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Ali Farka Touré was a renowned Malian guitarist, born in 1939 in Kanau, near Gourma Rharous in the Timbuktu Region of Mali. He gained prominence as the best exponent of Mali blues and was well-known in the West for his collaborations, particularly winning two Grammy awards for his work on "Talking Timbuktu" with Ry Cooder and for his 2005 release "Heart Of The Moon" alongside kora player Toumani Diabaté. In addition to his musical career, Touré served as the mayor of his hometown, Niafunké, located in Northern Mali on the edge of the Sahara. He also played a role as a peacemaker during the Touareg rebellions of the mid-1990s. Touré passed away after a long illness on March 7, 2006, in Bamako, Mali, leaving behind a widow and 11 children.