As one of the most recognizable and influential people in regional Mexican, Pepe Garza has his hands in radio, TV, concert promotion and music publishing. He’s primarily known as PD of radio stations KBUE Los Angeles and KRQB San Bernardino, Calif. He’s also general producer of “El Show de Don Cheto,” the stations’ signature morning show that’s syndicated to 23 other outlets. He’s a consultant for Estella TV, the Spanish-language network owned by Liberman Broadcasting, and a judge on its talent show, “Tengo Talento, Mucho Talento.” Garza also founded publisher Arpa Musical, this year’s publisher of the year at the Billboard Latin Music Awards. And to cap it all, he’s a composer who occasionally records his own fare.
6:30 AM Wake up and take my German shepherd for a walk. Then I have my coffee at Paty’s Diner [in Toluca Lake] and take my two daughters — 6 and 7 — to summer camp.
9:15 AM Meet with my morning show producers to discuss the new immigration attorney who joined our on-air team. We agree he’s doing a good job. Immigration reform is a hot topic so we have an entire segment dedicated to that.
10 AM Meet with my assistant who books the talent for “Tengo Talento, Mucho Talento,” which we’ll be shooting this entire month.
11 AM Read with my team through the script for a new series we’re producing on the life of Jenni Rivera. We begin shooting in September and plan to air it in November on Estrella TV.
12 PM Choose my album photos for “Desde Garibaldi: Bohemios de Aficion,” an album where I’ve been invited to sing three of my songs. The star of the album is Martin Urieta. We’re taping the CD and DVD at Plaza Garibaldi in Mexico City this month.
1 PM I analyze the programming log every day and look at what worked and what didn’t. I do check [Arbitron’s Portable People Meter numbers] and if my station drops, I change things around.
3:30 PM Go over our [Mexican Independence Day] festival, Fiestas Patrias Que Buena. It’s taking place Sept. 8 at Whittier Narrows. I program and I coordinate everything, but I have a big team working on this.
4 PM Meet with promoter Rogelio Apizar. I try to meet with at least one promoter per day.
4:30 PM Off to the “Tengo Talento” studios where I hang out with [fellow judges] Don Cheto and Ana Barbara and we start to tape. We’ll be here until midnight. We’re shooting three days a week for the next four weeks.