Classic Tejano lost another hero recently when pioneer Ramiro "Snowball" de la Cruz passed away of a heart attack.

De La Cruz, 68, died May 20 in McAllen.

Many fans may recall De La Cruz as heading the band Snowball and Co which backed up another pioneer – Laura Canales in her early career. Canales had originally begun her career with Los Unicos and followed with a short stint with El Conjunto Bernal before joining Snowball.

Actually, De La Cruz is recognized for many contributions. With Canales in the group, the band