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A native of Stockdale in Wilson County, south of San Antonio, Ware was a son of Richard M. Ware (1911-1960) and the former Esther Cone (1915-2007). He began his radio career in the middle 1950s in Baytown, east of [[Houston, Texas|Houston]], Texas. In 1957, he wed his high school sweetheart, Miriam Lorraine "Mimi" Ware (1939-2003), and they moved to the capital city of [[Austin]], Texas, where Ricci worked for then [[United States Senate]] Majority Leader [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] at KTBC radio and television. Radio legend Gordon McLendon, a [[conservative]] [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] who ran unsuccessfully in the [[primary]] for the [[United States Senate]] in 1964 against the incumbent [[Ralph Yarborough]], heard Ware while McLendon was passing through Austin. He hired Ware to come to KTSA in San Antonio, one of the earliest stations in Texas.<ref name=findagrave>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Ware&GSfn=Ricci&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=46&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=171642240&df=all&|title=Ricci Ware|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=August 3, 2017}}</ref>

A native of Stockdale in Wilson County, south of San Antonio, Ware was a son of Richard M. Ware (1911-1960) and the former Esther Cone (1915-2007). He began his radio career in the middle 1950s in Baytown, east of [[Houston, Texas|Houston]], Texas. In 1957, he wed his high school sweetheart, Miriam Lorraine "Mimi" Ware (1939-2003), and they moved to the capital city of [[Austin]], Texas, where Ricci worked for then [[United States Senate]] Majority Leader [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] at KTBC radio and television. Radio legend Gordon McLendon, a [[conservative]] [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] who ran unsuccessfully in the [[primary]] for the [[United States Senate]] in 1964 against the incumbent [[Ralph Yarborough]], heard Ware while McLendon was passing through Austin. He hired Ware to come to KTSA in San Antonio, one of the earliest stations in Texas.<ref name=findagrave>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Ware&GSfn=Ricci&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=46&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=171642240&df=all&|title=Ricci Ware|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=August 3, 2017}}</ref>

Ware was among the most outspoken [[conservative]]s of talk radio. He was not always accurate in his predictions, as in 1992 when he claimed that then [[U.S. President]] [[George Herbert Walker Bush]], who like Gordon McLendon had lost the Senate election to Ralph Yarborough, would defeat [[Bill Clinton]] based in part on overwhelming Bush support in a KTSA opinion poll. In the 1970s and 1980s, Ware co-hosted with Jud Ashmore ''The Ricci and Jud Show,'' a rowdy morning program on the old country station KBUC. The two sometimes picketed San Antonio City Hall over controversial matters.<ref name=waredeath>{{cite web|url=http://www.mysanantonio.com/entertainment/article/San-Antonio-radio-legend-Ricci-Ware-dies-10060311.php|title=San Antonio radio legend Ricci Ware dies|author=Jeanne Jakle and Hector Saldana|date=October 22, 2016|publisher=''San Antonio Express-News''|accessdate=August 3, 2017}}</ref>

Ware was among the most outspoken [[conservative]]s of talk radio. He was not always accurate in his predictions, as in 1992 when he claimed that then [[U.S. President]] [[George Herbert Walker Bush]], who like Gordon McLendon had lost a Senate election to Ralph Yarborough, would defeat [[Bill Clinton]] based in part on overwhelming Bush support in a KTSA opinion poll. In the 1970s and 1980s, Ware co-hosted with Jud Ashmore ''The Ricci and Jud Show,'' a rowdy morning program on the old country station KBUC. The two sometimes picketed San Antonio City Hall over controversial matters.<ref name=waredeath>{{cite web|url=http://www.mysanantonio.com/entertainment/article/San-Antonio-radio-legend-Ricci-Ware-dies-10060311.php|title=San Antonio radio legend Ricci Ware dies|author=Jeanne Jakle and Hector Saldana|date=October 22, 2016|publisher=''San Antonio Express-News''|accessdate=August 3, 2017}}</ref>

Ware was also instrumental in motorcar racing in San Antonio. Himself a racer in his younger years, he became the owner and operator of the Pan American Speedway on the Austin Highway and then on the Toepperwein Road. Ware's track closed after the building in 1978 of the San Antonio Speedway. He encouraged stock car racing undertaken by his two sons, Richard "Ricci," Jr. (born July 13, 1960) of Culpeper, [[Virginia]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/ricci-ware/150040954|title=Ricci Ware|publisher=MyLife.com|accessdate=August 3, 2017}}</ref> and [[Trey Ware|Trey Allen Ware]]<ref name=fiftiethanniversary/> another long-term KTSA radio personality who hosts the call-in program on weekday mornings. In 1989, Frank Howell, the former owner of the San Antonio Speedway, hired Ricci Ware to manage and run the half-mile speedway. During this time he booked the popular Texas Super Sprinters Association, a winged sprint car series that raced on dirt tracks across Central and South Texas.<ref name=fiftiethanniversary/>

Ware was also instrumental in motorcar racing in San Antonio. Himself a racer in his younger years, he became the owner and operator of the Pan American Speedway on the Austin Highway and then on the Toepperwein Road. Ware's track closed after the building in 1978 of the San Antonio Speedway. He encouraged stock car racing undertaken by his two sons, Richard "Ricci," Jr. (born July 13, 1960) of Culpeper, [[Virginia]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/ricci-ware/150040954|title=Ricci Ware|publisher=MyLife.com|accessdate=August 3, 2017}}</ref> and [[Trey Ware|Trey Allen Ware]]<ref name=fiftiethanniversary/> another long-term KTSA radio personality who hosts the call-in program on weekday mornings. In 1989, Frank Howell, the former owner of the San Antonio Speedway, hired Ricci Ware to manage and run the half-mile speedway. During this time he booked the popular Texas Super Sprinters Association, a winged sprint car series that raced on dirt tracks across Central and South Texas.<ref name=fiftiethanniversary/>