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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The State of Texas lost one of its finest musical |
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ambassadors with the passing of legendary accordionist Flaco |
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Jiménez of San Antonio on July 31, 2025, at the age of 86; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in the Alamo City on March 11, 1939, Leonardo |
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"Flaco" Jiménez was the son of Luisa Mena Jiménez and Santiago |
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Jiménez Sr.; he started playing the bajo sexto on stage with his |
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father, a conjunto pioneer, at the age of seven, and secretly taught |
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himself to play the accordion; when his father caught him, instead |
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of being angry at his son, he burst into happy tears; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Jiménez formed his own band, Los Caporales, as a |
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15-year-old and built a following in Texas dance halls; other |
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artists were greatly influenced by his virtuosity and the |
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exuberant, eclectic style he simply described as Tex-Mex; in the |
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late 1960s, he joined Doug Sahm's rock 'n' roll band, the Sir Douglas |
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Quintet, and he went on to work with New Orleans giant Dr. John, |
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adventurous guitarist Ry Cooder, and superstars Bob Dylan, Carlos |
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Santana, and the Rolling Stones, among a host of luminaries; he |
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reached the country audience on hits by Dwight Yoakam and the |
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Mavericks, and he raised the global profile of Tex-Mex as a member |
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of the supergroups Texas Tornados and Los Super Seven; his solo |
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albums featured artists from many genres, among them Linda |
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Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, and Los Lobos; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1986, Mr. Jiménez garnered his first Grammy |
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Award, for his album Ay Te Dejo en San Antonio, with a title track |
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written by his father; he later won four more, as well as the 2015 |
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Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award; his numerous accolades further |
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included a National Medal of Arts, recognition as a Texas State |
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Musician, and induction into the National Hispanic Hall of Fame and |
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Austin City Limits Hall of Fame; well into his golden years, he |
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continued to tour internationally, and he was especially beloved in |
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Japan and Europe; always humble and kind, he was generous in sharing |
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his time with fans and fellow musicians, and at home, he performed |
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to brighten the days of senior patients and staff of WellMed Medical |
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Management; for all his fame and professional honors, he took |
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greatest pride in his cherished family; and |
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WHEREAS, Flaco Jiménez left an indelible imprint on American |
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music, and his remarkable legacy will remain a source of joy and |
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inspiration for years to come; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the life of |
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Flaco Jiménez and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his |
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family: to his wife, Adela Jiménez; to his children, Arturo, |
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Gilbert, and Cynthia Jiménez and Raquel Fernandez; to his brother, |
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Santiago Jiménez Jr.; and to all who mourn his passing; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Flaco |
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Jiménez. |