Freddy Fender, whose real name is Baldemar Garza Huerta, was a groundbreaking crossover entertainer from San Benito Texas. He learned to play a hand me down guitar while working as a child laborer in farm fields. There he would absorb African American, Mexican, Caucasian, and other styles of music, from fellow workers. Freddy would play and sing for tips anywhere he could to help his family. Realizing that he needed to break free from this lifestyle, he enlisted into the U.S. Marine Corps for three years. During his tenure in the Marines, he began to abuse alcohol and was eventually discharged honorably. When he returned home, he would perform at dive bars, nightclubs, cantinas to primarily Latin audiences. When Elvis Presley hit the national spotlight, Freddy was one of the first Latin performers to bring rock and roll to the Spanish culture. He recorded these crossover songs in 1956 as The Bebop Kid. With the hard lifestyle of a Tex Mex entertainer and persevering through substance abuse issues, Freddy began to make a name for himself. He was one of the first country artists to mix the English and Spanish language into individual songs. He hit the national spotlight with the songs “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights” and “Before the Next Teardrop Falls.” Enjoying a long successful career as a solo artist, Freddy was also a member of the Texas Tornados and Los Super 7. He eventually won three Grammy awards. After his death, his daughter, Tammy Lorraine Huerta Fender, paid homage to her father by releasing a book on Freddy’s life and career. I recently interviewed Tammy and she shared touching words of her memories, as well as others associated with his life.
R.V.B. - Congratulations on your book of your father, the legendary performer Freddy Fender. It must have been an exciting and interesting task for a daughter to pay homage to her father in this way. Can you describe the process of writing of this book and the emotions you may have had during this task?
T.L.H.F. - Thank you for this interview. First I’d like to describe my father, so maybe you can understand the process of what happened to me after his death. My father had this memory where he could remember you 50 years back. He could tell you what day of the week he met you… what you were wearing… and what the topic was. He never forgot a name… your grandparents name… he just had this special gift. When he saw you he would ask about “How’s your uncle?” People were just in awe with him… how he could not forget them. I think that’s what drew people to him. Freddy didn’t forget you. He was about the people. He was in there when he performed. He signed any autograph in any country, even if he was tired two hours later. Then he’d go back up on stage again. Then another hour or two signing, then he’d go back again. If his hands were tired, he’d go back at it again. He just loved people!!! That’s what fed him… the people. With that said, I had these memories… these flashbacks when he was passing away – and after – of my whole life with him, since my childhood. I just couldn’t rest!!! So there I was for a couple of years… I was driving around in my car going to nursing homes… sleeping in strangers homes… talking with old celebrities, like Tajano’s singers… people from the valley. I wanted to get information of my dad from his youth when he was singing as the Baltemar Huerta - The Bebop Kid - back when he used to win a lot of talent shows. He would do these shows during the time he was a child migrant worker… from the age of 10. Freddy would do this so they could eat. He picked cotton, and with those bloody fingers, he would learn to play guitar at the campsites. He would work with black folks and hillbillies. That’s how he learned different music genres, from traveling up north and working in the fields. When my father passed, Governor Perry had his scheduler Josh call me. He wanted to go to the service. President Bush and Laura Bush gave us this beautiful letter. President Bush also gave his endorsement to help get my dad his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Freddy deserved that earlier as well… there were a lot of politics involved. I couldn’t answer the phone because I was just so depressed. I couldn’t even get up and get dressed to go to the funeral but I finally did. A few people that attended were congressman Salomon Ortiz and politicians like Senator Eddie Lucio Sr. who all grew up watching him sing as The Bebop Kid in the Rio Grand Valley. We did this so fast, a lot of people couldn’t make it. We just wanted to bury Freddy. We did it fast because my younger brother was so upset. “Dad’s in the morgue… we don’t want to leave him there.” So it was the thought of “Let’s hurry up and bury him.” A few people were upset that they couldn’t get to come. So there I am putting pictures up of my father before the mass service… that lasted all day. We were sitting there for 10 to 12 hours listening to all these stories of Freddy. As I was putting all these pictures up, this man approached me and said he wanted to get my DNA. He thought that we might be related. In the book I talk about how Freddy does have step brothers… but this guy was not one of them. We get that a lot. People want to be related. My mother said “Let them feel like they’re part of the family.” That was a little disturbing for me… the DNA part. “Really??? Right now I’m burying my dad?” So I was listening to all these stories that I hadn’t heard… all these things that my dad was doing… movies...TV shows. People from all over the world were telling stories. I was thinking. “I didn’t