Born into a well-known conjunto family in San Antonio on March 11, 1939, Leonardo “Flaco” Jiménez began playing conjunto alongside his grandfather, Patricio, father, Santiago Sr., and brother Santiago Jr. (among other family members).

Jimenez, a San Antonio native, continued to perform well into his 80s, including at local events like the Tejano Conjunto Festival. The influential accordionist helped spread the rich heritage of South Texas, winning multiple Grammys in the process—including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015.