Amadou Bagayoko, one half of the Malian musical duo Amadou & Mariam, has died at the age of 70. Known for fusing Malian music with classic rock influences, Bagayoko is survived by Mariam Doumbia, his wife and musical partner, and his three children.
According to Mali’s Minister of Culture, Mamou Daffé, Bagayoko had been battling an undisclosed illness for some time. Daffé revealed on television that the musician passed away in Mali’s capital, Bamako, which doubled as Bagayoko’s birthplace.
Bagayoko was born in 1954 and became blind at 15, the result of a congenital cataract. This led him to study at Mali’s Institute for the Young Blind, where he met Mariam Doumbia in 1976 while playing in the school’s Eclipse Orchestra. The two would eventually marry in the 1980s. Doumbia lost her own eyesight when she was 5 years old, and the duo was often labeled as “the blind couple from Mali.
According to Mali’s Minister of Culture, Mamou Daffé, Bagayoko had been battling an undisclosed illness for some time. Daffé revealed on television that the musician passed away in Mali’s capital, Bamako, which doubled as Bagayoko’s birthplace.
Bagayoko was born in 1954 and became blind at 15, the result of a congenital cataract. This led him to study at Mali’s Institute for the Young Blind, where he met Mariam Doumbia in 1976 while playing in the school’s Eclipse Orchestra. The two would eventually marry in the 1980s. Doumbia lost her own eyesight when she was 5 years old, and the duo was often labeled as “the blind couple from Mali.
- 4/5/2025
- by Jaeden Pinder
- Consequence - Music
Amadou Bagayoko, singer and guitarist in the Grammy-nominated Malian duo Amadou & Mariam, has died at the age of 70.
Mali’s Minister of Culture Mamou Daffé said on state TV that Bagayoko died Friday in the city of Bamako, his birthplace. Bagayoko’s family confirmed the death, adding that he “had been ill for a while,” though no cause of death was provided.
Bagayoko, who became blind at the age of 15 due to a congenital cataract, studied music at Mali’s Institute for the Young Blind, where he met his future wife and band mate,...
Mali’s Minister of Culture Mamou Daffé said on state TV that Bagayoko died Friday in the city of Bamako, his birthplace. Bagayoko’s family confirmed the death, adding that he “had been ill for a while,” though no cause of death was provided.
Bagayoko, who became blind at the age of 15 due to a congenital cataract, studied music at Mali’s Institute for the Young Blind, where he met his future wife and band mate,...
- 4/5/2025
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.