Flaco Jimenez

No single artist did more to popularize conjunto and Tejano music than Flaco Jimenéz, the master accordion player who received an unprecedented level of critical acclaim. Over the course of a career that spanned six decades, Jimenéz took the accordion-fueled Tex-Mex sound to a worldwide audience. Without compromising his musical vision, he introduced the traditional conjunto sound to mainstream pop and country listeners thanks to his collaborations with the Texas Tornados, Dwight Yoakam, and the Mavericks, and he was celebrated by adventurous rock fans through his work with Ry Cooder, Carlos Santana, Doug Sahm, and the Rolling Stones. 1985's Ay Te Dejo en San Antonio y Más! was a Grammy-winning sampling of his early recordings, 1992's Partners included a number of guest appearances from famous friends and admirers, and 2003's Squeeze Box King was a powerful and eclectic celebration of border music.