 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music Entertainment |
| Genre | Tejano music, Norteño |
| Predecessor | Studio B Recording |
| Founded | November 1, 1969 |
| Founder | Freddie Martinez, Sr. |
| Headquarters | Corpus Christi, Texas |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people |
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| Products |
|
| Revenue |  US$2 million[1] (FY 1994) |
| Total assets |  US$1,200[2] (2011) |
Number of employees | 25[3] (1999) |
| Website | freddiestore |
Freddie Records is an American independent record label founded in Corpus Christi, Texas on November 1, 1969, by musician Freddie Martinez. Originally functioning as a recording studio and distributor for Martinez, the label expanded its roster to include other Tejano musicians to avoid financial failure. The label commenced producing albums for an array of artists, including Ramón Ayala, Agustin Ramirez, Oscar Martinez, and Joe Bravo. Ayala became the best-selling act of the label, sustaining the financial stability of Freddie Records throughout the 1970s and 1980s. The label sponsored a Little Joe concert in 1978 and recorded it for their Live for Schlitz album. It led to a ban on future events in the area, though the album remained a lucrative live recording for Freddie Records for two decades. As Tejano music's popularity surged, Freddie Records augmented its foundation by incorporating an additional 6,000 square feet for a second studio and production facility replete with updated MCI equipment capable of accommodating cassette tape and 8-track formats and instigated a release schedule of two albums per month on average.
By 1985, Freddie Records had attained the status of one of the most prosperous independent music labels in the United States. The label awarded gold and platinum certifications to Mazz for Straight from the Heart (1989) and La Sombra for Good Boys Wear White (1990), respectively, and attracted interest from major record companies due to its large catalog. Music analysts maintained that indie music labels were inadequate for rivaling major labels, designating this epoch as the culmination of independent music labels. In March 1992, Freddie Records, Sony, and Fonovisa embarked on a boycott of the Tejano Music Awards following their observation that EMI Latin's artists dominated the 1992 awards event. In July 1994, Martinez unveiled Freddie Records' 2.38-acre headquarters, outfitted with a recording studio, which aided in making Freddie Records the largest indie music label in the state of Texas, reporting $2 million in sales. Its staff could undertake most tasks in-house, including designing artwork, producing tapes, packaging, and distributing merchandise across the United States and Mexico, while CD manufacturing had to be contracted out. At the 1995 Grammy Awards, Ayala and Los Terribles del Norte were both nominated for Best Mexican-American Album, marking the first time Freddie Records' artists had received such recognition.
By 1996, Freddie Records had experienced thirty years of being the foremost purveyor of the most significant names in regional Mexican music. Despite the genre's descent, Freddie Records exhibited a 14% sales growth during the first quarter of 1997 in comparison to the same period in 1996. Tejano music journalist, Rene Cabrera, writing for the Corpus Christi Caller-Times, attributed Freddie Records' commercial triumphs and its endurance under Martinez's stewardship, which helped it to establish itself as the "premier independent Latin record label". While Billboard deemed Martinez as being conservative when seeking out new talent, the label remained vigilant in searching for musicians who can appeal to both norteño and Tejano enthusiasts. Following the establishment of the Grammy Award for Best Tejano Album in 1998, five albums created under Freddie Records were shortlisted for the inaugural 1999 ceremony. Dave Ferman of the Corpus Christi Caller-Times extolled Freddie Records as Tejano music's "most successful independent label ever", upon the Recording Academy's announcement.
In 2000, Martinez Sr., his son Martinez .Jr, and Martinez Sr's brother, Lee Martinez, faced charges of tax fraud. All three defendants denied the allegations of conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of unpaid income tax. In June 2000, the charges were dismissed after prosecutors reviewed the evidence against the accused trio. On June 5, 2002, Martinez, Sr. inaugurated the recently renovated three-story headquarters building of Freddie Records. The construction of the building, designed by Russ Berger, incurred a cost of $4.5 million. The opening ceremony was followed by a night-long celebration featuring the label's roster and the unveiling of the company's Walk of Fame for its artists. In June 2006, Billboard ranked Freddie Records as the leading regional Mexican album imprint, outpacing Sony BMG Norte, EMI Televisa, and Fonovisa. On February 14, 2011, Freddie Records filed for bankruptcy, citing $700,000 in debt with $1,200 in assets. In October 2019, the city council of Corpus Christi released a proclamation announcing a month-long celebration commemorating the 50th anniversary of Freddie Records.
- ^ Galindo-Mendez 1995, p. E-18.
- ^ Foley 2011, pp. 1, A6.
- ^ Ferman 1999, p. 65.