Tejano Artists And Groups From Wisconsin And Texas To Perform Live Music Session In Memory Of Freddy Fuentes

Alfredo "Freddy" Fuentes

Multiple Tejano groups will perform for a six hour live music session in memory and in celebration of Freddy Fuentes, a popular bass guitar player from Racine.

By H. Nelson Goodson

February 15, 2014

Racine, WI - On Sunday, February 16, multiple Tejano style groups will unite to perform a live music session in memory and in celebration of the life of Alfredo "Freddy" Fuentes from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. at The Club, 1244 Washington Ave. in Racine, WI. No cover!

On February 6, Alfredo "Freddy" Fuentes, 58, passed away peacefully at his residence. His death is being mourned by many Tejano style groups in Wisconsin and Texas. Fuentes was a bass guitarist and managed to play with most Tejano style groups for more than 45 years in the state. He also liked to play Rock n Roll and Blues rhythms. 

He retired after working 30 years at the Chrysler Corporation in Kenosha. Numerous Tejano artists remembered Fuentes as an accomplished musician. Victoria de la Cruz, the lead singer for Victoria y La Onda Tejana posted on  Facebook (FB) that Fuentes was able to perform his last gig with her band and that he will be greatly missed. Fuentes, who is orginally from Laredo, Texas through the years managed to become one of the most popular guitar players in the Midwest. 

Ruben Zertuche, a popular lead singer and guitarist who performed with La Orquesta Sancho, Ambiente Tejano, Realidad and other bands posted in FB, "Gonna miss my Compadre! Just talk to him on Wednesday night! We were making plans for him to come visit his mom in Laredo..then come stay with me for a weekend.. we had plans to go see Chevo Hernández in Cotulla...we had so much fun growing up together! Jamming outside at Chevo's house at the rancho I am so sad!..so many memories! R.I.P. Compadre Freddy!..love you!"

Zertuche says, that in 1977,  Fuentes and La Orquesta Sancho recorded their first song in Chicago.

Another local popular Tejano artist, Johnny Hernández, a bass guitarist and singer posted on FB, that he was devastated about news that one of his early childhood school friends had died.

Joe Sosa, another well known Tejano style singer who is now retired and living in San Antonio says, Fuentes played with his group and others for many years and is saddened to hear of his untimely passing.

Fuentes along with Hernández, Zertuche, Sosa, Victoria and other countless Tejano style musicians have been instrumental in keeping the music alive in Wisconsin for decades. 

Freddy's wife, Dolores Fuentes, 42, passed away on February 20, 2012. She married Freddy on August 20, 1988 and had two children. They are survived by Jose (Melisa) Torrez and Ezperanza Fuentes, including seven grandchildren and extended family.