What's the name of the blind black singer? Famous blind musicians

STEVIE WONDER – A BLIND MIRACLE

In relation, the concept of “genius” is used regularly and as a matter of course.

Just imagine, a person receives up to 90% of all information about the outside world visually. But this does not mean at all that those deprived of such a powerful channel cannot be as developed as others. Legendary is one of those people. He was able to become one of the founders of classic soul and R’n’B, he is constantly included in “lists of the best vocalists of all time” and is deservedly awarded with music awards.

Little Stevie

This is probably what was supposed to happen when a baby born a month premature in 1950 was given an excessive dose of oxygen into the incubation chamber and went blind. The mother of the future genius, Lula Hardaway, unsuccessfully tried to correct the fatal mistake of the medical staff, turned to professors, healers and charlatans, until Stevie did not grow up and convince her that “he is happy being blind.” He called it a gift from God, asked his mother to calm down and not look for her own guilt in what happened.

Steveland Judkins was barely 3 years old when his family, in search of a better life, moved to live in the industrial capital of America - Detroit. He soon became Steveland Morris, and just as suddenly he had five half-siblings.

Life turned out differently. In the worst of times, the whole family would scour the river docks to steal some coal to light the home stove. If they managed to save something, they bought new clothes for the children. And when Stevie celebrated his ninth birthday, his parents gave him a harmonica. Let's add to this a neighbor who left the boy a whole piano, and the association of local entrepreneurs purchased a drum kit for the blind boy.

He mastered these instruments almost perfectly, listening to Ray Charles and Sam Cooke in his own way, and sang on the streets and in the church choir. Jerold White, brother of the famous Ronnie White of The Miracles, decided to pray on Sunday. He was amazed by the voice of a dark-skinned, blind boy of about ten years old. Stevie received an audience in the house of this unremarkable uncle. The child prodigy was liked by his friend, who hired the young talent to work in his studio. Rumors about the blind genius also reached the legendary Barry Gordy.

Hearing a voice Stevie and his performance, Barry was succinct: “This guy is a real miracle.” So Stevland Morris turned into Little Stevie Wonder and at the age of 10 he signed a contract, standard for minor musicians. All his fees were placed in savings accounts in a bank until he reached adulthood.

One stroke of the pen and you are in another world. Farewell, father's house and half-starved childhood! Four months of tour with famous musicians, 94 concerts and only three days off during all this time. There are adults here often gave up, and little Stevie he always looked cheerful and even managed to compose songs on the tour bus, when his older colleagues were snoring peacefully. In general, the child prodigy quickly adapted to a large and friendly family and soon even took on the appearance familiar to everyone, wearing a formal suit and tie.

As I got older, Stevie began to smoke marijuana, but, quickly losing control of his consciousness, switched to more sensual pleasures, which were promoted by rock and roll.

Stevie Wonder is his own producer

The meeting with Martin Luther King changed his entire perception of the white and black world. He became interested in politics, but his employer prepared for him a role other than that of a musical fighter for the rights of the black population. It is no secret that Gordy was an ordinary, prudent businessman and, first of all, saw in his works Wondera excellent product. U Stevie there were other plans, and he immediately openly stated this: “When I turn 21, I’m going to take control of my career.”

History is silent about whether the bosses then took seriously the statement of the young musician, who got rid of the Little nickname back in 1964. As I have promised Stevie, The morning after a grand coming-of-age party, the boss had a letter on his desk from a lawyer informing him that his client was terminating all contracts. Gordy was shocked. Wonder, by the way, too. The lawyer was clearly in a hurry and was immediately fired, but his words remained in force. Stevie received a million dollars due to him under the old contract, while the company earned at least 30 from it.

The first hit album “I Was Made To Love Her” Stevie sets the bar for his career to a new height and takes it with a greater margin a year later, when he decides to produce his own songs in the next album. Here he makes his debut as a clarinetist, and Gordy's Motown company finally understands that Wonder performs his own better than someone else's.

In 1971, everyone expects him to extend the seemingly mutually beneficial relationship, but the miracle Stevie, not finding support for his freedom-loving impulses, takes his hard-earned million and opens two of his own production companies.

