Flaco Jimenez dies at 86: What was Tejano legend suffering from; all on his illness

Flaco Jimenez, the Grammy award-winning musical artist, passed away at 86, his family announced late Thursday night.

Flaco Jimenez, the legendary Tejano musician and Grammy award-winning artist, breathed his last at the age of 86, his family shared on social media late Thursday night.

Flaco Jimenez won the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015 (X/@jxinfante69)

“It is with great sadness that we share tonight the loss of our father, Flaco Jimenez,” the post read, adding, “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 family also said.

What was Flaco Jimenez suffering from?

While Flaco's cause of death was not revealed immediately, it is known that he was dealing with some health complication and was hospitalized earlier this year, on January 12. It was reported at the time that he was ‘facing a medical hurdle’.

It was unclear how long the musician had been in hospital, but an update shared by the family later read “Happy Sunday, Flaco fans! We apologize for the delay in updates. Flaco has been home, doing well and on the road to recovery. A huge thank you to all for the prayers, love and continued support. Have a great week!”

Who was Flaco Jimenez?

Jimenez was known for many achievements in Tejano music. ‘Partners’, one of his albums, was selected for the U.S. Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry in 2021.

He had also been called “a champion of traditional conjunto music and Tex-Mex culture who also is known for innovation and collaboration with a variety of artists” by the US Library of Congress.

Jimenez has won six Grammy awards, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, which was conferred to him in 2015.