Freddy Fender would have turned 85 last week

By THE SAN BENITO HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Special to the NEWS

On June 2, 2022, San Benito native son and famed country music star, Freddy Fender would have turned 85-years-old.

In commemoration of his birthday last week, award-winning Tejano singer and Valley native Veronique Medrano penned an article entitled, “Freddy Fender Made History and Inspired a Generation: Why Isn’t He in the Country Music Hall of Fame?” for WideOpenCountry.com.

With pictures of Fender and musical tributes by singer/songwriter Tim McGraw, and another San Benito native, country singer Charley Crockett, the article chronicles the life, triumphs, and accomplishments of Baldemar Huerta, known to the world as Freddy Fender.

Volunteers at the Museums of San Benito, housed at the Community Building on Heywood St., have always been astonished by the stories visitors from all around the globe told of Freddy Fender when they toured the exhibit.

Contained within the exhibit, visitors saw his three Grammys and two Gold Records along with his motorcycle, performance outfits, other artifacts, as well as stories on the walls and photos commemorating his contributions to music, to Texas and especially to the town in which he was born.

Contributing to Freddy’s fame, country western singer Charley Crockett said, “When I say I was born in San Benito, Texas, very few know where that is, but if I say I’m from the same town as Freddy Fender, they all know what I’m talking about.” Crockett believes Freddy Fender pioneered a version of Rock N’ Roll that is yet to be uncovered in America.

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2022/06/10/freddy-fender-would-have-turned-85-last-week/

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