Robert Ciro Meras | Courtesy photo
SAN ANTONIO, TX — Spending a few years cultivating and communicating with different clubs from all over the world from car clubs to football clubs, their dynamics as the original Latin King Robert Meras was the style of music was like no other but rappin’ to the song which he wrote called “Motavation” and being proud of his Chicano Onda.
He was the President of the Alamo City Raiders Booster Club and evolved it through the streets of Bexar County for years making San Antonio his home.
Robert Meras, owner, bandleader, and male vocalist of Latin Spice Band, which originated 34 years ago on the Southside of Los Angeles at Huntington Park and continued to perform with the band into 2022, was in still hopes of recording which was still in the works, for this young gentleman to have left us so suddenly.
Belen Ruby Rodriguez was there from the beginning at the early stages of his career up until the end with Latin Spice. Their impeccable friendship, the music, and the soul landed them almost 40 years of history. She gave the information I needed to write about this. She was also the ex-wife of Mr. Meras. At the beginning of their career, she helped build what I assume will still carry the name “Latin Spice”, and I’m sure within time, you’ll see her carrying the torch for the soldier and reminiscing on stage to the music they once built together. This past week, heartbroken talented musicians donated their time performing at a concert, to keep the raffles going, by putting together a fundraiser so that friends could come together and celebrate his life like we do his music, and to help his family share the burdens of sudden death.
Over the past two weeks, everyone met at the local hot spot, Jaime’s Place (1514 W. Commerce) in San Antonio. This is where local guitarist and bandleader John Hernandez of Top-Shelf Band holds a jam session every Wednesday.
If you’ve worked in the Tejano Industry for as long as I have, or you live in San Antonio, Texas, and have been a journalist for 20 years like myself. These musicians turn into colleagues, some into friends, and some feel like family. I fall into the “Musicians become friends and family department”. During these past two weeks, I did meet new people and heard the most beautiful sentiments of their love for Robert, as we came and mourned together in his memory.
I want to personally thank a few people, Ray and Lali Ibarra, who took it upon themselves to help his family, Lupita his wife in general. Delia and Albert Mireles for coming together and putting this fundraiser at the Jam Session to help his wife Lupita, and she is so comforted by the way the community came together and she wants to personally thank everyone, who contributed to making these two events possible. It’s never easy, but when everyone comes together for one reason, for our hero, our veteran, We all heal.
I know that Robert Meras’ musical career started in Florencia, Southside Los Angeles, California. He spent six years in the United States Army, and his life ended way too soon in San Antonio. He was loved by his Raider Nation peers, loved by his fans, and loved by his friends, but mostly loved by his musical brothers and sisters, who had the honor to share the stage through the years. Thank you to the community, which has shown their support through donations, funding, or praying for him and his family. He had mad love for the United States Veterans.
Robert Ciro Meras, born on August 25, 1962, was called home to be with the Lord on April 18, 2022, at the age of 59. He is reunited in heaven with his son, Robert Meras, Jr., parents, Elizabeth and Genaro Meras, and sister Irene Asevedo.
Mr. Meras is loved and will be greatly missed by his wife of 15 years, Maria Guadalupe Meras; children, Candice Monique Payne and her husband Joe Payne and Izaac Ciro Meras; siblings, Elizabeth Meras Plata, Genaro Martinez Meras III, Rene Martinez Meras, and Dolores Meras as well as numerous loving relatives and friends.
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