20th Century Masters – Best of Freddy Fender (CD)

With the rise of Latino music, the greatest Tex-Mex country and pop star in history is again gaining well-deserved attention–Freddy Fender. His induction into the Tejano Music Hall Of Fame in 1987 and a 1990 Grammy for Best Mexican/American Performance with the Texas Tornados are among the recent highlights in Freddy’s career. But it is his music of the ‘70s, often sung in both English and Spanish, which inspired succeeding generations and will forever have a place in music history. All of his biggest hits are heard on The Best Of Freddy Fender (MCA Nashville/UME) edition of 20th Century Masters/The Millennium Collection, released April 24, 2001. Featuring 12 digitally remastered selections, the album brings together 11 country Top 20 singles, eight of them Top 10, including such signature songs as “Before The Next Teardrop Falls” and “Wasted Days And Wasted Nights,” both of which were also pop Top 10. Baldemar Huerta grew up in the Rio Grande Valley, southernmost Texas, just across the border from Mexico. A migrant farm worker alongside his parents, he joined the Marines at 16 but too often landed in the brig and was discharged. In the late ‘50s, he began playing rockabilly in local honky tonks and dance halls. An early record, a Spanish version of Elvis’ “Don’t Be Cruel,” went to #1 in Latin America. But it was as Freddy Fender–“Fender” came from the neck of his guitar–that his “Wasted Days And Wasted Nights” became a minor hit in 1960. He could relate all too well to the lyrics: That year he was arrested for possession of marijuana. After three years in Louisiana’s Angola State Prison and a gig in New Orleans, in 1969 he returned to the Valley to attend community college, work as a mechanic and play weekends. His break came when producer Huey P. Meaux suggested Freddy record “Before The Next Teardrop Falls.” The song reached #1 pop and country, and was the Country Music Association’s Single of the Year. A re-recorded “Wasted Days And Wasted Nights” then hit #1 country/Top 10 pop. “Secret Love” went #1 country/Top 20 pop, followed by another country #1 (Top 40 pop), “You’ll Lose A Good Thing.” The Academy of Country Music named him its Most Promising Male Vocalist of 1975 and Billboard its Best Male Artist of 1975. He also hit Top 10 country with “Living It Down,” “The Rains Came,” “Sugar Coated Love” and one of the finest examples of his heartbreaking interpretations, “Vaya Con Dios.” The Best Of Freddy Fender also includes the country Top 20s “If You Don’t Love Me (Why Don’t You Just Leave Me Alone),” “Think About Me” and “Talk To Me.” Appropriately, The Best Of Freddy Fender concludes with “I Love My Rancho Grande.” His success in coming home to his roots has never been wasted on the original Tex-Mex superstar.

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