She was born in Céspedes, a small village in the Camagüey Province of Cuba, into a poor peasant family. She sang a cappella in clubs in Havana and recorded only one album before her death from a heart attack. Her weight gave a very distinctive, androgynous sound to her voice. She was, almost entirely, a singer of boleros and canciones. When she moved Havana at the age of 12, she became a cook for the family of Arturo Bengochea, who was the president of the Cuban League of Professional Base-Ball, but she soon found herself singing nights at the Bar Celeste, on Humboldt and Infanta Streets, a place where artists used to meet. She was spotted by the director of the Hotel Capri's casino and given a contract. She opened at the Cabaret Capri with orchestration by Rafael Somavilla in the review Piminta y Sal with other singers, dancers, and a quartet led by pianist Carlos Faxas. Freddy appeared in several key TV programs, like Jueves de Partagas, which she remembered dearly. On that show she appeared with Benny Moré and Celia Cruz. Freddy traveled to Venezuela and then on to Mexico with a company led by dancer and choreographer Roderyco Neyra. From there, she flew, along with others, to Miami and then to Puerto Rico. She got several contracts and was even presented on San Juan TV.
She appears as Estrella Rodrigues in Guillermo Cabrera Infante's book about Havana's night life during the years of the Revolution, Tres Tristes Tigres . Portions of this, featuring Freddy predominantly, were later republished as Ella cantaba boleros. She also appears in the novelThe Island of Eternal Love by Daína Chaviano.
Discography
Her only album is known variously as La voz del sentimento or Ella cantaba boleros. It was recorded in 1960 for Puchito Records under the reference: Puchito MLP 552. Humberto Suarez did the musical arrangements and conducted the orchestra.
Lyrics of the song specially written for her by Ela O'Farril.
"Freddy" Soy una mujer que canta Para mitigar las penas De las horas vividas y perdidas. Me queda sólo esto: Decirle a la noche, Todo lo que yo siento, Cantando canciones; Despierto ilusiones Dormidas en mí. Muchos me vieron Caminando a solas Bajo las luces Desiertas y azules de mi soledad. ¿Qué fue mi vida desde siempre? Sólo trabajo y miseria, Por eso cantaba a las estrellas Y quizás me oyó hasta Dios. Soy una mujer que canta Para mitigar las penas. No era nada ni nadie y ahora, Dicen que soy una estrella, Que me convertí en una de ellas Para brillar en la eterna noche. Soy una mujer que canta Para mitigar las penas. No era nada ni nadie y ahora, Dicen que soy una estrella, Que me convertí en una de ellas Para brillar en la eterna noche. Rough translation: I am a woman who sings to soften the sufferings of the vivid and lost hours. This is all I have left: Telling the night all that I feel, singing songs; lively illusions asleep in me. Many saw me walking alone under the lights empty and blue of my solitude. What has my life always been like? Only work and misery; this is why I sing to the stars and perhaps God will hear me. I am a woman who sings to soften the sufferings. There was nothing and no one and now, they say I am a star; that I turned myself into one of those to shine in the eternal night. I am a woman who sings to soften the sufferings. There was nothing and no one and now, they say I am a star; that I turned myself into one of those to shine in the eternal night.
