Touré, one of world music's giants, was best-known for his 1995 collaboration with American guitarist Ry Cooder, Talking Timbuktu, which won him his first Grammy. He won again this year in the world music category for In the Heart of the Moon, performed with fellow Malian Toumani Diabate.

Touré was born in 1939 in the village of Kanau, near the northern Sahara desert trading post of Timbuktu. He learnt to play the djerkel, a traditional African instrument, at an early age, and later took up the guitar, becoming arguably one of the finest guitarists the continent has produced. Though he was championed by Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton, Touré became frustrated with being referred to as the "African John Lee Hooker".

Sunday Times' critic David Hutcheon, who interviewed Touré on three occasions, said of his music: "Although he would argue strongly that 'the blues' did not exist in Mali, that the music he played belonged to a different culture, Touré was rock music's strongest and most obvious link to its African roots before the transatlantic slave trade. Listen to John Lee Hooker, listen to Hendrix, Led Zeppelin or Jack White and the debt owed to the desert that Touré called home becomes obvious."

Despite winning worldwide acclaim as a musician, Touré saw his main role in life as that of a farmer and dedicated himself to better the agricultural and social situation in Niafunké, his home village in the semi-desert region in northern Mali, and was officially recognised when he was appointed mayor of the region in 2004.

Touré was known for speaking his mind. In the summer of 2005 he sparked controversy by refusing to perform at Live8, declaring Bob Geldof's last-minute decision to invite leading African artists was an insult. Today, radio stations across Touré's native Mali suspended regular play, sending his signature sounds out over airwaves instead.

World Circuit, Touré's record label, said in an announcement that, "Ali Farka Touré was a true original. An exceptional guitarist, he transposed the traditional music of his native north Mali and single-handedly brought the style known as desert blues to an international audience. He was a giant of African music and will be missed by fans throughout the world."

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