Freddy FenderFreddy Fender, born Baldemar Huerta in San Benito, Texas on June 4, 1937, is a Tejano, country, and rock and roll musician, known for his work as a solo artist and in the groups Los Super Seven and the Texas Tornados. Early YearsAs a child, Baldemar and his parents travelled throughout the US as migrant farm hands. At the age of 16, Baldemar quit school and started a three year hitch in the US Marines. He returned to Texas and played bars and honky-tonks throughout the south, mostly to Latino audiences. In 1957, he released two songs to moderate success in Mexico and South America, Spanish versions of Elvis Presley's "Don't Be Cruel", and Harry Belafonte's "Jamaica Farewell". In 1959, Baldemar changed his name to Freddy Fender. He took Fender from the headstock of his guitar, and Freddy because it sounded good to him. He then headed for California. Initial SuccessIn 1959, Fender recorded "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights". The song became popular in 1960, but he was beset by legal troubles after he and a band member were arrested for narcotics possesion. After a two year jail term, Fender ended up in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he would spend the next five years. By the end of the 1960s, Fender was back in Texas working as a mechanic, and attending a local junior college, while only playing music on the weekends. Number One Pop and CountryIn 1974, Fender recorded "Before The Next Teardrop Falls". The single was selected for national distribution, and became a number one hit on the Billboard Country and Pop charts. His next four singles, including a remake of "Wasted Days", all hit the number one spot on the Billboard Country charts. Texas TornadoesIn the 1990s, Fender teamed up with fellow Tex-Mex musicians Doug Sahm, Flaco Jimenez and Augie Myers to form the Texas Tornados, whose work was widely acclaimed. Following the death of Sahm, the production of the Tornadoes slowed. Fender todayMost recently, Freddy Fender has signed a contract with a major label, and continues to sing, play and tour from his base in Texas. Honors
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Most recently, Freddy Fender has signed a contract with a major label, and continues to sing, play and tour from his base in
Texas. The single was selected for national distribution, and became a number one hit on the Billboard Country and Pop charts. Her second husband was the famous bass player Ray Brown. Together they adopted a child, Ray Brown, Jr. In 1974, Fender recorded "Before The Next Teardrop Falls". In 1941 she married Benny Kornegay, but the marriage was later annulled. By the end of the 1960s, Fender was back in Texas working as a mechanic, and attending a local junior college, while only playing music on the weekends. She married twice. After a two year jail term, Fender ended up in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he would spend the next five years. Louis Blues, and Let No Man Write My Epitaph. The song became popular in 1960, but he was beset by legal troubles after he and a band member were arrested for narcotics possesion. She also appeared in the films Ride 'Em Cowboy, St. In 1959, Fender recorded "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights". Ella Fitzgerald also appeared alongside Peggy Lee as an actress and singer in Jack Webb's jazz film Pete Kelly's Blues. He then headed for California. Porgy and Bess is the most notable of her many recordings with jazz legend Louis Armstrong, but the couple also recorded the very popular "Ella and Louis" which was so successful that Granz's Verve records asked them for the equally successful "Ella and Louis again". He took Fender from the headstock of his guitar, and Freddy because it sounded good to him. Among the many partners and/or band leaders, like Oscar Peterson, Count Basie ("On the Sunny Side of the Street"), Joe Pass ("Speak love"), Dizzy Gillespie, the Tommy Flanagan Trio, she also sang together with the "other voice" of jazz, Billie Holiday (1957). In 1959, Baldemar changed his name to Freddy Fender. She performed concerts with the most important groups and soloists. Her role effectively was the "instrumentalist of voice". In 1957, he released two songs to moderate success in Mexico and South America, Spanish versions of Elvis Presley's "Don't Be Cruel", and Harry Belafonte's "Jamaica Farewell". With Ellington's band, Lady Ella (as she was now called by other singers) toured Europe and North America, classically opening their shows with the famous Ellington's hit "Take the 'A' train", of which she was one of the few to sing - in her unique way - the little known lyrics. He returned to Texas and played bars and honky-tonks throughout the south, mostly to Latino audiences. Among her best known recordings was a series produced by Norman Granz of the songbooks of the great American popular composers, Harold Arlen, George Gershwin (with Nelson Riddle's orchestra), Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer, and Duke Ellington. At the age of 16, Baldemar quit school and started a three year hitch in the US Marines. Ella's later concerts were often enriched by some hilarious imitations of other singers: in particular, she was able to render quite perfectly Marilyn Monroe's voice and typical gestures, as well as Louis Armstrong's. As a child, Baldemar and his parents travelled throughout the US as migrant farm hands. Started