𝗙𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗙𝗔𝗠𝗢𝗨𝗦 𝗠𝗨𝗦𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗕𝗥𝗢𝗪𝗡𝗦𝗩𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗘/𝗦𝗔𝗡 𝗕𝗘𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗢 𝗥𝗢𝗢𝗧𝗦~𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗗𝗗𝗬 𝗙𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥, 𝗝𝗢𝗘 𝗟𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗭 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗥𝗢𝗕𝗘𝗥𝗧 𝗦𝗜𝗟𝗩𝗔

                               

      

We all see San Benito native Freddy Fender every time we pass the San Benito water tower.  Fender was born Baldazar Garza Huerta in 1937, but took the name Fender in 1958 from the brand of his guitar and amp, saying it would "sell better with the gringos."  Fender blended a variety of styles; tejano, Cajun, rock 'n roll and country.

In 1957, then known as El Bebop Kid, he released two songs that sold moderately well in Mexico and South America, Spanish versions of Elvis' "Don't Be Cruel,"("No Seas Cruel") and Harry Belafonte's "Jamaica Farewell.  Fender also did Hank William's "Cold, Cold Heart" using the title "Tu Frio Corazon."

                                      

Photo submitted by Rene Torres

Fender won "Artist of the Year" and "Record of the Year" in 1975.

Some of Fender's greatest hits:  "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights," "Before the Next Teardrop Falls," "Secret Love," "You'll Lose a Good Thing," "Since I Met You Baby," "Vaya con Dios," "Livin' It Down" and "The Rains Came."

                                  

Joe Lopez & Grupo Mazz (photo submitted by Rene Torres)

Mazz was founded by Joe Lopez and Jimmy Gonzalez in 1978. Grupo Mazz were known for using the synthesizer and blending rock and roll into their original Tejano music sound. They earned a marketing contract with Coors in the mid-1980s that provided the band with exposure. The marketing success of Coors enabled the band to tour in Florida, California, and much of the southwest and Pacific coast states of the United States. The band's repertoire included award-winning songwriter Luis Silva who provided the band's earliest success with "Laura Ya No Vive Aquí", "Borraré Tu Nombre", and "Otra Vez". Grupo Mazz began receiving top honors at the Tejano Music Awards, winning Single of the Year, Best Tejano Album, Male Vocalist of the Year, and Showband of the Year. By 1986, Grupo Mazz began selling 50,000 units and became one of the top-selling Tejano acts. The group had a reputation as being "bad boys" of the Tejano music industry, they were known to be late at their shows. The single "Laura Ya No Vive Aqui" peaked atop Billboard's Latin music charts in March 1987. The band's 1987 album Beyond took Album of the Year honors at the 1988 Tejano Music Awards, while Lopez and Gonzalez won Vocal Duo of the Year.

In 1988, Mazz signed with CBS Records and released Straight from the Heart (1989), the following year they signed with EMI Latin. At the 1990 Tejano Music Awards, Grupo Mazz took Songwriter of the Year (Lopez), Vocal Duo of the Year, and Song of the Year (for "Now I Want You to Love Me") honors. The band's album "No Te Olvidare" (1990) reached atop the Billboard Regional Mexican Albums chart in July 1990. It spent five consecutive months at number two behind Bronco. In March 1990, the album received a gold award from EMI Latin, signifying 50,000 units sold. That July, the company announced that "No Te Olvidare" sold 75,000 units in the United States. Mazz performed at Rodeo Houston for 14 consecutive years, starting in 1991 as part of Go Tejano Day.

The Tejano Music Awards rescinded a lifetime achievement award from the co-founder of the popular band Grupo Mazz, Jose “Joe” Lopez, according to the Texas Talent Musicians Association.

Frank Salazar, vice president of the Texas Talent Musicians Association, said the decision was made  because of public backlash.

“We decided it’s the right thing to do,” he said.

Lopez was convicted of raping his 13-year-old niece in 2004 in Rancho Viejo.

He was released from prison in 2018, serving 12 years of his 20-year sentence. As part of the release conditions, Lopez had to register as a sex offender.

                                     

Robert "Turkey" Silva (Brownsville Observer photo)

Robert "Turkey" Silva, a Brownsville native, was a member of Freddy Fender's band in the early 60's until Fender got caught with marijuana in Louisiana, going to prison for three years.

Diego Lee Rot, one of Silva's playing partners in Brownsville, wrote this about Robert in 2011:

"Look for his bicycle or his legendary 70's model Ford Station Wagon with the broken windows, the Viet Nam Vet sticker on the back outside any of the cantinas on 14th Street or the Chicago Club downtown. 

 

Like J.J., the Crescent Moon drummer, Robert can drum anything on a moment's notice:  rock n roll, blues, conjunto, tejano, jazz or country.  He can even spiffy up and play for the Winter Texans although that's not his favorite gig.

Robert left Brownsville in the very early 60's, traveling with the late Freddy Fender, to play New Orleans.  When Freddy got into some drug trouble in Louisiana and was incarcerated,  Robert came back to Brownsville, found a job at a freight line on Fronton Street where he worked for many years.

Now he mainly just drums and goes to church.  He has his girlfriends who he refers to as "hermanas."  Keep them straight Robert."

One of my favorites from Silva was "Kill the Cockroaches," a song that was not about the insects at all, but about Belinda, one of his girlfriends.