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Excerpt from The Independent

"The legendary African guitarist Ali Farka Toure has died. Toure, who pioneered his distinctive "desert blues" sound on successive albums which won him a global following as well as two Grammy Awards, died in his sleep in his native Mali. He had been suffering from bone cancer and was in his late sixties.

His death robs Mali of one of its most beloved figures. Radio stations suspended programmes to play his music. Mali's Culture Minister, Cheick Oumar Sissoko, said: "Ali was for Mali, for Africa and for the rest of the world a very great musician. A musician who leaves behind him a fabulous heritage. We are receiving phone calls and e-mails from around the world."

allmusic.com Ali Farka Toure overview