know all of this. When did this happen?” He won Grammys for this and that... I realized that in doing my research that that’s why my father was never home. My mom and he separated many times… got divorced… and go back and forth for 49 years. Although my mom was his rock! She helped him through everything until the end. In a way the book is a love story. You will know that even more in the second volume. I realized I was just very angry at everything. (Gets emotional) Is that it??? I could just see the people’s faces… is that it… the great Freddy Fender? He had experienced so much… his struggles with everything… medical issues… incarceration. My flashbacks – like I say in the preface – just wouldn’t let me be. I couldn’t live! The flashbacks of the good, bad and the ugly… I didn’t know how to get it out. I’m not a singer like my dad. All of a sudden, I just knew what to do. I did my outline… I did a lot of research. I slept in my car and brought my camera to videotape people. I called on the big agency’s that managed him… Jim Halsey and Jim Foglesong of the CMA. Foflesong was also owner of MCA Records) I interviewed a couple of celebrities. I was emailing Dick Clark, who was going to do the forward the book, but then he had a stroke. So I don’t have a forward in the book… it’s only me writing it. I have interviews from his band members. I let them say their peace. I didn’t dilute their interviews. They deserved to share those experiences with me about Freddy, without having me just quote them. I don’t care about any ridicule of my writing. When you read it, you’ll understand, “Yeah, I need to say that.” My mom has a couple of chapters in it also. My dad deserved that. I never said this before because I don’t want my credibility undermined (Gets emotional in her voice) but when I began to write immediately after his passing, I felt he was connected with me. I was just seeing all kinds of things. I was going through a lot of duress. I had to get all those memories out. It was just too much… I couldn’t take it! I had to give it to somebody… to you… to the people. He belonged to you… I learned that. He loved the people! (slightly sobbing) My mom just wanted him to be home. I kept seeing his lights and all the things happening, that I don’t really want to get into now. I knew he was there. One day I felt he was gone. I knew he had gone… I felt it in my soul. It went out of me like air pressure… phiiffft’. It was gone to a different plane. I always remember his beautiful things. Maybe one day I’ll share them… it’s just amazing. So there I went on this journey. I spent 2 ½ years of research and another 2 ½ years writing. Of course the rest is all editing. It was one book in the beginning but it turned out to be two books, because it turned into 40 chapters.
It’s self published. I found out that publishers really don’t want a book over 100,000 words. My first book is the rise of Freddy Fender. The first book is 200k and the second book is another 200k - but you know what??? – I don’t care. There is no way I’m going to water down and short change him... it’s my dad’s life. It rocks in every (f#&*ing) chapter… excuse me. (Haha) I hit a home run! When you read it you’ll know what I mean. He gave his very best and that’s what I did in this book. This was my way of creating and sharing my soul. That’s what he did… he gave his soul to the people. I don’t know why??? I’ve never done this before. I didn’t even know how to write well. (Haha) I’m not a skillful writer… I didn’t even finish the 10th grade. I’ll talk about it in my second book but I started acting up and taking after my father. I really don’t like telling people that right now. It’s the fall, and it’s hard. I have four chapters of the dark side. Then his redemption is beautiful. I’m in there too. I didn’t want myself in there. I kept fighting myself over it for many nights. I said “It’s part of it me that me and my dad were doing drugs… all this drinking and drugs… cocaine.” It really hurt my mom and my family. The first book has subtle hints of the trouble that I’m getting into. Freddy starts with his alcoholism. When he was in the Marines, he comes back in the brig. There's some funny stories but the underline fact is, Freddy is an alcoholic. It runs in his family. In my family, it runs in both of my parent’s side. My mom doesn’t drink though but her brothers do. Another thing that I didn’t really think to tell – because I didn’t think it was important – is that I have dyslexia. When I had it edited, my publisher did a really poor job. My girlfriend Alicia Villarreal, that I met at the funeral, was up there saying that my dad had a role in her movie called Atanasia. I was interested in listening to her in that he had seen her and her dad in the newspaper. They were doing this project. He invited Johnny Rodriguez, and Flaco Jimenez, and Augie Myers, and Doug Sahm into the picture. They were filming her movie about her family called Atanasia and Freddy had a great role. Unfortunately, Freddy had a major motorcycle accident and had broken three ribs. He ended up not finishing the film but did get a cameo. She wanted to edit my book. She did a really good job. When she read it, she was in awe. She helped me because my dad helped her. He didn’t charge her or anything. She felt that she owed it to him. So with my dyslexia, she had helped me a lot. But those are my words… those are my experiences. I’ve gotten better just acknowledging it. I’m about to graduate college in Psychology and go to law school… so can you imagine that!!! (Hahaha) So that’s what happened with my emotions during this task.
