Ali Farka Toure

One of Africa's best known musicians, Ali Farka Toure, died from cancer yesterday at the age of 65. Ali Farke Toure was known as the "Bluesman of Africa". He combined elements of his native Malian sounds with US Southern Blues. Collaborations with Ry Cooder and John Lee Hooker led to international fame. Farka Toure won two Grammy's, one in 1994 for his album Talking Timbuktu and one in 2006 for In the Heart of the Moon.

Mali has produced a number of internationally acclaimed musicians but few chose to remain in Mali once fame came along. Ali Farka Toure was different. He never left Mali, instead he bought a piece of land in the town of Niafunke near the banks of the Niger River. Niafunke lies in the heart of Mali, close to Timbuktu where Ali was born. He lived on his farm with his large family and spent most of his earnings building sewer systems, planting crops and generally upgrading the lives of those near him.

The BBC reports that when Ali won his first Grammy he said "I don't know what a Grammy means but if someone has something for me, they can come and give it to me here in Niafunke, where I was singing when nobody knew me." I can only imagine the fun they would have had making their way to Niafunke.

More about Ali Farka Toure:

• Ali Farka Toure Profile from World Circuit Records

• Ali Farka Toure Obituary from the BBC

• Ali Farka Toure - RIP from About.com's Alternative Music Guide

• Ali Farka Toure MP3's from emusic.com

• Buy Ali Farka Toure's Albums from Amazon.com