Boubacar Traoré

Boubacar Traoré (born 1942 in Kayes, Mali) is a singer, guitarist and songwriter. He appeared in the 1960s. He was a star in Mali and a symbol of the newly independent country. His songs, very popular, sing the advent of independent Mali and its president, Modibo Keita. However, he does not make any recordings, and since there is no copyright paid to the musicians, he remains very poor and has to work to make ends meet. When Modibo Keita was overthrown by Moussa Traoré in 1968, Boubacar Traoré, considered an artist of the previous regime, disappeared waves. His popularity waned until his surprise return to television in 1987, when everyone thought he was dead. After the death of his wife in 1989, he emigrated to France and did construction work to provide for his six children. A British producer discovers a band of his radio recordings in Bamako, looks for him and makes him sign a contract. His debut album, Mariama, was released in 1990. Since then, Traoré has enjoyed international popularity, traveling from Europe to Africa and North America.