Ali Farka Toure

In 2004 Ali Farka Toure became mayor of Niafunke. They were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2001. Toure is noted as the mentor to popular Malian musician Afel Bocoum. The group lost favor in the 1970s but various groupings of singers using the name of The Vogues continued to sing into the new century. He reappeared in 1999 with Niafunke, a more traditional album focusing on African rhythms and beats. Also beginning in 1968, they had hits with recordings of three traditional pop music hits from the 1950s, "My Special Angel," "Till," and "No, Not Much". Toure usually sings in one of several African languages, as on his breakthrough album, Ali Farka Toure, which established his reputation in the world music community. 1994's Talking Timbuktu, a collaboration with Ry Cooder, sold promisingly well in western markets, but was followed by a hiatus from releases in America and Europe. As their sound was not in step with the trend in rock & roll, their fortunes dwindled, but in 1968, now signed with Reprise Records, they had another hit, "Turn Around, Look at Me," which reached #7 on the Billboard Charts.

As the first African bluesman to achieve widespread popularity on his home continent, Toure is often known as "the African John Lee Hooker". Two more hits, "Magic Town" and "The Land Of Milk and Honey," did not reach the same heights but still made Billboard's Top 40 in 1966. Ali Farka Toure (born 1939 in Niafunke, Mali) is an African blues singer and guitarist, known throughout the continent as one its most famous performers. Their first hit, "You're The One" (1965) rose to #4 on the Billboard charts and was followed by "Five O'Clock World" which reached the same #4 level. Originally, the group was called "The Val-Airs." After recording one song for Coral Records, "Laurie, My Love," they adopted the name "The Vogues." They soon signed a contract with the small Co & Ce Records label, run by Herb Cohen and Nick Cenci. They consisted of Bill Burkette (lead baritone), Don Miller (baritone), Hugh Geyer (first tenor) and Chuck Blasko (second tenor).

The Vogues were a singing quartet from Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania.