Freddy Fender, nominated for a Grammy for Latin pop album of the year, will undergo surgery on Jan. 24 in Texas to receive a kidney donated by his 21-year-old daughter.
The transplant surgery is scheduled at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. Fender is to receive the organ from daughter Marla Garcia of Jacksonville, Fla., the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences announced Saturday.
Fender, whose hits include “Before the Next Teardrop Falls” and “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights,” is battling health problems including hepatitis C, NARAS said.
The 44th annual Grammy Awards ceremony is scheduled Feb. 27 in Los Angeles.
“I’m already thinking about my acceptance speech,” the 64-year-old singer said in a statement.
His album, “La Musica De Baldemar Huerta,” will compete in the Latin pop album category. The other nominees are Chayanne’s “Simplemente,” Cristian’s “Azul,” Juan Gabriel’s “Abrazame Muy Fuerte” and Jaci Velasquez’s “Mi Corazon.”
