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43-620: Chris Strachwitz immigrated with his family from Silesia in 1947, and became enamored with American regional music after seeing the film New Orleans . He eventually settled in the San Francisco bay area, and in 1960 he headed to Texas to record bluesman Lightnin' Hopkins , but it turned out that Hopkins was in Berkeley for a performance engagement. He met up with historian Mack McCormick , and together they traveled to Navasota, Texas where Strachwitz recorded Mance Lipscomb for what would become

86-446: A Grammy Award in 1986. With cinematographer Les Blank , he also made two documentaries about the music in the mid 1970s, Chulas Fronteras and Del Mero Corazon . He discovered and released the first two albums of seminal klezmer revival band The Klezmorim . Another of Strachwitz's discoveries, and one of his biggest commercial successes, was Cajun musician Michael Doucet and his group BeauSoleil . Artists who have recorded for

129-614: A Lifetime Achievement Award for Instrumentalist from the Americana Music Association . He received his plaque at the ceremony from longtime collaborator Ry Cooder, with whom he also performed at the event. Jiménez was one of five artists to receive the inaugural Distinction in Arts honor from the City of San Antonio in 2015. Also in 2015, his collaborative album with Max Baca titled Flaco & Max: Legends & Legacies won an award in

172-516: A Sunday afternoon music program on Pacifica Radio 's KPFA -FM in Berkeley, California , which ran until 1995. In 1965, his friend ED Denson introduced him to a local band, Country Joe and the Fish , who were active in anti-Vietnam war protests at Berkeley. Strachwitz recorded the band singing " I Feel Like I'm Fixin' To Die ", and gained a share of the song's publishing rights. Eventually, royalties from

215-468: A book from his huge collection of digitized photographs, Selvin enthusiastically jumped in to help. They worked on the book in the last 18 months of Strachwitz's life, and Selvin finished it shortly after Strachwitz's death. Strachwitz died on May 5, 2023, at age 91. In 1993, Strachwitz received a lifetime achievement award from the Blues Symposium for his role in preserving the blues, and in 1999

258-665: A building in San Pablo Avenue, El Cerrito, California as the label's headquarters. Strachwitz also won royalties for Fred McDowell from the Rolling Stones ' performance of his song " You Gotta Move " on their Sticky Fingers album. During the 1970s, Strachwitz continued to record blues musicians, including Big Joe Duskin , Charlie Musselwhite , Big Mama Thornton , Elizabeth Cotten , and Robben Ford , as well as Cajun and zydeco performers such as Clifton Chenier , Lawrence Ardoin and John Delafose. He also continued to secure

301-479: A degree in political science and an advanced degree in secondary education in 1960. At the same time, he continued to develop his technical skills, learning from established producer Bob Geddins and through recording San Francisco street musician Jesse Fuller , jazz saxophonist Sonny Simmons and others. He also worked as a high school teacher in Los Gatos for three years from 1959. In summer 1959, he made

344-789: A food truck in the San Antonio area, named Tacos Jimenez. Between 1986 and 2015, Jiménez has won six Grammy Awards, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award , plus an additional three nominations. In 1999, Jiménez was awarded the Billboard Latin Music Lifetime Achievement Award . In 2000, Jiménez won a Tejano Music Video of the Year award at the Tejano Music Awards for his song "De Bolon Pin Pon". In 2001, both Flaco and his brother Santiago were included among

387-530: A local band, Country Joe and the Fish , who were active in anti-Vietnam war protests at Berkeley. Strachwitz recorded the band singing " I Feel Like I'm Fixin' To Die ", and gained a share of the song's publishing rights. Eventually, royalties from the song - particularly its appearance in the Woodstock Festival movie and soundtrack album - helped subsidize the Arhoolie label, and enabled Strachwitz to buy

430-577: A solo performer and session musician , as well as a member of the Texas Tornados and Los Super Seven . Over the course of his seven-decade career, he has received numerous awards and honors, including Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Grammys , Americana Music Awards , Tejano Music Awards , and Billboard magazine. Jiménez, who is of Mexican descent, was born in San Antonio , Texas in 1939. He

473-439: A trip to Houston, Texas , intending to visit his hero, Lightnin' Hopkins. Although unable to record Hopkins at the time due to lack of money and equipment, he resolved to return to the area the following year. With the proceeds from trading in 78 rpm records, he bought new recording equipment, set up the Arhoolie label, and in 1960 returned to Texas where, with the assistance of "Mack" McCormick , he recorded Mance Lipscomb for