R.V.B. – Can you give a brief synopsis of Freddy Fender’s life and how you think he changed the stereotypes of what a country/crossover star should be? What kind of legacy did he leave for this world?
T.L.H.F. - I think what Freddy did here with his music career was that, he just blew people away. I know he crossed over into the Latin, Country and Rock charts, but he was in Pop also. He was doing this all over the world… not just the United States. He was here, Amsterdam, Singapore, Switzerland, Germany, Australia… He loved Australia. His band members told me stories about my dad in Germany. There was a lot of prejudges over there too. There are awesome stories in the first book… the second book also. I added a lot of Freddy’s personal quotes. There are some from when he was a child migrant worker and some when he got out of prison. I say his quotes from “From My Eyes” by Freddy Fender in the book. I do that all the way up to the very end. Freddy only went up to the ninth grade but he speaks eloquently. You can hear the same things told a hundred times. It’s the way it’s told - they way it’s being said to you – that’s what grabs you. That’s what we’re giving you here. As far as crossing over into different genres, there’s a story in the second book when the artists become jealous. He was talking about Tanya Tucker and they had the same agent Jim Halsey. She saying something behind him “Hey Freddy, are you trying to corner the whole market?” Freddy tells you “I don’t understand that lingo?” He just didn't know the talk of the mainstream music industry. Freddy is rough with the Cantinas and the Gringo bars.” He would get beat up in the Mexican bars because he wouldn’t sing Mexican music. But they loved his voice. There was a lot of jealousy. I experienced that. I wrote about how some of those people were rude. My father is not a pushover. He’d say things like “Hey you better back up.” I’m the same way too. At the same time we’re very forgiving… we look above that. You gotta look at the good side of people. My dad was in the Texas Tornados. There are stories in the second book where the band members say – and I let them say it – about what some entertainers said about him. Freddy would write prayers on anything. I’m going to put those prayers in the second book. They really get to you. This is after his sobriety. The first book… the first 21 chapters is about the rise. In the second book, there are four chapters about the fall. It’s heavy!!! We’re talking mafia and cartel’s… the banditos. It was just a crazy lifestyle. Freddy was like Frank Sinatra. But he was the Frank Sinatra of the south. Wherever Freddy went, he was like a magnet. He was very approachable. You could see his demeanor when he walked into a door, he had this smile and this twinkle in his eye. But he also liked to fight… in the bars or getting off the stage. He loved that s#it. (Hahaha) – Freddy provoked a lot of it too. (Hahaha) Freddy and his brothers were very gangsta. That’s how they developed from a very impoverished area, in San Benito Texas. Freddy is very proud of his home town. It’s my home town too. Whenever he went all over the world, Freddy would say “Anybody here from the Rio Grand Valley? There was always somebody raising their hand. “Yeah baby.” One of the stories, in the second book, is about Charlie Rich. Charlie and my dad were friends. He introduced his son Alan Rich to him too. Charlie Rich was saying to him in one of the interviews, “Freddy’s going up to the stage, and we’re in an open area in the back. Somebody’s yelling “Freddy let me in… we went to the same high school.”” Freddy turns back and yells out “You liar… I never went to high school.” (Hahaha) Freddy was very funny. When he was on stage, he was always serious about the music. The band members from early on, to his last days always said this. He would say “What am I paying you for… what’s with that note?” Freddy was a professional. He learned and played everything by ear. I love to share this because it’s important. This is something that’s awesome about Freddy. Only sound engineers and record producers know this about Freddy. When Freddy went into the studio, he would take over. “This is what I need.” The sound engineers know what they’re doing but, Freddy knows what the fu%k’ he’s talking about… he has that ear. He was a sound engineer for Lydia Mendoza and Tony Delarosa. There are awesome stories in the book. Freddy always gave you his first take. They would go “Okay Freddy… give me another take.” He would be serious and say “No man… This is all you’re going to get.” That’s the way he was. He was very successful that way with country western and rock. I think Freddy was a pioneer in rock and country. I don’t know who else was doing that? He was mixing American music into Spanish music. He lived as The Bebop Kid. I want this documented. One of the reasons I wrote the book is to show how Freddy brought rock to the Spanish language. It started in 1956. I got recording ledgers from Chris Strachwitz of Arhoolie Records. He