81R9785 JH-D
By: Ortiz, Jr. H.R. No. 796
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Nearly 2-1/2 years have gone by since Freddy Fender
died on October 14, 2006, but the passage of time has in no way
diminished the stature of this Texas music legend, and his legacy
remains as poignant as ever; and
WHEREAS, Born Baldemar Huerta on June 4, 1937, in the South
Texas town of San Benito, he began singing at a young age and
originally focused on performing the conjunto, Tejano, and
traditional Mexican music that was popular in his Hispanic
neighborhood; after serving three years in the U.S. Marine Corps,
he launched his music career in the late 1950s by playing Texas
honky-tonks and recording Spanish versions of popular hits by other
performers; when Imperial Records offered him a contract in 1959,
he adopted the stage name Freddy Fender; and
WHEREAS, The following year, that name became well known all
across the country as Mr. Fender's song "Wasted Days and Wasted
Nights" became a national hit; sadly, his good fortune was
short-lived, as an arrest for possession of a small amount of
marijuana led to a three-year prison term in Louisiana; by the late
1960s, he had returned to the Rio Grande Valley, where he earned a
living as a mechanic, playing music only on the weekends; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Fender's talent refused to be denied, however,
and in 1975, his career was reborn when "Before the Next Teardrop
Falls" became a number one hit on both the pop and country charts;
he followed "Teardrop" with a remake of his original hit, "Wasted
Days and Wasted Nights," and it once again swept the country,
becoming his second consecutive number one country song; two more
number one smashes from the same multi-platinum album confirmed his
status as a major country music star and earned him the 1975 Best
Male Artist award from Billboard magazine; and
WHEREAS, Ever the versatile performer, Mr. Fender enjoyed
success as an actor in film and television projects and as an
announcer in advertising campaigns; musically, he took his career
in a new direction in the 1990s by forming the Texas Tornados with
famed Lone Star musicians Doug Sahm, Flaco Jimenez, and Augie
Meyers; the band won the 1990 Grammy Award for best
Mexican-American performance for its song, "Soy de San Luis," and
two more Grammy Awards came to Mr. Fender for later projects, one in
1999 for his work with Los Super Seven and one in 2002 for his album
La Musica de Baldemar Huerta, a tribute to the Spanish-language
music of his youth; and
WHEREAS, Through the years, this exceptional singer enjoyed
the love and support of his family, including his wife, Vangie
Huerta, and his children, Baldemar Huerta, Jr., Tammy Loriane
Huerta, Daniel Huerta, and Marla Ann Huerta Garcia; the sadness the
family felt when Mr. Fender's life drew to a close at the age of 69
was shared by countless music fans, but all may rest assured that
the evocative and heartfelt songs created by this beloved Texan
will continue to be treasured long into the future; now, therefore,
be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Freddy Fender and
recognize his many contributions to the proud musical tradition of
the Lone Star State; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Freddy
Fender.