HOUSTON (AP) — Flaco Jimenez, the legendary accordionist from San Antonio who received a number of Grammys and helped increase the recognition of conjunto, Tejano and Tex-Mex music, died Thursday. He was 86.
Jimenez’s demise was introduced Thursday night by his household on social media. He was surrounded by relations when he died within the San Antonio residence of his son Arturo Jimenez.
“Dad was in peace when he left. He started saying his goodbyes several days before. He said he was proud of himself for what he had done and he just leaves memories for the public to enjoy. He said he was ready to go,” Arturo Jimenez instructed The Related Press in a cellphone interview on Friday.
Arturo Jimenez mentioned a reason for demise has not but been decided. His father had been hospitalized in January after getting a blood clot in his leg. Docs then found he had some vascular points.
Born Leonardo Jimenez in 1939, he was identified to his followers by his nickname of Flaco, which suggests skinny in Spanish.
He was the son of conjunto pioneer Santiago Jimenez. Conjunto is a musical style that originated in South Texas and blends totally different genres and cultural influences.
In accordance with the Butler College of Music on the College of Texas at Austin, the event of conjunto “began more than a century ago when Texans of Mexican heritage (Tejanos) took an interest in the accordion music of German, Polish, and Czech immigrants. The ensuing Tejano accordion music, accompanied by the bajo sexto (replacing the European tuba) soon came to represent the Tejano way of life, which was closely associated with working in the agricultural fields. The music remains unchanged and serves as a symbol that binds many Tejano communities in South and Central Texas.”
Jimenez refined his conjunto musical abilities by enjoying in San Antonio saloons and dance halls. He started performing within the Sixties with fellow San Antonio native Douglas Sahm, the founding member of the Sir Douglas Quintet. Jimenez would later play with Bob Dylan, Dr. John, Ry Cooder and the Rolling Stones.
All through his profession, Jimenez added different influences into conjunto music, together with from nation, rock and jazz.
“He always wanted to try to incorporate accordion into all sorts of different genres and how to make the accordion blend in. That was always a fascination of his and he was able to,” Arturo Jimenez mentioned.
Russell Einhorn through Getty Pictures
Within the Nineteen Nineties, Jimenez was a part of the Tejano supergroup the Texas Tornados, which included Sahm, Augie Meyers and Freddy Fender. The group received a Grammy in 1991 for the track, “Soy de San Luis.”
Jimenez additionally received one other Grammy in 1999 as a part of one other supergroup, Los Tremendous Seven.
Jimenez earned 5 Grammys and was awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015.
He was additionally inducted into the Nationwide Hispanic Corridor of Fame and NYC Worldwide Latin Music Corridor of Fame and was named a Texas State Musician in 2014.
Arturo Jimenez mentioned his father was a humble man who by no means needed to be a showman and was centered on enjoying music for his followers.
“I’ve seen where fans come up to him and they literally cry and they thank my dad for all the good music and how dad’s music has been there for them in multiple situations, either happiness or sadness,” Arturo Jimenez mentioned.
When Jimenez was named a 2022 Nationwide Medal of Arts recipient, the White Home mentioned he was being honored for “harnessing heritage to enrich American music” and that by “blending Norteño, Tex Mex, and Tejano music with the Blues, Rock n’ Roll, and Pop Music, he sings the soul of America’s Southwest.”
“We appreciate the gift of your musical talent, which brought joy to countless fans. Your passing leaves a void in our hearts,” the Texas Conjunto Music Corridor of Fame and Museum mentioned in a publish on social media.
Kyle Younger, the CEO of the Nation Music Corridor of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, mentioned Jimenez “was a paragon of Tejano conjunto music” who “drew millions of listeners into a rich musical world they might not have discovered on their own.”
Jimenez lived all his life in San Antonio, a metropolis that was “very close to his heart,” his son mentioned.
“They call him ‘el hijo de San Antonio’ and my dad always was proud of that,” Arturo Jimenez mentioned, quoting a Spanish phrase meaning the son of San Antonio.
His household plans to have a personal funeral service adopted by a celebration of his life with the general public.
