Flaco Jiménez, Conjunto Legend And Accordion Virtuoso, Dies At 86

Leonardo “Flaco” Jiménez, a Grammy-winning accordionist and trailblazer of Tejano and conjunto music, died July 31 at the age of 86. The cause of death was not revealed, but he was surrounded by loved ones, according to a statement posted on the artist’s Facebook page.

“It is with great sadness that we share tonight the loss of our father, Flaco Jimenez,” family members wrote on social media. “He was surrounded by his loved ones and will be missed immensely. Thank you to all of his fans and friends—those who cherished his music. And a big thank you for all of the memories. His legacy will live on through his music and all of his fans.”

In January, Jiménez’s family posted a statement on Facebook that the accordion virtuoso had gone to the hospital “facing a medical hurdle” but did not specify his condition because it was “a private family matter.” He was eventually released.

Born in San Antonio, Jiménez was drawn to music because of his father, Santiago Jiménez Sr., and began performing conjunto music at a young age. He used his nickname “Flaco,” which translates to “skinny” in English, throughout his career.

Jiménez became a local legend and took the Mexican-infused polka music to new heights, incorporating blues and country into his sound and working with artists like Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Ry Cooder and Dwight Yoakam. He also played with Doug Sahm, frontman for the San Antonio rock band Sir Douglas Quintet, in the ’60s.

He was a member of the supergroup Los Super Seven, whose self-titled debut won a Grammy for Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album in 1999.

Jiménez won five competitive Grammys and was given a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015. He also received a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, one of the U.S. government’s highest honors for artists. His 1992 album, Partners, was deemed culturally significant by the National Recording Registry and selected for preservation.

Hohner, Jiménez’s favorite accordion brand, honored the late Texan for his contributions to music.

“The music world has lost a true legend,” Hohner wrote on social media. “Flaco Jiménez was a global ambassador for Tex-Mex Conjunto music, bringing its vibrant sound to audiences around the world. His passion and virtuosity on the three-row button accordion inspired generations of musicians across cultures and continents. … We will deeply miss you, Maestro.”

Jiménez didn’t tour much in the past five years, but he did support acts like Los Texmaniacs. He headlined some solo shows before COVID and performed at festivals like Fayetteville Roots Festival and Pueblo Fest. One of his most successful outings was a two-night, sold-out stand in 1999 with Alejandro Escovedo at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, Illinois. The two shows grossed $12,000 off 800 tickets sold, according to Pollstar Boxoffice.