Renowned American singer and songwriter Flaco Jimenez has died at the age of 86.
Gatekeepers News reports that the family confirmed the news in a post on Facebook on Thursday, saying he passed away peacefully surrounded by his loved ones.
The post reads, “ 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.”
“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. The family requests privacy during this time of sadness and grievance.”
The Mexican-American artist named Leonardo ‘Flaco’ Jimenez was born on March 11, 1939, into a musical family. He began performing at the age of seven and was instrumental in bringing Tex-Mex music to global stages.
Over the years, he collaborated with music legends such as Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, and Ry Cooder, and co-founded two Grammy-winning bands, Texas Tornados and Los Super Seven.
Known for his distinctive accordion style, Jimenez fused traditional Mexican conjunto with rock, country, and blues to create a genre-spanning sound that captivated audiences around the world.
He won six Grammy Awards over the course of his career, received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015, and was also honored with the U.S. National Medal of Arts for his outstanding contributions to American music and culture.
