Joe Martinez, Ed.D., is a Doctor of Curriculum & Technology, a U.S. Military Veteran, and a native of San Benito.
Freddy Fender has a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, located on the south side of Hollywood Boulevard in the 7000 Block.
He also has another star: his iconic portrait of a smiling face on San Benito’s water tower.
He was a native of our great little city, which emblazons his iconic photo on our water tower. By the way, the water tower is undergoing repairs and modernization (read the story in its entirety on page 1).
What did Freddy Fender do to earn this honor?
Freddy Fender, born Baldemar Huerta on June 4, 1937, in our city, was a go-getter from a very young age and began singing at 10 on a South Texas radio station. It is rumored that he made a guitar from a can of tuna and some wood scraps.
He joined the Marine Corps and, after being discharged, began singing in local bars, where he was known as the Be-Bop Kid. He liked performing his interpretations of Elvis songs and was considered the “Elvis of the Rio Grande” by the Los Angeles Times.
He later legally changed his name to Freddy Fender and earned numerous accolades as a singer, with many of his hit songs reaching number one on multiple charts. He wasn’t a one-hit wonder, as songs such as “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights” and “Before the Next Teardrop Falls” reached Gold Chart status.
He is a reminder to San Benito residents that, despite personal hardship, when a person is truly committed to success, hard work and tenacity can accomplish anything their heart desires. All it takes is commitment and hard work.
As a Mexican-American, Freddy Fender put San Benito on the map. Freddy also appeared in several Hollywood films and TV shows, and his songs continue to influence local and national musical trends.
One of the things I would like to see at the Park on Freddy Fender Lane is a commemorative statue of Freddy Fender with him holding a guitar.
This statue of the first Hispanic singer to crossover into international stardom would add another incentive for tourists to visit the city.
Let’s face it, tourists like to take pictures of themselves with commemorative statues or iconic figures for their traveling memoirs. It’s just something the City should consider in order to generate more revenue and attract more tourism.
I love this city. It hasn’t changed much since I grew up here, but that doesn’t mean we need to hide our heritage from the rest of the world.
Let’s let it flourish! Painting and modernizing the Freddy Fender Water Tower is an excellent start, but we can do more to commemorate one of our own; after all, our city deserves it.
2 comments
You failed to mention that he was dishonorably discharged from the Marines. And though he did get some fame, he never did anything for the city of San Benito. Growing up in San Benito.. I have never heard of him and it wasn’t until a few years ago when a family member tried to cash in with a book, the city started to make a big deal. Don’t know why ya’ll continue to hype this man up.. in a few years.. when this generation who is old enough to remember him goes away.. so will this.
You certainly didn’t know Balde nor anything about him. For some reason you seem to be hating on a man that did more for this city than you would ever do! Get over it.