Inveterate workaholic Stevie Wonder

Now his thoughts are directed to the future of soul music, and he is looking for the technical embodiment of those not entirely clear ideas which are spinning in his head. In their implementation Wonder two from New York are helping - Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margoodeff. Because the Stevie dealt with many musical instruments, he really liked the idea of ​​combining them all in one. But he did not believe that this was possible, and asked to demonstrate to him the operation of the synthesizer. After the last chord Wonder called this instrument a miracle of technology and bitterly admitted that he would never cope with such a huge number of keys and switches at the same time.

But curiosity got the better of him, and with the help of New Yorkers Stevie again he was one of the first where the hands of a black man practically did not touch. He didn’t spare a quarter of a million to buy studio time, worked like an ant, slept four hours a day, and a year later he had 35 fully completed compositions in his arsenal and 200 more started!

And Gordy again

I would like to note that the next four works marked perhaps the most fruitful and apotheotic moment in his career.

“legitimized” the use of synthesizers in “black” music and, most importantly, humanized synthetic sounds, making them express emotions no worse than a guitar or saxophone. Wonder In 1972 opens concerts for the Rolling Stones, who are at the zenith of their fame, and this greatly helps him on his way to a white audience and European recognition. Wonder His next album, Innervisions, is also meticulous and detail-oriented. By the way, during his recording

got into a terrible car accident, after which he could not be brought out of a coma for four days, and multiple scars remained on his head after the operation. It was for this album that he received three Grammy awards, and its popularity has only grown over the years. Wonder All these years without Motown Stevie conducted secret negotiations with many record companies in America, and in 1976 his old friend Gordy no longer tempted fate and waited for the genius to be taken away from under his nose. Stevie signed an unprecedented 7-year contract for $13 million at that time. This message shocked America, but Gordy immediately stated that working with

is definitely worth the huge money.

Now a few words about personal life Stevie. As we have already said, a terrible illness never interfered Wonder on the love front. He married at a very young age by American standards. In 1970 Stevie married a colleague at the company, the talented singer and poetess Sairita Wright. Everything was fine, except for two seemingly insignificant problems: a decent chastity belt and her quite reasonable super-jealousy. In general, one day Sairita caught Stevie, slammed the door and filed for divorce. They maintained friendly relations, and he never married again, although he had children with his girlfriend Yolanda Simmone.

with wife Sairita Wright

P.S. began to devote more time to charitable projects, the campaign against the spread of AIDS (which no one among blacks was doing at that time), writing and producing for others: Eurithmics. It is not surprising that he spent eight whole years recording the new album.

After a 20-year break, he continued his active musical activity in 2007 with a tour of America. Throughout his long career, he consistently left behind musical works that defined an era.

DATA

From 1962 to 2005, the musician recorded 30 albums. During his career, he received a Grammy Award 26 times.

became one of the musicians who actually defined the popular styles of “black” music - rap, rhythm and blues, funk and soul of the late twentieth century. Wondera Name

immortalized in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1989) and the Composers Hall of Fame (1983). He is also an award winner. Known not only as a musician, but also as a political activist and defender of the rights of African Americans. He was, for example, a participant in the 1980 campaign, Wonder advocating for Martin Luther King's birthday to become a national holiday in the United States. On this occasion

recorded the song “Happy Birthday” in support of the holiday. Wondera One of the most popular compositions, “I Just Called to Say I Love You,” became the soundtrack to the film “The Woman in Red” and won an Oscar and a Golden Globe as the best song for the film.

dedicated this award to Nelson Mandela (famous human rights activist and political figure in South Africa). Mandela was in prison at the time, and the South African authorities responded to the statement His songs were banned in the country.

“The Eighth Wonder of the World”—that’s what famous producer Clarence Paul called the ten-year-old black boy after his first audition. At the age of 12, the young musician was recognized as a genius. But a few years earlier, the parents of little Stivland Hardaway Judkins did not even let him out of the house, fearing that the blind boy would not be able to fend for himself. Steve could not agree with the sentence of spending his entire life locked up.

Stevie Wonder, a legendary musician, was born in May 1950 in Michigan, USA. The boy was born premature, very tiny, with huge dark eyes. Many years later, it turns out that in those first days of the baby’s life, a fatal medical error was made, which led to complete blindness. At that time, doctors were confident that they were doing everything to treat a typical disease of premature babies - retinopathy. Retinopathy is a non-inflammatory lesion of the retina of the eyeball, which leads to a disorder of the blood supply to the retina. The cause of the disorder is underdevelopment of blood vessels. Fifty years ago, doctors knew only one way to combat retinopathy - supplying oxygen to the baby's incubator. Stevie also received this treatment, but a large dose of oxygen only worsened the process of developing blindness. Today, the negative impact of this treatment method has already been proven. Newborn Stevie didn't stand a chance.

