Video 1: Nick Villareal performs El Mayor Live in Fresno – 2012
Video 2: Nick Villarreal – La I Gotta Go / La Not To

Conjunto and Tejano accordionist Nick Villarreal, known to many as Nicky Snick, passed away on Sunday (July 30). He was 66 years old.

Villarreal was hospitalized on July 29 after suffering a cardiac arrest and was in critical, but stable condition on life support in the ICU, according to reports. He was taken off life support late Sunday and passed away. He had suffered with diabetes for many years.

Villarreal was part of the musical Zimmerle family and learned to play the accordion at the age of 5 by his grandfather James Zimmerle. He eventually started his own conjunto with his brothers Roger, David, and cousin, David Zimmerle, and recorded his first 45 on Toby Torres’ recording label.

Nick then recorded under San Antonio-based Joey Records. The Tejano Music Awards noted Villarreal as a “true Conjunto icon” on Facebook.

“Nicky Snick” is known for his unmistakable, easy-going goofy cumbias and he credits the many conversations he had with his mother, María Luis Zimmerle-Villarreal, as inspiration for many of his greatest hits. Some of those hits include “Kool-Aid con Hielo,” “La ‘Not to Worry, ‘” and “La ‘I Gotta Go.’”