In the landmark reference book, “The Billboard Guide to Tejano and Mexican Music”, written by San Antonio Express-News music reporter Ramiro Burr and published by the prestigious Billboard Books, Flaco was given one of his highest compliments:
“What B.B. King is to the blues, or George Jones is to traditional country, Grammy-winning accordionist Flaco Jimenez is to the world of Tex-Mex Conjunto. Jimenez was universally recognized as a leading exponent of the authentic South Texas Conjunto. While there are many masters of the accordion along the Texas-Mexican border, none have toured Europe, Japan and other points overseas or recorded with as many pop, rock and country artists as Jimenez. By all accounts, Jimenez was an international icon for the accordion-fueled Conjunto genre.”
Flaco Jimenez, the pioneering icon of Conjunto and Tejano music, was destined to be a great musician. He grew up in the barrios of San Antonio listening and learning his famous father’s trade.
Flaco’s father, Santiago Jimenez, Sr., was labeled the “father” of Conjunto music. He was a forerunning artist in his own right. At age seven, Flaco was already performing with his father on stage in front of live audiences. He had acquired a love for the music and would make a career out of it.
By the time he was 15, he was in the studios making records as a member of the group Los Caporales and soon thereafter was given his father’s nickname of “Flaco”, which means skinny or thin. After playing the local saloons and dance halls in San Antonio for years, he acquired a solid reputation as a unique musician and stylist. In the 1960’s he teamed up with a fellow musician Douglas Sahm, the founding member of the famous rock band The Sir Douglas Quintet, and then went on to New York to jam with Bob Dylan and Dr. John. From there, he played for mostly Anglo audiences with Peter Rowan and then traveled the world with Ry Cooder and David Lindsey, receiving international acclaim for his contributions to Cooder’s landmark album, Chicken Skin Music.
His performances had taken him worldwide, from the barrios of the Southside of San Antonio to the elegant inaugural halls of the White House; from the gardens of the orient in Japan to the gardens of Central Park in New York City; from the yodel country of the Swiss to the country of Mariachi land of Mexico; and from Gay París to Happy Hollow. Even though his lyrics may not be understood by some, his music is loved by all. It establishes an international bond of all languages. Flaco’s Conjunto style music is derived from many cultural backgrounds: from its original Tex-Mex style to Honky-Tonk Country and Rock and Roll, to the ever-present Tejano music. His unique style of music has earned him five Grammys, and he is just getting better. He conceived the idea of amending the traditional Tex-Mex and Tejano style music by adding the saxophone to the Rock and Roll guitar with a country flair. This, together with his talking accordion, creates a new sound of music.
He has been requested by the talents of the most famous such as the likes of Dwight Yoakam, Buck Owens, Ry Cooder, Linda Ronstadt, Emmy Lou Harris, Los Lobos, The Mavericks, John Hiatt, Bryan Ferry, The Clash, Stephen Hill and the Rolling Stones, Carlos Santana, The Chieftains, Jimmy Sturr. Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan,Ray Benson, Asleep at The Wheel, Alan Jackson, Abrahim Ferrer (Buena Vista Social Club), the famous Celso Piña, the very popular Rowwen Heze from Europe, and the famous Jaguares from Mexico.
Flaco is described by People Magazine as “a heavy weight in Texas Chicano (or Tejano) music.” He won his first Grammy Award in 1986 for the re-make of his father’s song, “Ay Te Dejo En San Antonio”. He then teamed up with his buddies Freddy Fender, Doug Sahm and with Augie Meyers to form the Tex-Mex super group The Texas Tornadoes, thereby winning another Grammy award for their debut release in 1990. In 1996, he won yet another Grammy award for the “Best Mexican-American Performance”, for his Artists Records solo performance entitled “Flaco Jimenez”.