Stevie spent his entire early childhood at home. The baby's mother did not want him to even just play with other children, because they could offend her blind boy. At the age of 4, Stevie’s parents separated, the boy remained with his mother, who intensively began raising her son. She taught him to read using not only Braille, but also a regular children's primer. Stevie's fingers had such increased sensitivity that he could easily distinguish the outlines of letters even in ordinary printing ink. Stevie's toys were musical instruments that his mother brought him so that he would not get bored while locked up. The harmonica and drum replaced the boy's soccer ball and tag. But the piano turned out to be the kid’s real passion. According to Wonder, as a child it was the combination of tactile sensations and sound production that aroused his interest. The child’s idol was the black musician Ray Charles, whose blindness did not prevent him from receiving 17 Grammys and getting into the halls of fame of rock and roll, jazz, country and blues. Stevie chose his path and started it in the local church choir.

Fame came to Stevie very early and very unexpectedly. The young talent was quickly noticed; Stevie was invited to audition for the producer of the then popular group “The Miracles”. The eleven-year-old blind musician impressed the producer so much that he immediately signed him to the first contract in the boy’s life. “Stevie is the eighth wonder of the world!” - said the enthusiastic producer. This pseudonym remained with the boy for the rest of his life: Stevie the Miracle, Stevie Wonder.

Stevie was barely 11 years old when his first record was released. She did not gain much popularity. But 2 years later, Stevie’s name thundered throughout the country - the song “Fingertips”, where Stevie acted as a vocalist and performer on bongos and harmonica, became a hit on the American charts. A blind black boy was recognized as a genius. You could forget about life locked up in your parents' house.

An amazing singing range of four octaves, a complex vocal technique, mastery of the piano, harmonica, drums, all types of keyboards and clarinet - it seemed that Stevie Wonder had absorbed a dozen musical geniuses at once. But the young musician was no longer going to stop there. He wanted people to simply forget about his physical disability; no one should even think about his blindness. In 1964, Stevie made his film debut: Wonder played himself in the film. Less than six months later he is back on the screens.

Stevie is no longer a little boy, he no longer has to be afraid that someone will hurt him. The matured “miracle” begins to work as a composer in a record company, he writes songs for his colleagues, and at the same time works on his own album of soul-jazz compositions. Soul singer, composer, arranger, drummer, pianist - by the age of 20, Stevie Wonder is already firmly on his own two feet, he “sees” his path and follows it.

Personal life is also going well. Steve marries songwriter Sairita Wright. A creative tandem becomes a family. The young wife helps Wonder produce his next album, which is destined to become a cult, conceptual album, opening a new page in the work of the miracle singer. For the first time, the singer became a full-fledged producer of his own album - he himself acted as a composer and arranger. Today, years later, this album is considered a classic of soul music. On his 21st birthday, Stevie Wonder received his first million dollars, according to his contract.

In the small American town of Saginaw in the state of Michigan, on May 13, 1950, a boy was born into a poor family, who was destined for difficult trials and great glory. Steveland Judkins was born premature. As a result of supplying a large dose of oxygen into the incubator, the baby suffered damage to the retina of the eyes, which led to irreversible loss of visual functions.

Stevie Wonder's childhood and family

Lula Mae Judkins, Stevie Wonder's mother, worked hard to restore his sight. When she realized that official medicine would not help, she began to take the child to healers. But the grown-up Steve convinced her that blindness was not an obstacle to fulfilling his dreams and he was quite happy.

Lula Mae Judkins had to work a lot; there was no hope for her husband. But she always found time to communicate with Steve. The boy spent time at home. Lula was afraid that children might offend him on the street and tried to shield him from all troubles. She taught her son to read and do without outside help.

When the boy was four years old, Lula Judkins divorced her husband and moved to Detroit. There she married a second time. The child has a new dad, half-brothers, a sister and a last name – Morris. Lula insisted that Stivled attend a regular school. Thanks to his sharp reactions and good hearing, the boy led a full life. He had many friends with whom he sang in the church choir, played basketball and even went to the movies. By noise and sounds, Steve determined what was happening on the screen. He also loved listening to soul music by Ray Charles and Sam Cooke on the radio and tapping out the rhythm on pots. The family lived poorly; there was not enough money even for clothes.

