As we continue to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re highlighting someone who spent years in the music industry, worked with legendary Tejano musicians, and even has his own record company right here in Corpus Christi. We are focusing on Freddie Martinez Senior, owner of Freddie Records, to find out what Hispanic heritage month means to him.
Six time Grammy award-winning artist Freddie Martinez Senior said growing up in the music industry, he had amazing musicians and family members like the Galvan brothers to look up to.
He said it took a lot of hard work and dedication before he could make his first hit record.
“I started learning about the basics of music when I was about 8 years old. I was in the middle school Windsor Junior High band, I was in the Roy Miller High school band. And I was at the University of Corpus Christi studying there, I was in the music department there studying music," said Martinez.
When he was 15 years old, Martinez started his first band, and like most musicians, he struggled for a while until he made his first hit single.
“It was called botoncito de Carino, and after that one, I had one after the other," said Martinez.
And in 1969, he and his wife started Freddie Records.
The building has everything from recording studios to publishing and promoting to produce all types of music, mainly Tejano music.
“And we do a lot of Norteño music which is very much related to Tejano music," said Martinez.
Martinez said there are about 15 bands in the company and have had top-notch groups from all over the United States record out of Freddie Records.
“Groups like Ramon Ayala, everybody knows who he is. He did 83 different CDs with us, and he was with the company for 38 years," said Martinez Senior.
For Martinez, Hispanic heritage month highlights the success of Hispanic people for what they have done in the community, business, and public service.
“I myself belonged to the ark assessment center where we took care of the kids that have been abused. My thing is, I like to see people work with kids that need the help," said Martinez Senior.
You can see his full catalog of work here.
