He arrived at Radio Angulo many years ago, perhaps in the 1990s. Since in 1993 he was working on the program “Comentando” (Commenting). Thanks to him, one of our advisors took her first steps at CMKO, recalls Flor Vega. One of José Luis García Rodríguez closest colleagues and friends.
Alejandro Mármol, a sound engineer, says he met him at the 1997 carnival in Camilo Cienfuegos Square in the city of Holguin. Until then, he only knew of him through his radio programs. He hadn’t had the opportunity to meet him in person. In the midst of the carnival, amidst the music and revelry, their conversation turned to radio. It was an immediate connection that blossomed into a friendship that lasted until the very end of José Luis’s life.
José is remembered at CMKO for the programs “Boleros” and “Convergencia.” Dedicated to promoting good music because it was one of his greatest passions. “Music had great value for him, which is why he enjoyed producing these programs so much,” Mármol points out.
“Boleros” was more than just a space to promote the genre. He not only interviewed every established performer in the country but also supported local fans. Thanks to him, every Wednesday at eight o’clock at night, the station became a meeting point for those who loved this music. They recorded performances and interviews. With his skill and eloquence, became memorable moments. He brought out the best in everyone who sat next to him, Mármol recalls.
In the case of “Convergencia,” it was founded in 2000 when the station began broadcasting 24 hours a day. This program was created to air live from midnight on Sundays until 5:00 a.m. Flor remembers the thermoses of coffee she would bring to work. While at the end of the day, José Luis and Mármol would walk her home before continuing their journey.
She has many memories of those early morning broadcasts and the years that followed,. Also when the program moved to air at 8:00 p.m. on Sundays. One of the last special moments Flor cherishes is the celebration of José Luis’s 70th birthday last October.
Photo: Archive/Radio Angulo
He wasn’t a big fan of celebrations, but he finally gave in to his advisor’s insistence. Flor gathered loyal listeners and friends for that broadcast.
“He had a prodigious memory,” says Flor. “An irreplaceable creator, whose charisma always drew many people to him.” And that’s how we’ll remember him: a bohemian, romantic, and passionate man.
Radio said goodbye to one of its most illustrious figures. José Luis García passed away on April 9th at the age of 71. His legacy as a distinguished playwright, writer, and journalist remains.
By: Yailyn Ojeda Grass
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