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516-540: Is believed to be the largest private collection of Mexican-American and Mexican music. He donated this collection, known as the Strachwitz Frontera Collection of Mexican and Mexican-American Music, to the nonprofit organization Arhoolie Foundation. The first norteño album on Arhoolie was Conjuntos Norteños , by Los Pinguinos del Norte , released in 1970, but one of his biggest successes came with Flaco Jiménez , whose album Ay Te Dejo en San Antonio won

559-443: Is descended from a line of musicians, including his father Santiago Jiménez Sr., and his grandfather Patricio Jiménez. He began performing at the age of seven with his father, a pioneer of conjunto music, and began recording at age fifteen as a member of Los Caporales. Jiménez's first instrument was the bajo sexto , but he later adopted the accordion after being influenced by his father and zydeco musician Clifton Chenier . He

602-578: The Pine Leaf Boys , Los Cenzontles , The Klezmorim , Rose Maddox , Rebirth Brass Band , and HowellDevine . In 2014, filmmakers Maureen Gosling and Chris Simon released a documentary film about Arhoolie Records entitled This Ain't No Mouse Music , which is distributed by Argot Pictures. In May 2016, the Smithsonian Institution announced it had acquired Arhoolie Records from founder Chris Strachwitz and his business partner Tom Diamant for

645-571: The Smithsonian Folkways Recordings . In late 2023, the Arhoolie Foundation published the book Down Home Music: The Stories and Photographs of Chris Strachwitz , by Joel Selvin with Chris Strachwitz. According to Selvin, he was a longtime friend and disciple of Strachwitz, and when Strachwitz suggested publishing a book from his huge collection of digitized photographs, Selvin enthusiastically offered to help. They worked on

688-453: The Tejano fusion group Texas Tornados with Augie Meyers , Doug Sahm and Freddy Fender . Starting in 1998, he was a member of Los Super Seven , a supergroup that won a Grammy Award for their eponymous album. Jiménez was one of the featured artists in the 1976 documentary film Chulas Fronteras , directed by Les Blank . He also appeared as a band member in the 2000 movie Picking Up

731-412: The 1970s, Strachwitz continued to record blues musicians, including Big Joe Duskin , Charlie Musselwhite , Big Mama Thornton , Elizabeth Cotten , and Robben Ford , as well as Cajun and zydeco performers such as Clifton Chenier , Lawrence Ardoin and John Delafose . He also continued to secure the rights to release archive blues material such as that by Snooks Eaglin and Robert Pete Williams . In

774-435: The 1980s and 1990s, he continued to develop Arhoolie as a distributor of smaller independent blues labels, and an importer of jazz and blues releases on European labels. Strachwitz also increasingly focused attention on Mexican and, specifically, norteño music, which he had long admired, building up what is believed to be the largest private collection of Mexican-American and Mexican music. The first such album on Arhoolie

817-655: The 1990s, which are now in the process of being digitized. In 2009, the collection was opened to the public at the Chicano Studies Research Center of the University of California, Los Angeles . Strachwitz was a recipient of a 2000 National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts , which is the United States' highest honor in the folk and traditional arts. In February 2016, he

860-569: The Arhoolie label include Black Ace , Juke Boy Bonner , Big Mama Thornton , Big Walter Horton , Lightnin' Hopkins , George 'Bongo Joe' Coleman, Snooks Eaglin , Dave Alexander , Nathan Beauregard , Clifton Chenier , Elizabeth Cotten , Sue Draheim , Jesse Fuller , Earl Hooker , John Jackson , Mance Lipscomb , Guitar Slim , Robert Shaw , Mississippi Fred McDowell , Whistlin' Alex Moore , Charlie Musselwhite , Doctor Ross , Bukka White , Big Joe Williams , Silas Hogan , Mercy Dee Walton , The Campbell Brothers , BeauSoleil , Jerry Hahn ,

903-499: The Flaco Jimenez Signature series of accordions. His brother, Santiago Jiménez Jr. , is also an accomplished accordionist and has recorded extensively. In March 2015, Jiménez suffered a broken hip and two rib fractures from two separate falls. By May of that year, he returned to performing and was one of the acts on closing night of the 34th annual Tejano Conjunto Festival in San Antonio. Jiménez and his wife once owned

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946-705: The Latin Album category at the 14th Annual Independent Music Awards. Additionally in 2015, Jiménez was inducted into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame. In 2017, a photograph of Jiménez taken by Al Rendon in 1987 was added to the National Portrait Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. Images in the Gallery "represent the numerous individuals who have made a significant impact on

