Rae Arroyo

Latin Beat Magazine, August, 1997 by Silvio H. Alava

Rae Arroyo grew up listening to Art "Pancho" Raymond and Bob "Pedro" Harris on the radio and became desperately hooked when she heard Anabacoa by Damiron y Chapusieux, at the tender age of nine. Born in the Bronx, New York, of Spanish and Turkish background, her father recognized her musical addiction and bought her the record that fueled the fire for her future record collection hobby.

A few years later, Mr. Arroyo took his thirteen year-old daughter to the Palladium so that she could physically see and experience the artist whose records had her mesmerized. As she grew into adulthood, Rae married, became a mother, and developed friendships with many of the leading exponents of Latin music in New York, such as Tito Rodríguez, Machito, and Tito Puente, with whom she has had a lifelong friendship.

In the late 1960s she moved to Orange County, California where her interest and collection of Salsa, Cuban, and Latin jazz music became most useful. One afternoon, wanting to hear a particular selection by Tito Puente, Rae telephoned a local FM station (KSBR). Although the deejay featured Latin music, he had no idea who she was talking about. She offered to go to the station and play music from her private record collection and the deejay quickly accepted. Consequently, she was offered a two-hour slot on Tuesdays which ultimately led to six hours on Saturdays. After Arroyo's husband retired, they moved to Las Vegas, Nevada where she eventually landed a program on KUNV-FM, a local station on the campus of the University of Nevada in Las Vegas.

Rae is very busy these days, hosting local casino dances and promoting bands from the Los Angeles area. She also provides the music for the annual picnic of the local chapter of the Puerto Rican Association of Las Vegas. She says that of all her senses she appreciates the sense of hearing the most since it affords her the means to listen to the Puerto Rican and Cuban music she loves so much.