There was no talk of buying musical instruments or learning. The boy had only a harmonica, which he played on the street. All residents of the surrounding houses gathered to watch the performances of the restless and talented boy. But Steve was lucky. A neighbor left him a piano, and the association of local entrepreneurs, seeing the child’s talent, donated a drum set. Steve attracted more and more people to his yard concerts, and luck smiled at him again. Brian Holland was looking for young talent in Detroit. He appreciated the genius abilities of a ten-year-old boy. After an audition at Motown Records, Steve was signed to a contract. Producer Clarence Paul was amazed by the young singer's amazing voice. With his input, Stivland Morris became Stevie Wonder. Wonder is translated from English - amazing, miracle.

Stevie Wonder's first songs and albums

Stevie got money and a lot of good instruments: piano, drums, banjo, guitar. Touring and recording took a lot

time, but the producer insisted that the singer study at an elite boarding school for blind children. At age 11, Wonder recorded his first single, “I Call It Pretty Music, But the Old People Call It the Blues.” A year later, two albums with instrumental compositions were released. These records did not create much of a sensation. But in 1963, the single Fingertips became a hit. For some time, Steve had to put his career on hold due to a voice mutation. During this period he took a course in classical piano.

In 1964, the musical about teenagers “Muscles on the Beach” was released, where Stevie played himself. Six months later, he starred in the sequel “Bikini Beach.” The films feature songs performed by Wonder.

In the mid-60s, he released several hits and tried himself as a composer. The song Tears of a Clown performed by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles became a hit.

A handsome young man, he was popular with girls. He often fell in love.

Started getting involved in drugs. But this did not distract him from creativity. Thanks to romantic feelings, the tender songs Angie Girl and My Cherie Amour appeared.

The work and talent were appreciated. Stevie received his first Grammy award in 1970 for his soul album Signed, Sealed And Delivered.

Stevie Wonder's career-changing greatest hits

Meeting Martin Luther King changed his worldview. Wonder took part in events for the civil rights of the black population and became interested in politics.

During this period, he had many of his own ideas that could not be implemented at Motown Records.

In 1971, the singer refused to continue the contract, took the money and opened his own companies Taurus Production and Black Bull Publishing.

Many were surprised at his performance. He produced and wrote music, mastered the synthesizer, and worked with different styles. Released in late 1972, Talking Book was a huge success. Thanks to the ballad You Are the Sunshine of My Life, he became a three-time Grammy winner. The album Innervisions, released the following year, won three more awards.

In 1972, the musician performed at a concert with the Rolling Stones and received European recognition.

In 1976, he again signed a contract with Motown for a huge sum of $13 million at that time. His albums became deeper and topped the charts, but appeared less frequently.

In 1998, the musician's talent was recognized in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in New York.

The last album, A Time to Love, was released in 2005.

In 2008, Wonder's European tour took place.

At the Glastonbury Festival in Great Britain in 2010, he performed twenty songs, which were listened to by 140 thousand people.

Stevie Wonder currently

Stevie has retained the strength and incredible range of his voice; just as in his youth, he is a virtuoso with musical instruments and turns a song into a theatrical show. Now the singer takes part in charitable activities and music festivals, was awarded the honorary title of “UN Messenger of Peace”, and was awarded an award from the American National Museum of Civil Liberties for his contribution to the fight for human rights. Wonder has been awarded the prestigious Grammy Award 25 times. He is one of the ten most popular performers on the Billboard charts, including Elvis Presley, Beatles, Whitney Houston, Madonna.

Personal life of Stevie Wonder

Women liked Stevie. He had many novels. He married singer Sairita Wright for the first time at the age of 20. The marriage did not last long, but the couple remained friends. Wonder produced his ex-wife's albums.

He was in a long-term relationship with Yolanda Simmons, but never married. Yolanda gave birth to two children. The tender and lyrical song Isn't She Lovely is dedicated to her daughter Aisha.

In adulthood, the musician married Karen Millard. Two children were born to this union.

But even before the official divorce, Stevie met model Tomika Robin Bracey. The couple has a son and a daughter, who was born in 2014. The musician has nine children in total.

