The majority of foreign residents in Motril or indeed along the neighbouring towns on the Costa Tropical, won't know who Mari Pepa was, but every adult Motrileño will.

Mari Pepa Gómez (La Pepa 1943-2026) was more than a voice on the radio; she was that constant reminder when you tuned in your radio that things would alright after all in the world during 40 long years.

Radio in Motril came about in August 1977 – Motril, like every other town, didn’t get its first democratically elected mayor until 1979 (Enrique Cobos). Over in Almuñécar the first mayor was Miguel Ávila that same year.

Before coming to Motril she worked on the radio in Málaga with María Teresa Campos, who was another giant at a time when women stayed home and when banks were completely staffed by men… When you first got here in the early 80s, it struck you that something was odd in all the banks, then suddenly it struck you.. where are all the women?

Mari Pepa, broke many taboos, one of which was being a young, single mother, which was enough to get tongues wagging and job-opportunity doors slammed in your face. She did eventually marry (Jean Marie) with whom she had two children.

For young musicians hoping to get some air time on Radio Onda in Motril, La Pepa and another radio announcer, Vicente Tamayo, were the people to speak with to get an interview and for your demo to get played. All your friends and family tuned in to record the interview on a radio casettes because you had reached the stars… in Motril at least. In the early 80s there was no radio in either Salobreña nor Almuñécar.

So it’s goodbye, La Pepa, and thank you for that unmistakeable voice, both serious and laughing on the radio, bucking the trends as the shadow of the Franco Regime faded.

(News: Motril, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)

Keywords: Mari Pepe Gomez, Radio Onda de Motril, Radio Announcer, Died

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