Ali Farka Toure

In 2004 Ali Farka Toure became mayor of Niafunke. Something's Wrong (2001) was an album of covers, alternate versions of old songs, demos, and acoustic live performances and was released as an MP3-only album through emusic.com (http://www.emusic.com/). Toure is noted as the mentor to popular Malian musician Afel Bocoum. Viva Wisconsin, a live album, was released in the United States in 1999 on the independent label Beyond, and was followed by Freak Magnet in 2001. He reappeared in 1999 with Niafunke, a more traditional album focusing on African rhythms and beats. Rock!!!!! (1995, Mushroom Records) was released in 1995, in Australia only. 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. Guy Hoffman (formerly of the Oil Tasters and BoDeans) replaced him in time to record New Times (1994, Elektra Records).

As the first African bluesman to achieve widespread popularity on his home continent, Toure is often known as "the African John Lee Hooker". DeLorenzo left the group in 1993 to pursue a solo career. 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. The group came back together in 1989, releasing 3 and then Why Do Birds Sing? (1991). Ritchie also released several solo LPs. The group then disbanded, with Gano releasing an album in 1987, the result of a gospel side project Mercy Seat.

Rex). Their third album, The Blind Leading the Naked, was more mainstream, pop-oriented, resulting in a minor hit with "Children of the Revolution" (originally by T. The following year, the Violent Femmes released Hallowed Ground, which moved the group to a more country music sound. The debut album went platinum ten years after its release.

The group quickly had a small cult following that never burgeoned into widespread popularity, although a few songs from this album did get some fame, the songs being "Add it up", "Blister in the sun", and "Kiss off". The music was an innovative combination of American folk music and indie rock. Gordon Gano (singer/guitarist), Brian Ritchie (bassist), and Victor DeLorenzo (percussionist) founded the group and were discovered by James Honeyman-Scott (of The Pretenders). They signed to Slash Records and released a self-titled album in 1983. The Violent Femmes are a rock and roll band, originally forming in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the early 1980s.