All his life, Wonder was faithful to one woman - his mother Lula Mae Judkins. He understood perfectly well that she was the only one who did not give up on the blind child, developed his hearing and reaction, became his eyes, encouraged his passion for music and supported him until his last days. Lula died in 2006. In memory of her, the musician organized a tour of America and donated profits from the concerts to charitable foundations.

Stevie Wonder (born Stevie Wonder; real name Stevland Hardaway Morris; May 13, 1950, Saginaw, Michigan) is an American soul singer, a living legend of the world pop industry, composer, pianist, drummer, harper, music producer and public figure who has huge influence on the development of music of the 20th century, suffering from blindness. 25-time Grammy Award winner. One of the founders of classic soul and R’n’B. Stevie is one of the most famous vocalists in the world, constantly being included in "lists of the best vocalists of all time." Having gone blind shortly after birth, he signed his first recording contract with Motown Records at the age of eleven and continues to perform and record with Motown Records to this day. Stevie Wonder is a multi-instrumentalist musician: he has a vocal range of four octaves and an incredibly complex vocal technique, he is a virtuoso at the piano and all types of synthesizers, a drum kit, a clarinet, and a harmonica. Stevie achieved outstanding success in the musical field while being blind. Along with Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder is the most famous and popular blind musician in the world. Some of Stevie Wonder's most famous songs: "My Cherie Amour", "For Once in My Life", "Pastime Paradise", "Superstition", "Living For The City", "Skeletons", "All In Love Is Fair", " Sir Duke", "I Wish", "Isn't She Lovely".

In Russia, the song “I Just Called to Say I Love You” is most famous. The most famous albums of the “classical period”: Characters, Innervisions and Songs in the Key of Life. Wonder has scored more than thirty top ten hits in the United States, written more than 2,000 songs, and received a record 25 Grammy Awards, recognizing excellence in recording. He is also known for his work as a political activist, including his 1980 campaign to make Martin Luther King's birthday a national holiday in the United States. On this occasion, Wonder, who by that time was already a well-known defender of the rights of African Americans, recorded the song “Happy Birthday,” entirely dedicated to the campaign in support of the holiday. In 2009, Stevie Wonder was announced as a UN envoy. In 2008, Billboard magazine published its list of the "100 Best Artists of All Time", in which Wonder was ranked fifth.

Stevie Wonder is called one of the greatest musicians of our time:

1. Won a Grammy Award 25 times
2. Became one of the musicians who actually defined the popular styles of “black” music - rhythm and blues and soul of the mid-20th century,
3. Wonder’s name is immortalized in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1989) and the Composers Hall of Fame (1983),
4. Gershwin Prize winner.

During his career, he recorded more than 30 albums. The latest studio album, “A Time to Love,” was released in 2005. The album debuted straight away at number five on the American pop chart. It received a lot of positive reviews from critics, a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal (“From The Bottom Of My Heart”) and sold 169 thousand copies in the summer of 2007 (according to Nielsen SoundScan). Stevie Wonder's last official live album was released in 2008, a recording from a London concert at the O2 Arena. The album contains 27 tracks, mainly songs by Wonder himself, there is also one composition by Miles Davis (“All Blues”), one Chick Corea (“Spain”) and a medley on themes from songs by The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.

17.11.2014

Famous blind musicians

On November 13, all civilized countries celebrated the Day of the Blind.

This day was not chosen by chance - on November 13, 1745, Valentin Gayuy, the founder of educational institutions and enterprises for blind people, was born. It was he who first demonstrated his method of teaching the blind, through the font he invented.

History knows many examples when blind people, despite their condition, become not only talented musicians, but also achieve worldwide fame and veneration. This confirms the fact that nothing is impossible for a person if he puts his soul into what he does! Today we’ll talk about some of these remarkable people in every sense.

RAY CHARLES

The American musician, one of the most famous performers of soul, jazz and R'n'B Ray Charles, can truly be called a legend. But the story of this great artist is connected with a tragedy that happened to him at an early age. At the age of five, Charles witnessed a terrible incident - his younger brother drowned before his eyes, and Ray could not help him. After the stress he suffered, the boy began to have vision problems, and at the age of seven, Ray Charles became completely blind. But this did not become an obstacle to the development of the talent of the future musician and his emergence as a real genius of show business.

