Vaya con Dios, Baldemar... I've been listening to Freddie Fender since I was a mere pup in the 70's, and am listening to his "Greatest Hits" here at the moment, with a "Texas Tornados" CD ready to cue up. In the article I read last night, he said in 2004 that his dream was to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame... he said he wanted to be the first Mexican-American to enter "Hillbilly Heaven." I, for one, will support any efforts made in that direction!

Baldemar, Freddie... You were born very near where my Fiance's father was born; you died in the town where quite a lot of my Fiance's relatives live - to him you were almost a hometown boy since you grew up in the same general area as his Dad; I see you as being almost a brother because my mom and her siblings, poor white Okies from near Muskogee,traveled from state to state picking the cotton that does not care whether it's white, brown or black hands that are cut and bleeding...

I am currently listening to Freddie sing "Jambalaya" in Spanish... Baldemar, you DESERVE that spot in Hillbilly Heaven, and I hope you get it. In the meantime, up in Rock & Roll Heaven, I hope you're jamming your heart out with Johnny and June and Elvis and Jimi and Janis and ol' Hank...