AC Cruz, Iconic Voice of Tejano Radio, Passes Away At 57

AC Cruz (Abel Chavarilla) | Photo: Facebook

SAN ANTONIO, TX — An iconic voice that has entertained Tejano music fans through the airwaves for many decades has gone silent, as radio personality and podcaster AC Cruz passed away on June 28. He was 57.

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Cruz, also known as Abel Chavarilla, is one of the most talented broadcasters and radio programmers n the industry spending many years on the air in Houston, the Rio Grande Valley, and Corpus Christi.

Cruz’s sister Abby Chavarilla announced the news via social media. “On behalf of the Chavarilla family, it is with a heavy heart that we let family, friends, and fans know that our brother Abel Chavarilla has passed away,” she wrote. “We are going to miss him so much.”

In 2007, Cruz suffered a brain aneurysm and stroke that took him off the air after many years as a market-leading morning show radio personality and award-winning radio program director. He returned to the Tejano scene in 2018 when he started his podcast, The AC Cruz Podcast. He took Tejano fans behind the scenes with famous artists and industry leaders with entertaining and sometimes controversial episodes over 14 seasons.

Legendary record label Freddie Records shared a message about AC Cruz via social media. “AC was a radio legend, innovator, and longtime supporter of Tejano music. As a program director, he was always bold, competitive, and passionate about being the absolute best in his market. As the host of the AC Cruz Podcast, he continued to innovate by being one of the first podcasts focused on Tejano and created a platform to help artists promote new music. He loved the radio and music business and contributed to the success of countless artists. He waved the flag loud and proud for Tejano.”

A celebration of life for AC Cruz is scheduled for Monday, July 17, 2023, at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church, 1710 Clower, San Antonio, Texas. Rosary begins at 9:30 am with a Mass to follow at 10 am. A GoFundMe account has been set up to help with funeral expenses.

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