as a swing singer, she encompassed bebop, scat, and performed blues, bossa nova, samba, gospel, calypso, and Christmas songs. Freddy Fender, born Baldemar Huerta in San Benito, Texas on June 4, 1937, is a Tejano, country, and rock and roll musician, known for his work as a solo artist and in the groups Los Super Seven and the Texas Tornados. She began her solo career in 1941. Official Freddy Fender web site (http://www.freddyfender.com/). When Chick Webb died in 1939, the band continued touring under the new name, "Ella Fitzgerald and Her Famous Orchestra.". HomeFest - an annual festival in San Benito in Freddy Fender's honor. She recorded several hit songs with them, including "(If You Can't Sing It), You'll Have to Swing It", but it was her version of the nursery rhyme, "A Tisket A Tasket" that launched her to stardom. Grammy Award "Best Latin Pop" (2002) - for La Musica de Baldemar Huerta. She was noticed by Bardu Ali of Chick Webb's band, who persuaded Webb to hire her. She started singing with Webb's Orchestra in 1935, in Harlem's Savoy Ballroom. Louisiana Hall Of Fame (2001). Her singing debut was at age 16 in 1934 at the Harlem Apollo Theater, New York, in one of the earliest of its famous "Amateur Nights", which she won, adding fame to both the Apollo and herself. Grammy Award "Best Mexican/American Performance" (1999) - for Los Super Seven. She was left on her own as an orphan at age 14. Nashville Sidewalk of Stars (1999). She was born in Newport News, Virginia, USA and raised in Yonkers, New York. Texas Music Hall Of Fame (1999). Gifted with a three-octave vocal range, she is noted for her purity of tone and "horn-like" improvisational ability, particularly in her scat singing. Hollywood Walk of Fame (1999). Ella Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 - June 15, 1996), also known as Lady Ella, was one of the most important jazz singers, and the winner of thirteen Grammy Awards. Freddy Fender Lane (1994) - dedicated in his hometown of San Benito, Texas. "Play an Ella ballad with a cat in the room, and the animal will invariably go up to the speaker, lie down and purr." - Geoffrey Fidelman (author of the Ella Fitzgerald biography, First Lady of Song). European Walk of Fame (1993) - in Rotterdam, Holland. she'll sound as modern 200 years from now." - Tony Bennett. Grammy Award "Best Mexican/American Performance" (1990) - for the Texas Tornados. "Her recordings will live forever.. Inaugural Balls - Presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush Sr. "She made the mark for all female singers, especially black female singers, in our industry." - Dionne Warwick. Tejano Music Hall of Fame (1987). Toscanini, who said concerning singers, 'Either you're a good musician or you're not.' In terms of musicianship, Ella Fitzgerald was beyond category." - Duke Ellington. Grammy nominations in 1975, 1976, and 1997. "Her artistry brings to mind the words of the maestro, Mr. Country Music Association (1975) - "Single of the Year" for "Before The Next Teardrop Falls". There's nobody to take her place." - David Brinkley. Academy of Country Music (1975) - "Most Promising Male Vocalist". "She had a vocal range so wide you needed an elevator to go from the top to the bottom. "I didn't realise our songs were so good until Ella sang them." - Ira Gershwin. "I call her the High Priestess of Song." - Mel Torme. Download sample of "April in Paris" by Fitzgerald with Louis Armstrong. Download sample of "How High the Moon". 1989 All That Jazz. 1986 Easy Living. 1983 Nice Work If You Can Get It. 1983 Speak Love. 1982 The Best Is Yet to Come. 1981 Ella Abraca Jobim. 1979 A Perfect Match. 1979 A Classy Pair. 1979 Digital III at Montreux. 1978 Dream Dancing. 1978 Lady Time. 1977 Montreux '77. Again. 1976 Fitzgerald and Pass.. 1975 Montreux '75. 1975 Ella and Oscar (1975). 1974 Ella in London. 1974 Ella Fitzgerald Jams. 1973 Take Love Easy. 1973 Newport Jazz Festival: Live at Carnegie Hall. 1972 Ella Loves Cole. 1971 Ella A Nice. 1970 Ella in Budapest, Hungary. 1970 Things Ain't What They Used to Be. 1969 Ella. 1969 Watch What Happens. 1968 30 by Ella. 1967 Ella Fitzgerald's Christmas. 1967 Brighten the Corner. 1966 [[Ella and Duke at the Cote D'Azur]. 1966 Whisper Not. 1965 Ella in Hamburg. 1965 Ella at Duke's Place. 1964 Sings the Johnny Mercer Songbook. 1964 Hello, Dolly!. 1963 These Are the Blues. 1963 Ella and Basie!. 1963 Sings the Jerome Kern Songbook. 1963 Ella Sings Broadway. 1962 Ella Swings Gently with Nelson. 1962 Ella Swings Brightly with Nelson. 1962 Rhythm Is My Business. 1961 Ella Returns to Berlin. 1961 Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie!. 1961 Ella in Hollywood. 1960 Sings the Harold Arlen Songbook. 1960 Sings Songs from Let No Man Write My Epitaph. 1960 Hello, Love. 1960 Wishes You a Merry Christmas. 1960 Ella in Berlin: Mack the Knife. 1959 Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Songbook. 1959 Sings Sweet Songs for Swingers. 1959 Get Happy!. 1958 Ella in Rome: The Birthday Concert. 1958 Sings the Irving Berlin Songbook. 1958 Ella Swings Lightly. 1958 Ella and Billie at Newport. 1957 Porgy and Bess. 1957 Like Someone in Love. 1957 Ella at the Opera House. 1957 Sings the Duke Ellington Songbook. 1957 Ella and Louis Again. 1956 Sings the Rodgers & Hart Songbook. 1956 Ella and Louis. 1956 Sings the Cole Porter Songbook. 1955 Songs from Pete Kelly's Blues. 1954 Songs in a Mellow Mood. 1950 Ella Sings Gershwin. |