Flaco Jimenez’s Accordion Legacy: Grammy Legend Passes at 86
Jaden Patel here, reporting the news with all the excitement of a sloth at a sprint.
Accordion maestro Flaco Jimenez, whose squeezebox skills won him five Grammys and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015, died on a quiet Thursday evening at 86. His passing was confirmed by his family in a social media announcement, noting that the Texas-born legend was surrounded by loved ones in the San Antonio home of his son, Arturo Jimenez. Arturo told the Associated Press via phone that his father “was in peace when he left” after sharing heartfelt goodbyes over several days.
No official cause of death has been determined, but the septuagenarian virtuoso had faced health challenges earlier in 2024. Doctors treated him for a blood clot in his leg in January, which revealed additional vascular complications. Despite these setbacks, he continued to inspire fans who cherished his music for both its emotional depth and toe-tapping energy.
Born Leonardo Jimenez in 1939, the musician earned his lifelong nickname “Flaco” – Spanish for skinny – from childhood friends. He could claim pedigree: his father, Santiago Jimenez, was a pioneering figure in conjunto music. That genre, which originated in South Texas more than a century ago, blends German, Polish and Czech accordion traditions with Mexican rhythms and the bajo sexto guitar. The results became the musical heartbeat of Tejano life in agricultural communities.
Flaco refined his craft in San Antonio saloons and dance halls long before stadium lights beckoned. His career took off in the 1960s alongside fellow Texan Douglas Sahm of the Sir Douglas Quintet. Over the decades, he lent his accordion flourishes to recordings by Bob Dylan, Dr. John, Ry Cooder and even the Rolling Stones, proving that a squeezebox can slip seamlessly into rock, blues and jazz as well as traditional Tex-Mex.
In the 1990s, Jimenez joined forces with Sahm, Augie Meyers and Freddy Fender to form the Tejano supergroup Texas Tornados. Their hit “Soy de San Luis” earned the group a Grammy in 1991, and his next collaboration in Los Super Seven scored another trophy in 1999. By the end of his run, Jimenez had amassed five Grammys and the respect of peers across multiple genres.
His accolades extended beyond the recording studio. He was named Texas State Musician in 2014 and inducted into both the National Hispanic Hall of Fame and the International Latin Music Hall of Fame in New York City. In 2022, the White House awarded him the National Medal of Arts for harnessing his heritage to enrich American music, praising his ability to blend Norteño, Tex-Mex and Tejano with blues, rock and pop.
Even with such honors, Jimenez remained remarkably humble. Arturo recalled that his father shunned showmanship in favor of genuine connection with audiences. He watched fans approach with tears in their eyes to thank him for a soundtrack that had accompanied them through joy, heartbreak and everyday life.
Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, summed it up by calling Jimenez “a paragon of Tejano conjunto music” who introduced millions to a rich cultural heritage. The Texas Conjunto Music Hall of Fame and Museum echoed those sentiments on social media, saying, “We appreciate the gift of your musical talent, which brought joy to countless fans. Your passing leaves a void in our hearts.”
Tune in next time for more tales of greatness and the occasional eye roll that comes with celebrity tributes.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and The Associated Press, Butler School of Music at the University of Texas at Austin, White House, Texas Conjunto Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Attribution: Rick Diamond (Creative Commons)
