Flaco Jiménez, Tex‑Mex Accordion Legend, Dies at 86

If you've enjoyed conjunto or Tex-Mex music, you should know Flaco Jimenez, the one who took the sound of San Antonio to the world. He was born to a musical family in San Antonio on March 11, 1939, so it was not a surprise that he started playing at the same time as his father, who was a conjunto pioneer, and his grandfather in a band that his grandfather started. 

In 1955, he recorded his first hit, and had a music career "Hasta la Viso," that he has yet to stop looking back on. 

Flaco was best known as “skinny”, a name that and Flaco Jimenez, a world famous musician, who has made a name for himself through his music, not for his image. His music spanned many genres, as he performed and composed for a variety of genres, including cha cha cha, rock, cumbia, and even polkas and waltzes. 

The Final Days of an Ill Legend

It is truly heartbreaking that on January 12, 2025, he was dealt with a life threatening illness as he was tragically hospitalized. The music world has a slver lining to this with his ". . . recovering updates," and his difficult to balk back health was dealt with fragile a lot of the time. Due to major back surgeries in 2014 and his drowned significant hip surgery 2015.

Flaco has retired and on July 31,2025 at the age of 86, he peacefully passed away with family present to center his last moments. One of his sentiments shared that articulating so bold in its nature and "I'm tired" in its nature was his last soft and deeply felt words.

His Legacy: Music Awards and Influence

• Awarded a total of six Grammy Awards, of which two were for Best Mexican-American Performance and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015. 
• His Partners album released in 1992 alongside “Partners” with Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, Dwight Yoakam, and Los Lobos was inducted into the US Library of Congress National Recording Registry in 2021.
• Awarded the National Heritage Fellowship, National Medal of the Arts, and received the National Heritage Fellowship Award alongside recognitions from the Americana and Tejano Music Halls of Fame for his contributions. 

Fans and the Music Community React

The moment his family posted the news on social media late July 31, reactions poured in. Fans wrote:

“Rest in peace to a Tejano legend Flaco Jimenez. Our deepest condolences…”

Collaborative Efforts With Flaco That Changed Music        

Along with his work in his hometown of San Antonio, his contributions to the following were incredibly impactful: 

• Joined the Texas Tornados with Doug Sahm, Freddy Fender, and Augie Meyers, winning a Grammy in 1991 for “Soy de San Luis”. 
• Worked with Ry Cooder on Chicken Skin Music (1976) and toured with him; also featured on Rolling Stones album Voodoo Lounge (1994) track “Sweethearts Together”. 

His contributions and extensive work in the field of conjunto made a tremendous impact and were crucial to the integration of conjunto rhythms into the roots, country, and rock music scenes, not just in America, but on a global scale. 

Quick Facts That Tell The Story Of His Life  

• Full Name: Leonardo “Flaco” Jiménez
• Date of Birth: March 11, 1939 in San Antonio, Texas
• Genres of Music: Conjunto, Tejano, Norteño, country, rock
• Key Works: Partners, Ay Te Dejo en San Antonio, Texas Tornados hits
• Awards: 6 Grammy Awards and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement award, National Medal of the Arts, National Heritage Fellowship, awarded recognition from the Library of Congress.