In 1999, Flaco added two more Grammys to his collection. One came out of the category of “Best Tejano Performance” for his solo release, Said and Done, released by Barb Wire Records and distributed by Virgin Records. The second Grammy Award in 1999 came from the “Best Mexican-American Performance” category in which he re-teamed with Freddy Fender for the recording of the group and album, Los Super Seven (RCA). The Mexican-American all-star band also includes David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas of Los Lobos, Joe Ely, Freddy Fender, Rick Treviño and Ruben Ramos. Flaco simply describes the experience of performing with this group as a “family reunion”.
The five-time Grammy Award winner’s career spans over four decades, and his famous accordion is featured in more than 100 albums. Most recently, Flaco was presented a Double Platinum Album Award by Virgin Records for his participation on the Rolling Stones’ Voodoo Lounge album which sold in excess of two million copies, just like the ever famous "Streets of Bakersfield" with his good friends, Buck Owens and Dwight Yoakam, also receive the "Lifetime Achievement Award" from Billboard Latin Magazine. Best video at the Tejano Music Awards.
Flaco also appears in, Picking up the Pieces, starring Woody Allen and Sharon Stone, and other well-known stars cast, directed by Alonzo Arau who plays “El Guapo” in the hit movie The Three Amigos. In Picking up the Pieces, Flaco performs both as an actor and as a musician, and also performs on the sound track of the movie, as well as on the soundtracks of the movies Striptease with Demi Moore, Tin Cup with Kevin Costner, Borders with Jack Nicholson and many others too numerous to mention.
With the release of his newest CD, "Squeeze Box King," on September 23, 2003 under Compadre Records, which Flaco produced himself, and made it more traditional, he explains his mission and his recording by simply saying, "I think that by mixing lyrics in Spanish and English makes a more interesting blend. Even when every listener doesn't understand what is being said, the music speaks for itself, and it seems like someone is actually translating the words for you."
His new CD has polkas, boleros, Tex-Mex rancheras, and goes back to his conjunto roots as well. He does start his new CD with a very lively polka, for the delight of many of his fans, including his European friends, "En El Cielo No Hay Cerveza (In Heaven There is No Beer)", since he sings it in English, Spanish, and Dutch. He added the ever beautiful classic romantic song "Prenda del Alma" which has been recorded by several artists, but Flaco puts in his own inner feelings to it, like only he can do. The song "Soy Romantico," in both Spanish and English, with the sad romantic song "Tan Sola" written by a good friend from France. The album ends with the lively song "La Tormenta" where Flaco excels in the accordion, showing his fast lively fingers, never missing a beat and putting all his talent and heart into it.
With this new album comes a bonus CD that you can order from Compadre Records. It is all in English of songs that have never been recorded before by Flaco and his Band. Flaco just had to bring back a couple of songs from his first idol of all times, the great Elvis Presley. Raul "Nunie" Rubio, does a superb job on the vocals, Flaco on the accordion, Roger Garza on the lead guitar, and the rest of the members of his very much acclaimed band: his son, David Jimenez, drums, Roy Paniagua, bass, Max Baca bajo, and Luis Chavez on the saxophone.
The highlights of this new album, is that the legendary Jourdaniers, do the back up vocals. To the delight of Flaco, one of his dreams to record with them came true, and in his own words: "The moment we were in the studio recording, it was awesome, just like the "King of Rock" himself, was there, with an approving smile, a feeling that will stay with me for the rest of my life."
In the last two years, even though he did not have a new CD, he has been in very high demand, he has traveled extensively throughout the US, Europe, Athens, Greece, Austria, London, Spain, South Africa, and Mexico City. He has also been recognized as a music icon along with Carlos Santana in the Latino segment of the Americana-Chicano Now Traveling Museum, by Cheech Marin. His work and history will also be exhibited in The Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC., and the third or fourth grade social studies school text books. He has also picked up a couple of other awards, has been inducted into the National Hispanic Hall of Fame and the prestigious International Latin Music Hall of Fame in New York City.
Most recently he is appearing in a couple of TV commercials: Chrysler Dodge and the Texas Lottery. His new album is getting great reviews from all over the country and from Europe which says it all: "Squeeze Box King" as he is so well known for being the King of Accordion. Could it be that this next year those five Grammys he treasures so much could become seven?
