A huge bronze statue of a smiling Franco Luambo Makiadi, a guitar strapped to his burly self, towers above Kinshasa; a fitting tribute to arguably the most significant cultural icons that Africa has ...

In October, the world marked 30 years since the death of Africa’s most famous singer, Franco Luambo Makiadi. That is a coveted position for any living Kenyan artiste. Franco’s fame went beyond his ...

Shakara blogs about the Congolese musician, Franco Luambo: “It’s a known fact that Franco recorded various praise songs for Mobutu, openly supported Mobutu’s presidential campaigns and toured to ...

During his 35 year recording career, the Congolese guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and bandleader Franco released several hundred singles and around 150 albums. Where does the anthologist begin, and ...

The Congolese singer-guitarist-bandleader François Luambo — who performed as “Franco” and was one of the greatest African musicians of the 20th century — has finally got the retrospective he deserves.

Celebrations and commemorations are taking place in the Democratic Republic of Congo and elsewhere on the continent today as people remember the life of Franco Luambo Makiadi. To play this content ...

With presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for the next two months in Congo DR, celebrations marking the 22nd anniversary of the death of rumba maestro Luambo Luanzo Makiadi, alias Franco ...

Zairian jazz guitarist and band leader FRANCO, 51, a leading force in African music who made more than 100 albums, died Thursday. Franco’s real name was Lokanga Ladjo Pene Luambo Makiadi. Franco and ...