Freddy Fender (born Baldemar Garza Huerta; June 4, 1937 – October 14, 2006) was an American Tejano singer-songwriter, known for his work as a solo artist and in the groups Los Super Seven and the Texas Tornados. His signature sound fused country, rock, swamp pop and Tex-Mex styles.

Active since the 1950s, when he got his start playing Spanish-language rock and roll for Tejano audiences, Fender’s mainstream breakthrough came in 1975 with the crossover hit “Before the Next Teardrop Falls,” which topped Billboard‘s pop and country charts. He recorded further country hits such as “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights,” “Secret Love,” “You’ll Lose a Good Thing,” “Living It Down,” and “The Rains Came.”Fender was born in San Benito, Texas, United States, to Margarita Garza and her Mexican husband, Serapio Huerta. He made his debut radio performance at age 10 on Harlingen, Texas, radio station KGBT, singing a then-hit “Paloma Querida.