African musical giant dies in Mali

Two-time Grammy Award-winning African musical giant Ali Farka Toure of Mali died today after a long illness, Mali’s Culture Ministry announced. He was in his late 60s.

Toure, one of Africa’s most-famous performers, played a traditional Malian stringed instrument called the gurkel, and was best-known overseas for his 1995 collaboration with American guitarist Ry Cooder on Talking Timbuktu, which netted him his first Grammy.

He won again this year in the Traditional World Music Album category for his In the Heart of the Moon album, together with fellow Malian Toumani Diabate.