Leonardo “Flaco” Jiménez, the legendary accordionist who brought Tejano and conjunto music to international audiences through collaborations with artists ranging from Bob Dylan to the Rolling Stones, died Thursday at age 86 at his son’s home in San Antonio, Texas.
Jiménez was surrounded by family members when he passed away, according to his son Arturo Jiménez, who told The Associated Press that his father had been saying his goodbyes several days before his death. Arturo Jiménez indicated that “Dad was in peace when he left” and expressed pride in his musical accomplishments. A cause of death has not yet been determined, though the musician had been hospitalized in January after developing a blood clot in his leg, which led doctors to discover vascular issues.
Born in 1939, Jiménez earned his nickname “Flaco,” meaning skinny in Spanish, and became the son of conjunto pioneer Santiago Jiménez. He began performing at age seven with his father and started recording at 15 with the group Los Caporales. The musician refined his conjunto skills playing in San Antonio saloons and dance halls before achieving broader recognition in the 1960s through his work with fellow San Antonio native Douglas Sahm, founding member of the Sir Douglas Quintet.
Conjunto music originated in South Texas as Texans of Mexican heritage incorporated accordion music from German, Polish, and Czech immigrants. According to the Butler School of Music at the University of Texas at Austin, the genre developed more than a century ago and became closely associated with working in agricultural fields, serving as a symbol that binds many Tejano communities in South and Central Texas.
Throughout his seven-decade career, Jiménez expanded conjunto music by incorporating influences from country, rock, and jazz. He collaborated with numerous prominent artists including Dr. John, Ry Cooder, Carlos Santana, and Willie Nelson. His son noted that Jiménez maintained a lifelong fascination with incorporating accordion into various musical genres and making the instrument blend seamlessly with different styles.
In the 1990s, Jiménez joined the Tejano supergroup Texas Tornados, which included Sahm, Augie Meyers, and Freddy Fender. The group won a Grammy in 1991 for “Soy de San Luis.” Jiménez also participated in another supergroup, Los Super Seven, which earned him another Grammy in 1999.
The accordionist accumulated six Grammy Awards throughout his career, including five competitive awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015. His first Grammy came in 1987 for his album “Ay Te Dejo en San Antonio,” featuring a title song composed by his father. Additional Grammy wins included recognition for his solo albums “Flaco Jiménez” in 1994 and “Said and Done” in 1999.
Beyond Grammy recognition, Jiménez received numerous honors including induction into the National Hispanic Hall of Fame and NYC International Latin Music Hall of Fame. He was named a Texas State Musician in 2014 and received the 2022 National Medal of Arts from President Biden, though health issues prevented his attendance at the White House ceremony.
When announcing his National Medal of Arts selection, the White House honored Jiménez for “harnessing heritage to enrich American music” and noted his success in blending Norteño, Tex-Mex, and Tejano music with blues, rock and roll, and pop music, calling his work representative of “the soul of America’s Southwest.”
His musical influence extended beyond performance, with German instrument manufacturer Hohner creating a signature line of accordions bearing his name in 2009. The company described him as a global ambassador for Tex-Mex conjunto music who inspired generations of musicians across cultures and continents through his partnership with Hohner since 1976.
Jiménez’s album “Partners” from 1992 was inducted into the National Recording Registry in 2020. When reflecting on this recognition, he told the Library of Congress that people previously regarded his music as cantina music without respect, and the accordion was considered something like a party joke.
Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, described Jiménez as a paragon of Tejano conjunto music who drew millions of listeners into a rich musical world they might not have discovered independently. The Texas Conjunto Music Hall of Fame and Museum expressed appreciation for his musical talent, which brought joy to countless fans.
Throughout his career, Jiménez maintained his residence in San Antonio, prioritizing local performances and headlining the Tejano Conjunto Festival for decades. His family plans to hold a private funeral service followed by a public celebration of his life. Texas Representative Joaquin Castro, a San Antonio native, acknowledged Jiménez as a pioneer in conjunto music and described him as San Antonio royalty who never abandoned his roots in the city.
