LegendaryTejano musician Flaco Jiménez passes away at 86 years old.
Leonardo "Flaco" Jimenez, a legendary Tejano singer-songwriter and master accordionist, passed away at the age of 86. Born on March 11, 1939, in San Antonio, Texas, Jimenez was a pioneer in the conjunto, norteño, and tejano music genres.
Growing up in a family with a rich musical heritage, Jimenez began performing at the age of seven and recording by fifteen. Over his more than seven decades in the music industry, he played as a soloist, session musician, and member of groups like the Texas Tornados and Los Super Seven.
Jimenez's impact on the music industry is widely recognized. He helped bring Tex-Mex musical styles to broader audiences, collaborating across genres and contributing to the preservation and evolution of traditional Mexican-American music in the United States. His accordion skills, influenced by his father Santiago Jiménez Sr. and zydeco musician Clifton Chenier, were unparalleled.
One of Jimenez's most significant achievements was his role in popularizing and expanding the reach of conjunto and tejano music. This earned him multiple Grammy Awards, including his first win for best Mexican-American performance in 1986 for his album "Ay Te Dejo en San Antonio." He won six Grammy Awards in total, with his last win coming in the best Mexican-American performance category in 1999 for his work with Los Super Seven.
Jimenez's collaboration with Ry Cooder on the soundtrack to the 1982 film "The Border" is another notable achievement. He was also a member of Cooder's Chicken Skin Revue in 1976. In 1994, he played the accordion on the Rolling Stones' "Sweethearts Together," a Tex-Mex-infused ballad off of their album, "Voodoo Lounge."
In 2009, Jimenez collaborated with the famed German musical instrument manufacturer Hohner to create a signature line of accordions. His 1992 album, "Partners," was inducted into the National Recording Registry in 2020. In 2015, Jimenez won a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
In 2022, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus included Jimenez's 1989 hit in its list of nominees to Library of Congress' National Recording Registry. Jimenez's success and recognition far surpassed anything he could have imagined for himself, as he stated in an interview with The Times in 1994.
Jimenez's family requested privacy during this time of sadness and grievance. The news of his death was shared on his official Facebook page. Jimenez will be remembered as a pioneering accordion virtuoso who helped nationalize the popularity of Tejano and conjunto music in the U.S. His legacy will continue to inspire future generations of musicians.
[1] Leonardo 'Flaco' Jimenez - Grammy.com [2] Flaco Jimenez - Billboard.com [3] Flaco Jimenez - Wikipedia.org
- Leonardo "Flaco" Jimenez, a celebrated accordionist and pioneer in Tejano, conjunto, and norteño music, had a significant impact on the entertainment industry, particularly in the realm of pop-culture and music.
- A native of San Antonio, Texas, Jimenez's career spanned over seven decades, during which he worked with various renowned artists, including Ry Cooder and the Rolling Stones, showcasing his versatility in music.
- His contributions to music were honorably acknowledged through multiple Grammy Awards, an induction into the National Recording Registry, and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
- Despite his fame and accomplishments, Jimenez's legacy will be most remembered for his pivotal role in nationalizing the popularity of Tejano and conjunto music, making a lasting impact on the culture and law of music in California and beyond.
