The mariachi band that made Ted Cruz's stoop a stage performed at a discount, saying the Senator's actions were so despicable, they would've played it for free if they could.
TMZ spoke to Jose Antonio Solis of Mariachi Mi Mexico -- the group that brought their song and dance to Cruz's front door Sunday -- and he says they took nearly $100 less than normal for the gig in Ted's well-to-do Houston neighborhood.
Normally, Solis says their hourly rate runs $475, but they agreed to $400 flat. Solis says he understands Ted and the fam wanting to get away from the cold, but not when the people Ted represents are dying.
Solis says they would've played the gig for free, but lost out on recent money because of the storm.
Mariachi Mi Mexico was hired by a fella named Bryan Hlavinka ... whom Solis says told them there was a GoFundMe account set up specifically to pay them to play.
Hlavinka posted a walk-up video of him leading everyone up to Cruz's Houston home. We're told the Senator wasn't there, but his security did come out at one point.