Flaco Jiménez, Grammy-Winning Icon of Tejano Music, Dead at 86

Flaco Jiménez, the Tejano music icon whose virtuosic accordion playing and pioneering contributions to conjunto and Tex-Mex music brought global acclaim to a cherished South Texas tradition, has died at 86. His family confirmed his passing on Thursday night (July 31) via a statement shared on his official social media pages.

“It is with great sadness that we share tonight the loss of our father, Flaco Jimenez. He was surrounded by his loved ones and will be missed immensely,” family members Arturo and Lisa Jimenez, Gilbert and Cynthia Jimenez, and Javier and Raquel Fernandez, wrote on his Facebook page. “His legacy will live on through his music and all of his fans.”

The family added a request for privacy during this time, and expressed gratitude to fans who followed his music.

The the Grammy-award winning artist was in the hospital after “facing a medical hurdle,” according to a message posted to his Facebook account on Jan. 12.

Born Leonardo Jiménez in San Antonio, Texas, in 1939, he emerged from a lineage of accordionists. His father, Santiago Jiménez Sr., and grandfather, Patricio Jiménez, were stewards of traditional conjunto music. But Flaco took the accordion beyond its roots, marrying the borderland sounds of polkas, waltzes and rancheras with genres such as country, rock and blues.

In doing so, he became the genre’s most visible ambassador, collaborating with international artists such as Willie Nelson, Ry Cooder, Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones. Some of these team-ups were with his Tex-Mex supergroup Texas Tornados, alongside Freddy Fender, Augie Meyers and Doug Sahm.

Jiménez’s storied career spanned more than six decades and brought him countless accolades, including six Grammy Awards. His 1992 album, Partners, was added to the U.S. Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry in 2020, which hailed him as a “champion of traditional conjunto music and Tex-Mex culture.”

In 2015, the Recording Academy honored Jiménez with its Lifetime Achievement Award.