For a few years in the 1960s and early 1970s, Americo Gomez, who died July 11 at age 84 in Longmont, shaped himself into Chicago’s television maestro of norteño music, hosting the crowd-pleasing “El Muchacho Alegre” show.
“He was a cross between Dick Clark and Ed Sullivan,” said Peter Zomaya of WICU- Channel 26, which broadcast “El Muchacho Alegre” live each week for several years.
“In those days, we did a tremendous amount of live programming, and he was very popular, especially with the children. When children saw him on the street, they’d say, ‘Hey, there’s the man on my mom’s TV!’ He was a charming man.”
Born June 26, 1922, in Monterrey, Mexico, Gomez attended school through eighth grade before dropping academics in favor of a musical career. He married and had five children with his first wife. When the marriage ended in divorce, he moved to the United States, juggling day jobs with his music gigs.
He favored norteño, a genre of Mexican music that relies heavily on the accordion and the 12-string guitar known as a bajo sexto. The bouncy beat combined influences from polka music, mariachi and ranchera styles, and eventually spawned Tejano pop music.
Gomez performed and recorded norteño music in El Paso, Texas, and Chicago. His second wife, Irma Graciela Garcia, recollects that during the 1960s and ’70s, Gomez recorded about a half-dozen albums with small labels.
Among his favorite songs was “El Muchacho Alegre,” a popular norteño street song that reflected his own insouciant credo.
“He was a really happy person, you know?” said Garcia, from whom he was divorced. “Always smiling, you know, joking with the people and making fun of himself. A happy guy, like the song.”
The iconic Tex-Mex folk song became the title of Gomez’s television show broadcast on Chicago’s Spanish language channel between 1969 and 1973. Gomez also hosted a radio show.
Both productions featured live performances of Latino entertainers, most of them Tex- Mex genre musicians, along with interviews and a rundown of club dates and related news. It made Gomez, once a taxi driver, into a local celebrity and the darling of Chicago’s Latino community.
“He put on a really good show,” WICU station manager Zomaya said.
Gomez lived in Longmont for the past six years. He maintained a convivial friendship with Garcia and often celebrated Christmas and other holidays at her home, along with their children.
Survivors include sons Ernesto Gomez of Houston, Hector Gomez of Galveston, Texas, Jose Gomez of Virginia Beach, Va., Angel Gomez of Eckert and Richard Gomez of El Jebel; daughters Orelia Vasquez and Miros Bustamante, both of Galveston, Hilda Ryan of Pomona, Calif., Graciela Smith of Thornton, and Lorena Diaz of Erie; 23 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Staff writer Claire Martin can be reached at 303-820-1477 or cmartin@denverpost.com.
