Fred Soto | Photo by Evelyn Vasquez – EV Imagez
Legendary Tejano musician Fred Soto, who was a member of Latin Breed and Tortilla Factory, passed away on Wednesday. The Tejano R.O.O.T.S. Hall of Fame saxophonist died suddenly, according to social media posts by family and friends.
“Dear friends and family, this morning I woke up to the devastating news that my dearly loved brother Fred Soto passed away,” Soto’s sister Rosie Soto Flores posted on Facebook. “Eternal rest grant unto him, oh Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he Rest In Peace. He is reunited in Heaven with our dear parents.”
No other details were mentioned about Soto’s sudden passing.
Many Tejano stars including David Marez, Rick Fuentes, Johnny Hernandez and Alfredo Antonio Guerrero, to name just a few, posted condolences of Soto’s passing on social media.
Soto’s career spanned almost 5 decades as he performed with many of the greatest bands in Tejano music, and was most recently a member of Big Band Tejano. The three-time Grammy Award nominee started playing professionally at the age of 12 with bands, from Tejano to R&B, in his hometown of Gonzales, Texas.
Memorial services for Soto are tentatively scheduled for Saturday, December 23 in his hometown of Gonzales, Texas. The final viewing will take place at Seydler-Hill Funeral Home beginning at 1:00 pm, immediately followed by the Rosary at 2:00 pm, with Mass at St. James Catholic Church.
Seydler-Hill Funeral Home906 St. Paul St.Gonzales, TX 78629 (Viewing and Rosary) 1pm-2:30pm
St. James Catholic Church417 N College St, Gonzales, TX 78629 (Mass) 2pm
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