Died On This Date (October 14, 2006) Freddy Fender / Tejano & Country Music Great
themusicsover Freddy Fender (Born Baldemar Huerta)
June 4, 1937 – October 14, 2006
Freddy Fender was arguably America’s most popular Tejano star – at least until Selena came along. Fender is best remembered for his crossover hits of “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights” and “Before the Next Teardrop Falls,” as well as his later work with Los Super Seven and the Texas Tornados. Born into a traveling circus family, Fender took to entertaining at a very young age. At 5, he fashioned his first guitar out of a sardine can and screen door wire, and by 10 he was making his first appearances at local radio stations. In the mid ’50s, after being court martialed and discharged from the Marines, Fender began touring as El Bebop Kid, doing Spanish versions of popular rockabilly and country songs. In 1959, he recorded “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights,” which quickly became his signature song. Unfortunately, just as his fame was on the rise, he was arrested for marijuana possession and sent to the notorious Angola prison farm in Louisiana. He was released three years later and all but retired from music while working as a mechanic. When Fender made his comeback in 1973, he did so in a big way, with “Before the Next Teardrop Falls” reaching #1 on both the country and pop charts. Over the next decade Fender charted 21 country hits. His career experienced yet another comeback when, in the late ‘8os he joined up with Doug Sahm, Flaco Jiminez and Augie Meyers in the Texas Tornados, with whom he won a Grammy for Best Mexican American Performance. He followed that up with a stint in Los Super Seven, who along with Cesar Rosas, David Hidalgo, Joe Ely, Ruben Ramos and Rick Trevino, won the same Grammy nine years later. He won his third Grammy in 2001, this time for his own album, La Musica de Baldemar Huerta. In ailing health in later years, Fender received a kidney transplant from his daughter in 2002, and a liver transplant in 2004. He died of lung cancer on October 14, 2006 at the age of 69.
What You Should Own
John Denver was an American folk rock singer-songwriter who released several pop hits during the ’70s. His 300-strong catalog of popular songs included “Leaving on a Jet Plane,” “Take Me Home Country Roads,” “Rocky Mountain High,” “Annie’s Song,” and “Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” and “Sunshine on My Shoulder.” Denver also had a strong presence on television and film during the height of his career. He was featured in a handful of Muppet specials, hosted the Grammy’s five times, and sat in for Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show several times. In 1977, he starred alongside George Burns in the popular comedy, Oh God!. In later years, Denver devoted most of his time to various humanitarian causes. He was also a licensed pilot and flying enthusiast. On October 12, 1997, John Denver died when the experimental aircraft he was piloting crashed shortly after take off from a Central California coast airport. Witnesses say the plane made a sudden dive into the ocean, leading experts to conclude that he likely accidentally pushed the right rudder pedal while maneuvering in the seat. Denver was 53 when he died.
Shelby Singleton’s music career began during the ’50s working at Mercury Records as a producer. While moving up in the ranks, he became instrumental in numerous hits and was eventually rewarded with his own imprint, Smash Records where he signed Jerry Lee Lewis, 
Known since the 1930s as the Singing Cowboy, Gene Autry was country singer-songwriter and cowboy actor. Signing to Columbia Records in 1929, Autry began releasing what were called “hillbilly” music in the early ’30s. Over the course of his career, Autry made over 600 records, roughly half either co-written, or written by himself. Besides his signature song, “Back in the Saddle Again,” Autry best remembered for “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” “Frosty the Snowman,” and the self-written, “Here Comes Santa Claus.” Besides making nearly 100 films, Autry successfully transitioned to television during the ’40s, starring in his own show on CBS. Autry also owned several California radio stations as well as Major League Baseball team, the California Angels. Forbes Magazine included him in annual list of the 400 richest Americans for many years. Gene Autry died of lymphoma at the age of 91.
Patrick Bourque was best known as the one-time bassist for Canadian country band, Emerson Drive. Finding moderate success as 12 Guage in and around Alberta, the band soon changed its name to Emerson Drive and moved to Nashville where they landed a deal with DreamWorks. The band released a series of country hits and added Bourque to the band in 2002. Within a couple of years they were opening for the likes of Shania Twain. But in August of 2007, Bourque left the band for an undisclosed reason. Just one month later, he was found dead in his Montreal home. Initial reports indicated that he committed suicide.