S AN BENITO — The San Benito Historical Society held the official presentation ceremony for the marker at 143 Freddy Fender Lane. This two-story brick house, near the resaca, sits on land where Baldemar Garza Huerta, the singer better known as Freddy Fender, often visited his extended family as a young man — and later where he started his married life with his wife Evangelina and their growing family.
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Freddy Fender’s extended family remove the shawl covering the Texas Historical Commission marker for Fender Saturday, April 15, 2023, at the official unveiling ceremony organized by the San Benito Historical Society outside the family home at 143 Freddy Fender Lane in San Benito. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)
Former state senator Eddie Lucio, Jr. gives the keynote address Saturday, April 15, 2023, at the official unveiling of the marker honoring Freddy Fender from the Texas Historical Commission outside the family home at 143 Freddy Fender Lane in San Benito. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)
An attendee holds a program Saturday, April 15, 2023, at the official unveiling of the marker honoring Freddy Fender from the Texas Historical Commission outside the family home at 143 Freddy Fender Lane in San Benito. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)
Attendees gather in the street Saturday, April 15, 2023, for the official unveiling of the marker honoring Freddy Fender from the Texas Historical Commission outside the family home at 143 Freddy Fender Lane in San Benito. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)
Artists Alexander Gonzalez Hernandez, known as Pop Culture, and Nataly Velazquez carry their portrait of Freddy Fender to the historical marker Saturday, April 15, 2023, for the official unveiling of the marker honoring Freddy Fender from the Texas Historical Commission outside the family home at 143 Freddy Fender Lane in San Benito. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)
Cameron County Historical Commission Chair Wilson P. Bourgeois addresses the crowd Saturday, April 15, 2023, at the official unveiling of the marker honoring Freddy Fender from the Texas Historical Commission outside the family home at 143 Freddy Fender Lane in San Benito. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)
Longtime Freddy Fender fan Jaime Rodriguez sports a signed shirt from a festival Fender played at in Progreso in the 1990s Saturday, April 15, 2023, at the official unveiling of the marker honoring Freddy Fender from the Texas Historical Commission outside the family home at 143 Freddy Fender Lane in San Benito. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)
Freddy Fender’s second cousin Viviana Rodriguez and first cousins Dolores and Angelica Huerta wait for the official unveiling Saturday, April 15, 2023, for the marker honoring Freddy Fender from the Texas Historical Commission during a ceremony outside the family home at 143 Freddy Fender Lane in San Benito. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)
Mayor of San Benito Rick Guerra addresses the crowd about Freddy Fender’s contributions to the city Saturday, April 15, 2023, at the official unveiling of the marker honoring Freddy Fender from the Texas Historical Commission outside the family home at 143 Freddy Fender Lane in San Benito. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)
Attendees gather to listen to addresses from city and local officials Saturday, April 15, 2023, at the official unveiling of the marker honoring Freddy Fender from the Texas Historical Commission outside the family home at 143 Freddy Fender Lane in San Benito. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)
Marla Huerta, daughter of Freddy Fender, talks to the crowd about what the city of San Benito meant to her father Saturday, April 15, 2023, for the official unveiling of the marker honoring Freddy Fender from the Texas Historical Commission outside the family home at 143 Freddy Fender Lane in San Benito. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)
Margarita Huerta Fender and her brother Isidro Huerta sing “Before the Next Teardrop Falls” together in tribute to their uncle Freddy Fender Saturday, April 15, 2023, at the official unveiling of the marker honoring Freddy Fender from the Texas Historical Commission outside the family home at 143 Freddy Fender Lane in San Benito. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)
Sandra Tumberlinson, treasurer of the San Benito Historical Society, welcomes attendees Saturday, April 15, 2023, to the official unveiling of the marker honoring Freddy Fender from the Texas Historical Commission outside the family home at 143 Freddy Fender Lane in San Benito. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)
Friends, family and fans gather to take photos with the new marker for Freddy Fender Saturday, April 15, 2023, at a ceremony for the official unveiling of the marker honoring Fender from the Texas Historical Commission outside the family home at 143 Freddy Fender Lane in San Benito. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)
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