Freddy Fender

Freddy Fender is another influential artist who contributed to the Chicano Wave. He was born by the name of Baldemar Huerta in San Benito, Texas, to Mexican-immigrant parents. He grew up in a poor Hispanic neighborhood, and at the young age of 10, made his first appearance on the radio. He played a mix of “Tejano, conjunto, Tex-Mex, and traditional Mexican music,” as well as a mix of blues he incorporated to create his own musical style [1]. A few years later, he decided to change his name, hoping to be accepted by the “gringos” in the United States. He was inspired by his electric guitar to choose the name “Fender,” and added “Freddy” simply because it sounded catchy [1].

Freddy Fender had a great part in leading the Chicanos to make an impact on country music. He also had a great influence on television, and before him, Mexican-Americans were ignored on national TV [2]. Fender had a set-back when he was arrested for smoking marijuana in 1959. In an interview with Freddy Fender posted on Latin America USA, he said, “the song had just gotten into the charts, and I had just gotten into the... prison.” Watch the interview and learn more information on Freddy Fender here.

The song he was referring to was his hit song, “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights.” This song was about his struggling love life, and he recorded it in English to reach out to the English-speaking population in the United States. When Fender was convicted, his popularity took a downward spiral, as did this song. Later, in 1975, he re-recorded the song and brought it back to life [3]. 

After being arrested again, this time for bar-fighting, he stopped recording and was hopping between jobs of car washing and cotton picking. He became extremely poor, and was struggling to support his family. After being recognized at the car was by a customer in the musical industry, he started recording again. People were touched by the music he created about his own suffering, and they fell back in love with his songs [1]. 

Between 1974 and1983 he recorded many songs, and was back on the musical map. Freddy Fender "made Mexican-American music impossible to ignore, paving the way for a new generation of chicano artists"[1].