989-618: The Pieces , with Woody Allen and Sharon Stone , and was also featured on the film's soundtrack . His music has been featured on the soundtrack for other movies, such as Y Tu Mamá También , El Infierno , The Border , Tin Cup , Chulas Fronteras , and Striptease . He was one of the artists featured in archival footage in the 2013 documentary film This Ain't No Mouse Music about Arhoolie Records and its founder Chris Strachwitz . The Hohner company collaborated with Jiménez to create

1032-466: The book in the last 18 months of Strachwitz's life, and Selvin finished it shortly after Strachwitz's death. Chris Strachwitz Christian Alexander Maria Graf Strachwitz von Groß-Zauche und Camminetz ( / ˈ s t r ɑː k w ɪ t s / ; July 1, 1931 – May 5, 2023) was a German-born American record label executive and record producer. He was the founder and president of Arhoolie Records , which he established in 1960 and which became one of

1075-508: The defunct Swingtime label, and old country and western recordings on his Old Timey label, started in 1962. Strachwitz continued traveling to make field recordings of blues musicians, notably Mississippi Fred McDowell - whom he first recorded in 1964 - Juke Boy Bonner , K. C. Douglas , and Clifton Chenier . From 1965, he also hosted a Sunday afternoon music program on Pacifica Radio 's KPFA -FM in Berkeley, California , which ran until 1995. In 1966, his friend Ed Denson introduced him to

1118-452: The defunct Swingtime label, and old country and western recordings on his Old Timey label, started in 1962. He stopped teaching that year and moved back to Berkeley , to devote himself to developing the record business. He also continued travelling to make field recordings of blues musicians, notably Mississippi Fred McDowell (whom he first recorded in 1964), Juke Boy Bonner , K. C. Douglas , and Clifton Chenier . From 1965, he also hosted

1161-536: The first Arhoolie LP, Texas Sharecropper and Songster . The name "Arhoolie" was suggested by McCormick, deriving from a word for a field holler . Strachwitz also recorded "Black Ace" Turner , "Li'l Son" Jackson and Whistlin' Alex Moore on the same trip, and later in the year recorded Big Joe Williams and Mercy Dee Walton in California. He also began reissuing archive material, both of R&B singers such as Big Joe Turner and Lowell Fulson who had recorded for

1204-459: The first group of recipients of the Texas Medal of Arts in the folk arts category. Jiménez was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 31st Tejano Music Awards ceremony in 2011. In 2012, he received a National Heritage Fellowship awarded by the National Endowment of the Arts , which is the United States government's highest honor in the folk and traditional arts. In 2014, he received

1247-634: The first time. Lipscomb's album, Texas Sharecropper and Songster , became Arhoolie's first release in November 1960, in an edition of 250 copies. The name "Arhoolie" was suggested by McCormick, deriving from a word for a field holler . Strachwitz also recorded "Black Ace" Turner , "Li'l Son" Jackson and Whistlin' Alex Moore on the same trip, and later in the year recorded Big Joe Williams and Mercy Dee Walton in California. Strachwitz also began reissuing archive material, both of R&B singers such as Big Joe Turner and Lowell Fulson who had recorded for

1290-779: The history and culture of the United States". In 2018, the Houston Chronicle listed him as number 19 of the Greatest 50 Texas Musicians of all time. Jiménez received the Top of Texas Award from the Country Music Association of Texas in 2019. Earlier in the same year, he also received the History-Making Texas Award from the Texas State History Museum Foundation. In 2020, Jiménez received

1333-474: The hit country single " Streets of Bakersfield " by Dwight Yoakam and Buck Owens . The song reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in 1988. Jiménez won his first Grammy award in 1986 for his album Ay Te Dejo en San Antonio , whose title song was composed by his father. His third Grammy was for another song written by his father, " Soy de San Luis ", recorded by

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1376-532: The leading labels recording and issuing blues , Cajun , norteño , and other forms of roots music from the United States and elsewhere in the world. Strachwitz despised most commercial music as mouse music. Strachwitz was born in Berlin, Germany . In 1945, under the terms of the Potsdam Agreement after World War II , he and his family were among the millions of German-speaking people forcibly resettled to

1419-657: The movie New Orleans , starring Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong , and began collecting jazz records. He stated in a 2010 interview: The rhythms haunted me.... I'd hear all this stuff on the radio, and it just knocked me over. I thought this was absolutely the most wonderful thing I had ever heard. After graduating from Cate in 1951, he attended Pomona College in Claremont , and started visiting jazz clubs in Los Angeles as well as rhythm and blues shows featuring Lightnin' Hopkins , Howlin' Wolf and others. He began taping

