Amadou Bagayoko and Mariam Doumbia both grew up in Mali, then under colonial rule and known as the French Sudan, prior to its independence in 1959. While Mariam grew up in the capital Bamako, Amadou was raised 500 miles away, in the region of Mopti.
By the age of six Mariam had gone blind, a disadvantage that did not prevent her from becoming famous in her community as a singer at weddings and other traditional ceremonies. Amadou also lost his eyesight in childhood but was fascinated by music, first playing percussion and then taking up the guitar.They met in 1977 while attending the Institute for Young Blind in Bamako (where to this day they play an annual benefit concert).
Influenced by the records of Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd as well as traditional African music, Amadou attended blind school by day but by night played guitar in the Ambassadeurs du Motel de Bamako, one of West Africa’s most legendary bands. He also began working in the institute's own band with Mariam, who cites her influences as including James Brown, Eric Clapton and Pink Floyd alongside the great traditional female djelis of Malian song.
Defying the advice of the school authorities who felt their union could never work, they became a couple, both romantically and musically. . .
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