Pepe Domingo Castaño, one of the most recognized voices on sports radio in Spain, died at the age of 80 this morning in Madrid. His colleagues from Cope's Playtime have been in charge of announcing the news that "we never wanted to arrive."
"The radio will never sound the same again without you. This family will never beat the same again without you, but, for you, we will continue... We still don't know how we are going to do it, but we will continue to fill the void that you leave us alive and radio. We love you Pepe, we love you and we will always love you as you have taught us, with joy and united", reads the statement that they have spread on social networks.
His charisma, passion and grace when introducing advertising spots during sports broadcasts have marked several generations of radio listeners. "Pepe, a cigar" became almost a motto. He managed to integrate advertising into the show naturally like few others.
Pepe Domingo Castaño grew up with his eleven siblings in Lestrobe. Just a year ago he explained in a La Vanguardia Contra that his parents had to put him in a convent. They wanted him to be a friar, but that was not for him.
His first job was as an accountant, and then thanks to an advertisement he found in the press he entered the radio world at the age of 18 in his Galicia. With his natural self-confidence, he soon made the leap to the national level two years later (1966). He started with music programs that he combined with his parallel career as a singer. In 1975 he won the first of his four Ondas Awards for his work as presenter of 'El gran musical' on Cadena Ser alongside Joaquín Luqui. He also appeared on Spanish Television presenting several programs such as Biblioteca Joven or 300 Million.
On a musical level, he had more successes in Latin America than in Spain. In Mexico she won a gold record in 1979 thanks to songs like Motivos, Neniña or Terciopelo y fuego.
It was not until 1988 that he took the reins of Carrusel Deportivo on Cadena Ser. First with Antonio Martín Valbuena and later with Paco González. With González he formed a tandem with which they reached the top of the ratings both on Cadena Ser and later on Cope.
The Galician presenter and singer was remarried to the former model María Teresa Vega, with whom they had two children: Hugo and Óscar. Additionally, he was the uncle of the popular actress Cristina Castaño.
