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Recorded in September 2011 at El Torreón Restaurant in San Antonio.
Conjunto legend Nick Villarreal, or “Nicky Snick,” if you prefer, is a character larger than life itself. He is a man with charisma so strong, it’s almost radioactive. From his jokes to his laugh, to that big booming voice, he’s just FUN.
A member of the Zimmerle family of San Antonio, Nick has specialized in composing songs about everything from Kool-Aid to Viagra to Tiger Woods and former San Antonio mayor Henry Cisneros. His unmistakable, easy-going goofy cumbias are his trademark, along with his catch phrase, “Ah Nyi Nyi!”
In recent years, his health has declined considerably, a subject that he discusses in the interview. While he struggles with the same problems as many of his fans, he continues to perform at festivals, still writes his songs with the same humor, and can sometimes be found in the recording studio as well.
A man like him, with such a long career and such observational humor, has a lot of stories to tell. In fact, we had already wrapped up the interview when he remembered something that he wanted to say, so we turned the mics back on and let the legend speak his mind.
As you can imagine, we had a great time with this one. Piper normally stays quiet during interviews, but couldn’t help but laugh during this one.
Don’t forget to pick up the classics and newest releases, including La Pass It Around, from Nick Villarreal at your favorite local record shop.