texas - By Patrick Ranasinghe

Freddy Fender & The Texas Tornados In Austin Texas – By Patrick Ranasinghe

Patrick_Ranasinghe

Freddy Fender was an American Tejano singer, known for his work as a solo artist and in the groups Los Super Seven and the Texas Tornados. His signature sound fused country, rock, swamp pop and Tex-Mex styles. Born: 4 June 1937, San Benito, Texas, United States Died: 14 October 2006 (age 69 years), Corpus Christi, Texas, United States Fender was born in San Benito, Texas, United States, to Margarita Garza and her Mexican husband, Serapio Huerta. He made his debut radio performance at age 10 on Harlingen, Texas, radio station KGBT, singing a then-hit “Paloma Querida.”

Fender dropped out of high school at age 16 in 1953, and, when he turned 17, he enlisted for three years in the U.S. Marine Corps. He served time in the brig on several occasions because of his drinking, and he was court-martialed in August 1956 and discharged with the rank of private (E-1). According to Fender, he later received a letter from the Department of the Navy stating that he wrongfully received a dishonorable discharge because of alcoholism, and he was given a general discharge.^[3] He returned to Texas and played nightclubs, bars, and honky-tonks throughout the south, mostly to Latino audiences. In 1957, then known as El Bebop Kid, he released two songs to moderate success in Mexico and South America: Spanish-language versions of Elvis Presley’s “Don’t Be Cruel” (as “No Seas Cruel”) and Harry Belafonte’s “Jamaica Farewell.” He also recorded his own Spanish version of Hank Williams’ “Cold, Cold Heart” under the title “Tu Frío Corazón” (“Your Cold Heart”).

He became known for his rockabilly music and Eddie con los Shades persona. In 1958, he legally changed his name from Baldemar Huerta to Freddy Fender. He took the name Fender from the guitar and amplifier, and Freddy because the alliteration sounded good and would “sell better with gringos

He then relocated to California.

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