Ray’s passion for music manifested itself at the age of three; this was facilitated by the owner of the pharmacy located next to Charles’s house, who constantly played the piano. And at a school for the deaf and blind, where he learned to play several musical instruments - piano, organ, saxophone, trombone and clarinet, Charles further developed his talents. Thus began the blind musician’s rapid movement to the heights of boundless fame. During his creative life, Ray Charles was awarded 17 Grammy Awards, was inducted into the Rock and Roll, Jazz, Country and Blues Halls of Fame, the Georgia Hall of Fame, and his recordings were included in the Library of Congress.

ART TATUM

This American jazz pianist and composer became famous for his phenomenal playing technique using scales and arpeggios that span the entire keyboard at once.

Arthur was born blind, but after a series of operations, doctors managed to restore vision in one eye - the musician began to partially distinguish the contours of objects. At the age of thirteen, Tatum began playing the violin and piano, and subsequently, without receiving a professional education, he participates in music radio programs and performs in clubs.

In 1932, the musician moved to New York, where he began working at the Onyx club, attracting the attention of visitors with his unusual style of playing. Tatum later becomes the leader of the Chicago orchestra, but a year later he returns to New York, where he assembles his own musical group. During his creative life, the musician had the opportunity to collaborate with such musical celebrities as Coleman Hawkins, Barney Bigard, Mildred Bailey, and he also recorded a duet with Big Joe Turner. Art Tatum made a huge contribution to the development of jazz pianism.

STEVIE WONDER

American soul singer, composer, pianist and drummer, a man who had a huge influence on the development of music of the twentieth century. In addition, Wonder is a 25-time Grammy Award winner.

Stevie was born prematurely, so doctors were forced to place him in an incubator. One day, too much oxygen was supplied there, which led to blurred vision and ultimately blindness. Since childhood, Wonder has been passionate about music. To prevent the child from getting bored, the mother brought home various musical instruments. Soon the boy began singing in the church choir. And it is not at all surprising that his main idol was Ray Charles, a musician who was also blind.

Stevie Wonder recorded his first real hit at the age of thirteen. A year later, the boy makes his debut in the film “Muscle Beach Party”, in which he plays himself. When Wonder turned 21, his contract with the music label ended. All barriers to creativity disappeared, and he was finally able to begin recording his first concept album.

During his career, Stevie Wonder recorded more than twenty studio albums, becoming the second pop musician in terms of the number of Grammy awards received, surpassed only by Quincy Jones. Stevie has been inducted into the Songwriting and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In addition, the musician is a United Nations Messenger of Peace.

ANDREA BOCELLI

Famous Italian performer of classical and pop music, as well as an artist who spreads opera music on a wide stage. Since childhood, the singer had vision problems, and even surgical intervention by doctors did not help the boy. And when he was twelve years old, a ball that hit Andrea in the head while playing football led to a tragic ending - the boy became completely blind.

From a young age, Andrea Bocelli dreamed of becoming a great tenor. He participated in all sorts of vocal competitions for teenagers and even became a soloist in the school choir. After graduating from university (the maestro is a certified lawyer), he meets the famous Italian opera singer Franco Corelli, who begins serious vocal training for the young man.

In 1992, Andrea met one of the most outstanding opera singers of the twentieth century, Luciano Pavarotti, which was a key event in the musical career of the great tenor. Pavarotti recognized true talent in Bocelli and invited him to perform in his concert program. A little later, Andrea Bocelli was honored to perform before the Pope. To date, Andrea Bocelli has recorded 15 studio albums, was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and the maestro is also a Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.

AMADOU & MARIAM

The musical husband-and-wife duo from Mali, consisting of vocalist and guitarist Amadou Bagayoko and his wife, lead singer Mariam Doumbia, are an unusual family in every sense. Both artists had vision problems, which subsequently led to blindness, which does not prevent them from making music.

The couple began performing together in 1980. For five years they toured their native country, and in 1985 they gave concerts outside of it for the first time - in Burkina Faso. World success came to the duo in 2004 after recording a joint album with the famous French musician Manu Chao, which took second position in the French hit parade. Last year, Amadou & Mariam released their seventh album, the recording of which featured guitarist of the popular American indie band Yeah Yeah Yeahs Nick Zinner, singer and producer from Philadelphia Santigold, as well as New York indie rockers from the group TV on the Radio.