Freddy Fender, the Mexican-American country star responsible for such hits as “Before the Next Teardrop Falls” and “Wasted Days Wasted Nights,” died yesterday. He was 69.

The Associated Press obituary for Fender highlights several sassy comments Fender made on a variety of topics, including racial prejudice, an issue that continues to come up (and infuriate me) when I interview non-white roots & Americana artists from the Texas region.