Originally aired on NPR’s 1A on February 6, 2021.

Released in 1992, Partners features Flaco Jiménez’s many collaborations with vocalists and players such as Linda Ronstadt, Ry Cooder, Stephen Stills, Dwight Yoakam, Emmylou Harris, John Hiatt and Los Lobos. The album combines Tejano Conjunto styles with Country and Rock, all centered around Jiménez’s masterful accordion playing and harmony vocals.

On this installment of The Sounds of America, Flaco Jiménez remembers collaborating with his musical “partners” for the album, Ry Cooder looks back on when he and Jiménez first met, Linda Ronstadt remembers singing a duet with Jiménez, and author, musician and educator Juan Tejeda highlights the history of the music and Jiménez’s cultural impact.

In March 2021, Partners was inducted into the National Recording Registry. Every year, the U.S. Library of Congress selects 25 recordings to preserve for all time in the National Recording Registry. These recordings include music, speeches, public events, native languages, historical moments, sporting events… audio that’s important to our American culture and heritage.