Conjunto legend and six-time Grammy winner Flaco Jiménez’s 1992 album Partners is now part of the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress.
The National Recording Preservation Board (NRPB) added Partners and 24 other recordings to its collection for 2020. This brings the number of recordings in the registry to 575. NRPB called Jiménez “a champion of traditional conjunto music and Tex-Mex culture who also is known for innovation and collaboration with a variety of artists.”
The bilingual album features other notable musicians like Linda Ronstadt, Ry Cooder, Emmylou Harris and Los Lobos, among others.
According to the NRPB, the songs and album selected are considered “audio treasures worthy of preservation for all time based on their cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in the nation’s recorded sound heritage.” Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden said the Registry received approximately 900 nominations from the public this year.
“The National Recording Registry will preserve our history through these vibrant recordings of music and voices that have reflected our humanity and shaped our culture from the past 143 years,” Hayden said in a statement. “We welcome the public’s input as the Library of Congress and its partners preserve the diverse sounds of history and culture.”
Other recordings joining Partners include the 1938 version of “When the Saints Go Marching In” by Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra, the 1980 song “Celebration” by Kool & the Gang and the 1979 single “The Rainbow Connection” by Kermit the Frog.
Other songs and albums recorded by Latino artists that are in the Registry include the 1974 album Celia & Johnny by Celia Cruz and Johnny Pacheco, Joan Baez’s 1960 self-titled album and Lydia Mendoza’s 1934 song “Mal Hombre.”