Amadou Bagayoko of music duo Amadou & Mariam dies aged 70

Amadou Bagayoko, guitarist and singer of the Malian music duo Amadou & Mariam has died, aged 70.

His family confirmed his death yesterday (April 4), with his son-in-law Youssouf Fadiga telling Agence-France Presse “he had been ill for a while”.

The duo’s France-based manager, Yannick Tardy, who had spoken to Mariam by phone, said Amadou had been taken to a clinic after feeling fatigued and had died later that day, per the Guardian.

Amadou and his wife, Mariam Doumbia, formed the group Amadou & Marium after meeting in 1976, when Amadou was 21 and Mariam 18, at the Institute for the young blind in the Malian capital, Bamako.

He had lost his eyesight at the age of 16, while Mariam became blind at age five as a consequence of untreated measles. Upon meeting, they discovered that they had similar tastes in music and began touring together in the 1980s.

Their music blended traditional west African instruments such as the kora and balafon with the mainstream rock, soul and pop influences they grew up on, such as Pink Floyd and James Brown.

After producing music and touring for decades, they saw international success with their 2004 album ‘Dimanche à Bamako’ and its title track. With their songs raising awareness of those living with blindness and other disabilities, the duo became one of Africa’s bestselling groups, selling millions of albums across the world.

Dubbed “the blind couple from Mali”, their storied careers saw them play alongside the likes of Damon Albarn and Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour, as well as at Glastonbury Festival and the concert marking Barack Obama’s Nobel Peace prize award.

“There were many musicians, many artists there. And Barack Obama came to meet us,” Amadou said in an interview last year.

“We talked a bit. Barack Obama told us that he liked our music. Malian music, too. We were very, very happy,” Mariam added.

In 2009, they supported Blur during their two reunion gigs in Hyde Park, as well as Coldplay on eight shows of their ‘Viva la Vida Tour’.

The couple were also nominated for a Grammy award in 2010, with their album ‘Welcome To Mali’ up for Best Contemporary World Music Album.

They also composed the official song for the 2006 football World Cup in Germany and just last year played at the closing ceremony concert for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Confirming the musician’s death to AFP, the Malian culture minister, Mamou Daffé, said he felt “dismay” at the loss.

Amadou Bagayoko is survived by three children.

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