He grew up in a barrio that, he is quick to point out, was not a crowded ghetto but just a poor Hispanic neighborhood. The first music he played was Tejano, conjunto, Tex-Mex- the rambunctious combination of polka from the German settlers of Texas and traditional Mexican music- he learned by watching and listening at weddings and other events in the neighborhood. At the same time, Fender was getting a first-hand education in the blues. His parents were migrant workers and he traveled with them during the picking season.
Freddy Fender Obituary
Linda Ronstadt
Mexican-Americans were largely invisible then; their experience and their culture of little interest outside the border region. As a young man, he became interested in music, but with a name like his he knew he would never get anywhere. So he changed it, becoming Freddy Fender. He chose Fender in honor of his guitar; Freddy because of the alliteration. The first music he played was called Conjunto — a rambunctious combination of polka from the German and Czech settlers of Texas - and traditional Mexican music played mostly by itinerant bands and centered on a button accordion, often accompanied by a string guitar, a violin and occasionally, a drum. The Blues became part of his own musical style. He began to play Spanish covers of rock and roll songs and was good enough to get local radio play as El Bebop Kid. The song had just made it to the charts when he was arrested in Louisiana for possession of marijuana. He was sentenced to five years in prison — as much for consorting with a married Anglo woman as for possessing marijuana.
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Skip to main content. There's a problem loading this menu right now. Learn more about Amazon Prime. Get free delivery with Amazon Prime. You have exceeded the maximum number of MP3 items in your MP3 cart. Please click here to manage your MP3 cart content. Freddy Fender.
Fender dropped out of high school at age 16 in , and when he turned 17, he enlisted for three years in the U. Marine Corps. According to Fender, he later received a letter from the U. Department of the Navy saying that he had been wrongfully discharged dishonorably because of alcoholism , and he was given a general discharge. He became known for his rockabilly music and his cool persona as Eddie con los Shades.
