Ali Farka Toure (born 1939 in Niafunke, Mali) is an African blues singer and guitarist, known throughout the continent as one its most famous performers. As the first African bluesman to achieve widespread popularity on his home continent, Toure is often known as "the African John Lee Hooker". Toure usually sings in one of several African languages, as on his breakthrough album, Ali Farka Toure, which established his reputation in the world music community. 1994's Talking Timbuktu, a collaboration with Ry Cooder, sold promisingly well in western markets, but was followed by a hiatus from releases in America and Europe. He reappeared in 1999 with Niafunke, a more traditional album focusing on African rhythms and beats. Toure is noted as the mentor to popular Malian musician Afel Bocoum. 1939 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Africa is the largest of the three great southward projections from the main mass of the Earths surface. ... Blues is a vocal and instrumental musical form which evolved from African American spirituals, shouts, work songs and chants and has its earliest stylistic roots in West Africa. ... The classical guitar typically has 3 nylon and 3 nickel-wound strings. ... Categories: Musician stubs | 1917 births | 2001 deaths | Blues musicians | Blues singers | American guitarists ... The term African languages refers to the approximately 1800 languages spoken in Africa. ... World music is a term that covers all music that is not part of mainstream popular music or classical music and has some kind of ethnic component. ... See also: 1993 in music, other events of 1994, 1995 in music, 1990s in music and the list of years in music Events January 29 - The Supremes Mary Wilson is injured when her jeep hit a freeway median and flipped over just outside of Los Angeles, California. ... Ry Cooder (born March 15, 1947) is a guitarist especially well known for his slide guitar work. ... See also: 1998 in music, other events of 1999, 2000 in music, 1990s in music and the list of years in music Events January 7 - After eight years of marriage, Rod Stewart and supermodel wife Rachel Hunter announce their separation. ... Afel Bocoum (born 1955) is a musician from Mali, noted as a singer and guitarist. ...

In 2004 Ali Farka Toure became mayor of Niafunke.

Discography

• Farka - 1976
• Ali Farka Touré – 1987
• The river - 1990 World Circuit
• The source - 1992 World Circuit
• Talking Timbuktu - 1994 World Circuit
• Radio Mali - 1996 World Circuit
• Niafunké - 1999 World Circuit

External links

• africamusic.org biography (http://africanmusic.org/artists/alifarka.html)
• biography (http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/music/artist/bio/0,,502675,00.html#bio)
• worldmusiccentral.org biography (http://www.worldmusiccentral.org/artists/artist_page.php?id=1093)
• Biographical Notes by Lucy Duran (http://mali-music.com/Cat/CatA/AFT/AFTBioA.htm)