was telling me stories and sending me the ledgers of all these rock songs that Freddy did at the beginning. After he got back from Okinawa Japan with the Marines, he went into the studio. The producers were looking for a Spanish Elvis, so they got him. The kids went crazy over him. The ledgers show the date he was signed for the recordings… November 6th 1956. He was the first! There were popular Spanish performers after him like Richie Valens. Richie Valens was in the right place at the right time. He was in LA with the white entertainers. He had a light complexion. Freddy is dark. He lived down south in no-mans land… near Mexico. The news Of Freddy was crossing over there. The music archivist Ramone Hernandez started digging and coming up with good information. Freddy was underrated. They didn’t give him the accolades. He could be considered the father of Rock and Roll in Mexico. There were a lot of entertainers singing Freddy’s music… Wasted Days and Acapulco Rock… and other songs in movies. He never got the royalties. He had someone go over there one time and they pulled guns on him. That’s a true story.
T.L.H.F. - How did being the daughter of a successful entertainer affect your life? Did your father ever address this issue with you?
T.L.H.F. - Oh it affected me alright. My father could have been a standard entertainer who didn’t drink or party. Freddy was the leader of the pack. Freddy impacted world leaders like kings and queens when he would perform in countries such as Africa and England. When Freddy walked in, they wanted to hear what he had to say. Jimmy Carter had Freddy over for lunch a few times. I remember Clinton had my dad in the White House. My mom said “Clinton called and wants you to play in the White House.” He said “Again! I already played for him two times. You need to give somebody else a chance.” (Hahaha) I have some cute quotes that Freddy said about Bill Clinton… with his saxophone… and welfare. Clinton wanted to play with Freddy. He performed for Ford and President Bush Jr. and Bush Sr. Freddy said some beautiful things about Jimmy Carter. Anyway, it really affected my life and the lives of my two brothers. In the book I talk about an incident that happened with Freddy. The FBI made us stay at the house. Me being a female, and my culture being Hispanic… I couldn’t talk to boys. The band members said my dad told them “We couldn’t even talk to you.” In my culture, I was raised where I couldn’t even smile at boys. That’s just not cool. Before Freddy became worldwide famous, I was very popular in school. I was happy and I was a cheerleader. It all changed and began to strip me of my freedom. Then the depression set in and more things happened. My lifestyle became really crazy. I said “If you can’t beat em’ join em’.” It must be cool to act like that… the way my dad was. I went crashing… trying to escape… into the wildlife. I talk about that in the second book. The rise is beautiful. God gave Freddy all these gifts. He always thought he was an ordinary man. Freddy had extraordinary God given talent. He shared it with the world. I won’t go into the dark side too much but the redemption is beautiful. Me too… I got well. He got well and then I got well. Then we could relate… it was rockin’. We were both alcoholics and we got help. We talk that lingo about Alcoholics Anonymous. I’m a founder of an AA group at a local hospital. I do describe how we got sober. The steps can be found at AA.org. When we did get sober… after a few years, he looked at me and said “Thomasa… I know you could have been something.” He knew and I knew, I destroyed my life for a long time. I was drinking, escaping… angry at father and mother. After the fall, I went in AA for about 17 years. God starts saving me and everything starts gelling. We gave our lives to God… we were f#cking it up. We hurt the family. It’s got so many aspects to it… Christianity. But me being a psych major… I graduate after this semester… I had so much behavior modification. I had some therapy. I needed to go because I was sick. Freddy and I were sick. We gave up the insanity. The only thing next was death. We were tired of being unhappy. I looked at him and just nodded after he told me I could have been something. I could have been an actress… a singer. Sure, everybody wants to be a rock star. I’m not really good talking to people one on one, unless it’s an interview. We lived a private life… not to address anyone. It’s uncomfortable when people get in your boundary. I’m uncomfortable with that and I think it’s rude. You don’t approach me or my mom. It’s just the way entertainment people are. You just don’t go there. There are different methods of introduction. That’s why I’m going to school now. It’s a little late but I’m going to get older anyway. I’m going to go to law school. I have a really high GPA. Although I might just wind up going to UH. (University of Houston) I’ve been living here with my parents since 1974. My mom now lives in Corpus Christi now. I’m the one who came back here.
