Arts & Culture

New exhibit pays tribute to a South Texas music legend

Texas Public Radio | By Kory Cook

Published June 26, 2026 at 6:22 AM CDT

An enlarged photograph of Flaco Jimenez, originally displayed at his memorial held on August 7, 2025, at the Carver Community Cultural Center and now at the Common Ground Gallery at Alamo Colleges for the "From the West Side to the World: Un Homenaje a Flaco Jimenez" exhibit through July 31, 2026.

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Known worldwide as the "King of Conjunto," Tex-Mex accordion master Leonardo "Flaco" Jimenez was born in San Antonio, TX, on March 11, 1939, and died on July 31, 2025.

“From the West Side to the World: Un Homenaje a Flaco Jimenez," an exhibit that pays tribute to the multi-Grammy-winning artist, is now open at the Alamo Colleges Common Ground Gallery.

Dr. Eric Castillo, Alamo Colleges Associate Vice Chancellor for Arts, Culture and Community Impact stands with Domingo J. Figueroa, M.Ed., Program Manager of Arts, Culture, & Community Impact for the ACD. Between them is an enlarged photograph of Flaco Jimenez receiving the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015.

Eric Castillo is associate vice chancellor for Arts, Culture and Community Impact at Alamo Colleges.

“We wanted to be able to tell the story of who Flaco was, from his time in the Korean War, from his upbringing to his relationship with his father, and then his South Texas regional impact and international appeal,” said Castillo.

Flaco's son Arturo Jimenez approached Castillo about the possibility of presenting the exhibit after learning that a Flaco piece created by international artist Vincent Valdez was recently purchased by the gallery. Castillo happily agreed to the proposal, so Arturo helped gather the historical items, video footage, photographs, and all memorabilia now seen at the exhibit.

“I'm from San Antonio, born and raised," said Castillo. So, being able to look and understand Flaco from a different lens, from his family's lens, from his son's eyes, you see from a different light. You see him as a man, as a father, as a grandfather, but then also you learn about this whole iconic, international connection he has.”

Historical photos of Flaco Jimenez's father, Santiago Jimenez, Sr., and father and son at the Tejano Conjunto Festival in downtown San Antonio, displayed at the Common Ground Gallery at Alamo Colleges for the "From the West Side to the World: Un Homenaje a Flaco Jimenez" exhibit through July 31, 2026

An enlarged photograph of a young Flaco Jimenez, originally displayed at his memorial held on August 7, 2025, at the Carver Community Cultural Center and now at the Common Ground Gallery at Alamo Colleges for the "From the West Side to the World: Un Homenaje a Flaco Jimenez" exhibit through July 31, 2026

Vintage family photos, concert footage, parts of Flaco’s wardrobe, and his prized accordion encased in glass are among the pieces that tell the story of master musician Jimenez's contribution to San Antonio and the broader Tejano experience.

One of Flaco Jimenez's personal favorite accordions, the Orange Hohner Corona II, became closely tied to the sound of Conjunto music and to Flaco's instantly recognizable playing style. It's now encased in glass at the Common Ground Gallery at Alamo Colleges for the "From the West Side to the World: Un Homenaje a Flaco Jimenez" exhibit through July 31, 2026.

For me, I'm all about the hands and heart of people. And when we see their heart and their hands, and their accordions, and their awards, and their clothing, it just makes it feel more real," said Castillo. "It makes it feel like Flaco is here with us."

The exhibit runs through July 31st at the Common Ground Gallery in the Alamo College ACCESS Building at 2222 North Alamo Street.

Disclosure: Alamo Colleges is a sponsor of Texas Public Radio. We cover them as we would any institution, business or organization.

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