{"id":273869,"date":"2026-05-01T01:58:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T01:58:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/273869\/"},"modified":"2026-05-01T01:58:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T01:58:09","slug":"radio-legend-elizabeth-ruiz-reflects-on-decades-in-san-antonio-media-music-and-resilience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/273869\/","title":{"rendered":"Radio legend Elizabeth Ruiz reflects on decades in San Antonio media, music and resilience"},"content":{"rendered":"

SAN ANTONIO \u2013 The latest episode of Pickup Lines<\/a> features San Antonio Radio Hall of Fame inductee Elizabeth Ruiz. <\/p>\n

Known to many as \u201cBitsy,\u201d Ruiz grew up surrounded by music on the city\u2019s South and West sides, never imagining the path that would lead her into broadcasting, performance and a lasting impact on local media.<\/p>\n

Ruiz, a graduate of Kennedy High School, was raised in a musical household where both of her parents played piano by ear, and her father also played accordion. That early exposure helped shape her love for music, though her initial goal was more specific. <\/p>\n

\u201cI just wanted to be in the band so I could be a twirler,\u201d Ruiz said, recalling her school days.<\/p>\n

She later attended Trinity University and went on to teach at Burbank High School before discovering a new passion through classes in radio, television and film. What began as a summer project quickly turned into a calling. <\/p>\n

\u201cI got hooked,\u201d Ruiz said.<\/p>\n

Still, like many aspiring journalists, Ruiz needed to balance passion with practicality. She worked to make a living while pursuing opportunities in media, eventually finding her way into San Antonio\u2019s radio scene during a time when few women \u2014 especially Latinas \u2014 held roles in broadcasting. <\/p>\n

\u201cThere weren\u2019t hardly any women in the business, and Latinas? Are you kidding me?\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Her break came in part due to coverage opportunities tied to future San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros. Ruiz initially turned down an offer at KTSA but reconsidered when she was asked to cover City Hall during Cisneros\u2019 campaign. <\/p>\n

That decision helped launch a career that included working alongside radio personality Sonny Melendrez, where Ruiz became a familiar voice to listeners across the region.<\/p>\n

Beyond journalism, Ruiz also explored her musical side. She performed disco music with a band called Infinity and even opened for Peaches & Herb, known for hits like \u201cReunited.\u201d She recalled singing songs made famous by Donna Summer while wearing spandex on stage. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt was so much fun,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Her career brought her face-to-face with major figures and moments, including covering visits to San Antonio in the 1980s from global figures like Prince Charles and even reporting on the Pope \u2014 an assignment she initially felt unworthy of but ultimately embraced as part of her role as a journalist.<\/p>\n

Ruiz\u2019s journey also included performing at Carnegie Hall, a milestone few achieve.<\/p>\n

In January 2025, Ruiz survived a serious crash involving an 18-wheeler on Interstate 35 in Selma. She described being struck, spun across lanes and hit again before coming to a stop near a concrete median.<\/p>\n

Despite the traumatic experience, Ruiz continues to reflect on her life with gratitude and humor, maintaining the same energy that carried her through decades in media, music and education.<\/p>\n

Watch the full Pickup Lines with Elizabeth Ruiz in the video player above.<\/p>\n

More Pickup Lines episodes:<\/p>\n

Ernie Zuniga started Pickup Lines, a digital talk show, straight from his vehicle. The segments feature a diverse range of guests, including executives, small business owners, and everyday individuals, as they share personal journeys, news, and stories.<\/p>\n

Copyright 2026 by KSAT – All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"SAN ANTONIO \u2013 The latest episode of Pickup Lines features San Antonio Radio Hall of Fame inductee Elizabeth…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":273870,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[14019,82,84,83],"class_list":["post-273869","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-san-antonio","tag-pickup-lines","tag-san-antonio","tag-san-antonio-headlines","tag-san-antonio-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/273869","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=273869"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/273869\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/273870"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=273869"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=273869"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=273869"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}