R.V.B. - I understand that you are professionally involved with helping people with dependencies. How do you feel about assisting people to move on from this in a productive fashion? Are there similarities with people of today and the problems your dad may have faced in his time?
T.L.H.F. - There’s so much to say about him. This can go all over the place. People used Freddy. They got very rich off of him. Freddy had gotten to the point where he was horse whipped. Between being a celebrity during the daytime, he practically started to live in hotels in Los Angeles. He was being picked up by limos and doing TV shows and at night he would do his concerts. There were a couple of incidents where they were forcing him to do three or four shows at night. They would threaten him and say “If you don’t do another show, we’re not going to invite you back. People would be driving in from Las Vegas and all over California. In between that, you still have your contracts with your producers and you have to produce more records. The majority of the songs that Freddy wrote were from when he was in pain. He had turmoil throughout his life. That’s how he healed. He took it out in his music. In the book I say that music saved my dad’s life. Even through his illness with a kidney and a liver transplant… and cancer to the bitter end. I have pictures of how frail he was at the end. He was going through a lot of things. There were a lot of code blue’s that people didn’t know about. He wouldn’t let us tell people because he was afraid the buyers wouldn’t hire him. Here we were, always in private. When he died, I felt this relief. I could finally talk. (Gets emotional) I could have a voice. It hurt us. Freddy had a fast paced life that was just so dynamic. We felt bad that he screwed up. Here she comes again… my mom saved him. She explains in the book how she did it. She tricked him and got him help. It’s the first chapter of the redemption part. It ended up okay but there was some damage. Freddy did it all. We had to forgive him. He was really walking the walk. He had a relationship with God and Jesus. We didn’t want to stay angry and we had to forgive him. He lost over 30,000,000 dollars. It was stolen from him. We can’t get that money back. The people are gone… the producers are gone. His producer Huey Meaux was on Americas Most Wanted. I have the magazine Texas Monthly. He was on the run. I got his interview right before he died because he lived right by me. He had an electronic device on his ankle. He was just about to get it off when he got cancer and died. The interview is pretty intense. Everything in the book is intense. The second book is going to get really wild. Thank you again. God saved Freddy and one thing I want to share from him is that when he stopped fighting and he let go, that’s when things began to gel. That’s when God took over… it’s heartfelt. He has a way of speaking so eloquently. This interview is reminding me of all the stuff that went down in the book. It’s written and ready but I got to push the first one first. I talk about in the redemption, my amends to my dad. I really get into it. I can tell you what was going on verbally because I was so angry with him. We drugged together and we drank together. He shouldn’t have been doing that with me. He shouldn’t have been doing that because I was 17. It was wrong what we did but he made his amends but I harbored so much anger towards him. But everything ended well. I’m sober since 1994.
R.V.B. - What kind of man was Freddy? Was he basically the same type of person on the road as at home?
Freddy was the same at home as on the road. When he was eating, and someone asked for an autograph, he would give them one. He was never rude. That’s not my dad. My dad was dominant. One bad look and he would threaten your life. When he had his redemption, he wouldn’t talk like that anymore. He became more patient. He was a sweetheart. He always wore cartoon tee shirts… Betty Boop or Sponge Bob. (Hahaha) He’d be driving his motorcycle with them on… (Hahaha) he was childlike. I’m the same way. I find myself like that… really dominant. I can’t help it. But at the same time, I’m really sweet too.
R.V.B. - What are some of the great songs that your father may have been fond of?
