# RIP Ali Farka Toure **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 8, 2006, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-ali-farka-toure/347465 "2006-03-08T01:25:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Balduran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Balduran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balduran)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2006, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-ali-farka-toure/347465/1 "2006-03-08T01:25:36Z")
One of the giants of African music has died. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4782176.stm](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4782176.stm) I have been listening to him for years. In fact I was just listening to him this morning for the umpteenth time and I read the sad news. I defy you to sample this album and not want to buy it. A great musician and a great human being. You will be missed. ---
**Author:** ![edwino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@edwino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwino)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2006, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-ali-farka-toure/347465/2 "2006-03-08T01:35:20Z")
Yeah I was more upset this loss than about this than about Dana Reeve (sad story though) or Kirby Puckett (another sad story). He was great, I’m listening to _Niafunke_ in tribute while I study tonight. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2006, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-ali-farka-toure/347465/3 "2006-03-08T01:46:17Z")
Sad news indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2006, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-ali-farka-toure/347465/4 "2006-03-08T02:32:57Z")
My wife and I are truly devastated by this news. We were fortunate to see Toure perform in his homeland (Bamako, Mali), in a hot, crowded hall with folding chairs. It was mesmerizing and energizing and powerful. I’ve been buying and listening to his music for many years, as well, and consider _Talking Timbuctu_ one of the best albums ever produced. Malians are a gentle people for the most part, and Toure’s music was all about patience and treating people well and having joy in your home and family, and having respect for all things. An amazing performer, a major talent and a beautiful human being is gone. A light has truly gone out in the world. ---
**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2006, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-ali-farka-toure/347465/5 "2006-03-08T14:58:44Z")
Very sad. Nothing on my local TV news about this. Thank you for posting. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2006, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-ali-farka-toure/347465/6 "2006-03-08T15:48:15Z")
I was about to post this myself. My first exposure to his music was—like for many other Westerners, i guess—the _Talking Timbuktu_ collaboration with Ry Cooder. But this led me to his other stuff, and i really love his music. RIP. ---
**Author:** ![Ichbin\_Dubist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ichbin\_Dubist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichbin_Dubist)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2006, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-ali-farka-toure/347465/7 "2006-03-08T17:10:06Z")
This is sad news. I loved the guy, too. I bought an LP of his in 1989 just on the basis of the cover – I was just getting into African music and hadn’t heard much acoustic-based stuff. I fell in love with it – I played along with him for hours. I saw him live a few times over the years and he was really one of the greats.