Historical Marker on the family home of Freddy Fender to be unveiled this weekend
SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) — The family home of a Texas music legend is getting a historical marker.
The San Benito Historical Society will honor hometown hero Freddy Fender this weekend. A Texas Historical Commission plaque will be unveiled at 143 Freddy Fender Lane.
The two story brick building has been a family home for several generations.
Baldemar Garza Huerta, was born in San Benito in 1937. He took on the stage name “Freddy Fender” while playing the Texas club circuit in the 1950’s.
His biggest success came in 1975, when his song “Before The Next Teardrop Falls” topped the Pop and Country Charts. He followed it up with the top 10 “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights” that same year.
He also won the Academy of Country Music’s “Most Promising Male Artist that year along with the Country Music Association’s “Single of the Year” award for “Before the Next Teardrop Falls”
Other hits included “Secret Love”, ” You’ll Lose a Good Thing” and “Since I Met You Baby”.
Fender also branched out into acting, appearing in the films “Short Eyes”, ” The Milagro Beanfield War” and an episode of the TV series “The Dukes of Hazard”.
Fender died of lung cancer in Corpus Christi in 2006. he was 69 years old.
His hometown honored him in 2005 with a water tower that bears his name and likeness.