Roman Martinez, alternatively spelled Ramon Martinez, was born on December 3, 1904 and died on June 8, 1950. He was born in Winslow, AZ but moved to Oakland, CA in the mid-1920s. Martinez was a talented musician, athlete, and philanthropist with his time and talents.
He is most known for having started one of the first local Mexican music groups that performed under the name Los Caballeros. The group was popular among Latinx communities in the East Bay, specifically in West Oakland where many Latinxs resided. His orchestra’s style was described as Mexican dance music; he and his band performed songs that were popular in Mexico. His music was frequently broadcast on KLX, a local radio station that operated out of the Tribune building.
Martinez joined the United States Army during World War I and served again during World War II when he was in his late 30s. During his service in World War II, he used his talents as a musician and athlete to provide entertainment for his fellow servicemen. He also advocated for them to obtain sufficient athletic equipment.
He practiced amateur boxing at the YMCA and won the Golden Gloves twice in the ‘40s. He inspired his son to become an amateur boxer as well. He was known to teach boxing classes around Oakland, including classes at the now-closed Union Recreation Center.
Roman Martinez died at Veterans Regional Hospital in 1950 and was survived by his two sons, Manuel and James, his daughter, Marilyn, and his wife, Rose. He is buried at Mountain View Cemetery in plot 60 under the name Roman C. Martinez. His daughter, Marilyn, remained in the Bay Area, residing in Montclair until her death in 2010. She continued the legacy of supporting local artists by operating a fan club for The Tubes and encouraging her son, Paul Wood, to pursue a career in music.
Haunts:
- He lived at 2606 Valdez Street in Oakland for a number of years and occasionally invited over members of the community.
- Tribune Tower, 409 13th Street, Oakland, CA 94612. He and his band performed on the radio.
- The old Oakland Downtown YMCA building, 510 21st Street, Oakland, CA 94612. He taught boxing to amateur young men.
~ by Raissa Palacios ~
External Links:
https://localwiki.org/oakland/Ramon_Martinez
https://bayarearadio.org/sf-radio-history/klx
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/182834508/roman-c_-martinez#view-photo=161224088
Image 1: 05/11/37
Image 2: 11/29/31
Image 3: 03/29/45
Image 4: 05/01/37
Image 5: 05/05/33
Image 6: 08/18/48
Image 7: 06/11/50
