In the late 1980s, the deep velvet voice of announcer Ruben Gomez Rico flowed from former San Antonio Spanish radio station Radio Exitos, KXET 1250 AM.
“He was good at his craft,” his son Israel Rico said.
Rico’s weeknight show, “Guirratas de America,” showcased romantic Mexican and Latin American oldies — trios, ballads and rancheras.
“People would call in for requests. Sometimes he would play records from his collection because a lot of stuff was out of circulation,” his son said.
Rico played hits from legends such as Trios Los Panchos, Los Tres Delfinos and Los Dandys. He filled station breaks with poetry about love and heartbreak.
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Rico died Dec. 20 from diabetes complications. He was 83.
He spent most of his early childhood in San Pedro De Las Colonias, Coahuila, Mexico. His family returned to his hometown of Piedras Negras in 1945 in search of better economic opportunities.
“We graduated from the same academy, (La Academia Commercial Juvented),” said former supervisor Fausto Daniel.
“In those days when you applied for a broadcaster license in Mexico City, all you had to do was pass the exam,” added the former program director at KXET.
Rico’s radio career started at XEMJ 920 AM in Piedras Negras. “They had live shows in the studio back then,” Daniel said, remembering his and Rico’s time at the radio station. “He used to read poems even then.”
The two parted ways shortly after and did not meet again until 1985 in San Antonio at Radio Exitos.
In the interim, Rico married Maria de Jesus Rivas from Eagle Pass in 1957. They had four children.
Making the United States his home, Rico moved his family to Chicago where he worked at an automotive manufacturing factory, Chicago Rawhide, until the late 1970s. Later, the family moved to San Antonio, where Rico joined KUKA 1250 AM as a radio announcer.
A few years later when the station shut down, Rico started hosting a radio program at Radio Houston 13.
While there, his wife was diagnosed with cancer. She was in remission for nearly a decade, but died in 1990.
By then the family had moved back to San Antonio. Rico worked as a radio personality at Spanish radio stations Radio Jalapeño, KEDA 1540 AM; KXET 1250 AM; and then Radio Festival, KSAH 720 AM.
His last announcing job was at Radio Recuero, KBUC 760.
After retiring in 1991, he told his son, “I have slain all the dragons I needed to slay.”
iwilgen@express-news.net