New Delhi (AP) — Zakir Hussain, one of India’s most accomplished classical musicians who defied genres and introduced tabla to global audiences, died on Sunday. The Indian classical music icon died from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung disease, at a hospital in San Francisco, his family said in a statement. Hussain was the most recognizable exponent of tabla, a pair of hand drums that is the main percussion instrument in Indian classical music. A child prodigy, he began performing alongside India’s classical music legends during his teens. Hussain’s “Shakti” won Best Global Music Album, and his collaboration with Edgar Meyer, Béla Fleck and flutist Rakesh Chaurasia won Best Global Music Performance and Best Contemporary Instrumental Album.

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Persons: — Zakir Hussain, “, Hussain, George Harrison, Charles Lloyd, Mickey Hart, Yo, Ma, Zakir Hussain, Ed Perlstein, Ustad Alla Rakha, John McLaughlin, Hussain’s, Shakti ”, Edgar Meyer, Béla Fleck, Rakesh Chaurasia, India’s Locations: Delhi, San Francisco, Veneta , Oregon, Mumbai, India