1462-658: The radio broadcasts and live shows of his friend, jazz musician Frank Demond , before enrolling in 1952 at UC Berkeley , where he booked jazz and R&B performers as entertainment at football games. Strachwitz became a United States citizen and was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1954, just after the Korean War , being stationed in Salzburg , Austria, from where he continued to see touring jazz shows. After finishing his service he returned to Berkeley, completing his studies in engineering , mathematics and physics , and then taking

1505-412: The rights to release archive blues material such as that by Snooks Eaglin and Robert Pete Williams . In the 1980s and 1990s, he continued to develop Arhoolie as a distributor of smaller independent blues labels, and an importer of jazz and blues releases on European labels. Strachwitz increasingly focused attention on Mexican and, specifically, norteño music, which he had long admired, amassing what

1548-468: The song—particularly its appearance in the Woodstock Festival movie and soundtrack album —helped subsidize the Arhoolie label, and enabled Strachwitz to buy a building on San Pablo Avenue in El Cerrito, California , as the label's headquarters. Strachwitz also won royalties for Fred McDowell from the Rolling Stones ' performance of his song " You Gotta Move " on their Sticky Fingers album. During

1591-662: The west of the Oder-Neisse line which became the eastern boundary of Germany. The Strachwitz family settled temporarily with relatives in Braunschweig , in the British zone of Allied-occupied Germany , where he first heard swing music played on Armed Forces Radio . In 1947, the family emigrated to the United States, moving first to Reno, Nevada , and then to Santa Barbara, California . Strachwitz attended Cate School in nearby Carpinteria . He became interested in jazz after seeing

1634-527: Was Conjuntos Norteños , by Los Pinguinos del Norte, released in 1970, but one of his biggest successes came with Flaco Jiménez , whose album Ay Te Dejo en San Antonio won a Grammy Award in 1986. With cinematographer Les Blank , he also made two documentaries about the music in the mid 1970s, Chulas Fronteras and Del Mero Corazon . He discovered and released the first two albums of seminal klezmer revival band The Klezmorim . Another of Strachwitz's discoveries, and one of his biggest commercial successes,

1677-469: Was Cajun musician Michael Doucet and his group BeauSoleil . In 2013, Strachwitz saw HowellDevine performing live and signed them to Arhoolie for the two albums that followed. In late 2023, the Arhoolie Foundation published the book Down Home Music: The Stories and Photographs of Chris Strachwitz , by Joel Selvin with Chris Strachwitz. According to Selvin, he was a longtime friend and disciple of Strachwitz, and that when Strachwitz suggested publishing

1720-609: Was a guest musician on the Rolling Stones ' Voodoo Lounge album. These appearances led to greater awareness of his music outside of America. After touring Europe with Cooder he returned to tour in America with his own band, and on a joint bill with Peter Rowan . Jiménez, Rowan and Wally Drogos were the original members of a band called the Free Mexican Airforce. Jiménez appeared on the November 13, 1976 episode of NBC's Saturday Night with Cooder. In 1988, he performed on

1763-475: Was awarded the Grammy Trustees Award by The Recording Academy at the 2016 Grammys in recognition of his contributions in areas of recording other than performance. Flaco Jim%C3%A9nez Leonardo "Flaco" Jiménez (born March 11, 1939) is an American singer, songwriter and accordionist from San Antonio , Texas . He is known for playing Norteño , Tex Mex and Tejano music . Jiménez has been

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1806-642: Was given the nickname "Flaco" (which translates as "Skinny" into English), which was also his father's nickname. Jiménez performed in the San Antonio area for several years and then began working with Doug Sahm in the 1960s. Sahm, better known as the founding member of the Sir Douglas Quintet , played with Jiménez for some time. Jiménez later went to New York City and worked with Dr. John , David Lindley , Peter Rowan , Ry Cooder and Bob Dylan . He appeared on Cooder's world music album Chicken Skin Music and

1849-558: Was inducted as a non-performing member of the Blues Hall of Fame . In 1995 he formed the Arhoolie Foundation "to document, preserve, present and disseminate authentic traditional and regional vernacular music." The Foundation owns the Chris Strachwitz Frontera Collection, comprising about 44,000 commercially issued phonograph records of Mexican-American and Mexican vernacular material, issued between around 1906 and

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