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Kanté Manfila was a renowned Guinean musician, born in 1947 in Farabanah, Republic of Guinea. He was a talented guitarist, vocalist, and composer, best known for his role as the lead guitarist and vocalist for Les Ambassadeurs du Motel, which he joined in 1972 in Bamako, Mali. That same year, he collaborated with Malian singer Salif Keita, who had recently left the Rail Band de Bamako. Manfila and Keita enjoyed a fruitful partnership for many years. In recognition of his significant contributions to the development of Malian music during the 1970s, Manfila was awarded the chevalier de l’ordre national du Mali by Mali’s president in 2005. He passed away on July 20, 2011, in Paris, France.