T.L.H.F. - My father’s favorite song was Secret Love. When you watched him singing this song, you will notice his facial expressions. When he sang the words “I love you,” it was like he was saying them to you personally. It was just so romantic and passionate. That song has a very high voice part in the chorus. His producer Huey Meaux – known as the “Crazy Cajun” – would push Freddy to hit the high notes. When you hear that song, you will understand what I’m talking about. My father was a renowned crooner. I was well protected when I were young so it was by accident that I got to see him sing. I was in the bleachers at Magic Mountain in Valencia California. They were telling him that he had to stay for a third show. It was already 11 at night. It was packed and he was exhausted. In the book, there’s a story I tell about going into the limousine, when we were ready to go. He had to stay and I snuck away from the bodyguards to watch the show. That was the first time I saw him perform. I didn’t understand why he was always gone and what the fuss was about. When he sang that song the crowd was silent. I was baffled at how people were looking at him. I was a teenager at the time and I was star struck. He really shined when he sang Secret Love. Later in his life, he sang the song from Julio Iglesias called “Hey.” Again he had the crooner voice. He just takes control of your emotions with this song. Freddy has over 100 of his own compositions. The last tracks he did at Studio M in San Antonio with the Morales Brothers. My father won a Grammy right when he was dying. Gloria Estefan was one of the judges. I inter the brothers in my book and they tell the story about the sessions. Freddy won the Grammy in the Best Latin Pop Album category. Some of the other singers were upset that they didn’t win. They only sold 100,000 copies. My dad didn’t have the money to promote it. The judges loved it because it was just beautiful. They were all Mexican love ballads. The album is called “La Musica De Baldamar Huerta.” When Freddy was battling cancer, he just wouldn’t stop singing. As my mother said “The music saved him.” There is more music that will be eventually released. At the very end of the book there is a picture of my dad sitting on the couch and singing to my mom at the studio.
Thank you very much for this interview.
Interview conducted by Robert von Bernewitz
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My mom dated him. He would come to our house. I look nothing like my brothers n sisters n always felt different. Could he be my dad. Alot of the songs remind me if my mom he is singing to. My hair is like his. I live to sing but was forbidden.
Posted by: Jeannie | 05/11/2021 at 01:28 AM
He had the most beautiful voice.so happy I got to hear wasted days and next teardrop.glad he had those huge hits,I know there would have been more with that voice.He sang from the heart.
Posted by: janis | 11/22/2021 at 11:57 PM
Hello Tammy,
I was lucky enough to be in the right place
At the right time, because when your Father
Was having a concert at Mira Mar Naval air
Station in San Diego, ( Marine Corps air station)
(Now) I happened to working on some equipment
In a room next to the stage. The concert was
About to start and I was making a bit of noise
Working, so one of the ushers asked me if I
Would come back and finish my work after
The concert was over, When Freddy Fender
Was through performing. I agreed politely and
Was gathering my tools to leave, when the man in charge of the concert hall noticed me and
When he spoke said” that was very kind of
You” Then he added , questioning me.
“Do you know who’s performing here this evening?
I answered, “ Why yes I do.” Then I added
I play in a band , every time we play I sing
“Wasted days and wasted nights” one of Freddy
Fenders hits. He looked at me and smiled ,
Saying, if you’dlike to stay for the show , it’s on me
I was excited as I fallowed him into room where
The stage was set up. He set me down in a front
Row seat( the only seat left) . That evening I
Heard the MAN sing the song I had sang with my
Band, so many times. I never dreamed I’d
Ever meet him but I was able to get his
Autograph after the concert. Like I said
“ the right place at the right time” A real high
Point in my life. It gave me the inspiration to
Write a song Freddy Fender Style, for him.
I was unable to contact anyone, as to how
I might get my song to the artist. Although
I made an effort many times. I was unsuccessful
So here it sets in
My library of songs gathering dust .
It’s bilingual entitled “ Don’t try to stop me
When I leave you for somebody new”
So Tammy, if there is anyone that you know
That sings like your Daddy , or his style,
Please let me know. I’d be delighted, to say the
Least. A Freddy Fender fan . That’s my story
Daniel Wesolowski That’s me !!!!
Blessings Tammy. 🎶🎶🎶🎶
Posted by: Daniel Wesolowski | 05/10/2022 at 02:35 PM