8 FACTS ABOUT KING SUNNY ADE @80
8 FACTS ABOUT KING SUNNY ADE @80
Today, I celebrate a father figure, a lifetime adviser, a perennial mentor and the King of World Beats, King Sunny Ade as he turned 80.
1.0. Born Prince Anthony Sunday “Sunny” Adeniyi Isola Adegeye of Ondo Royal Ancestry.
1.5. He grew up in Osogbo, where he spent his formative and teenage years.
2.0. KSA career has spanned almost sixty years. Starting as a band boy with the Moses Olaiya’s Orchestra in Ibadan.
2.5. The same late Moses Olaiya Adejumo, MON, Baba Sala, the Doyen of Yoruba comedy and one of the pioneers of Yoruba Cinema.
3.0. Sunny was one of the exciting new talents signed on by Chief Bolarinwa Abioro, the owner of TYC records in 1966 for his new label, African Songs.
3.5. He recorded his first single, kagbo Toluwa, the same day with the Ajiwere/Ajisari maestro and Fuji Creator, Dr. Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, Apola King, Idowu Animasaun and another Ajiwere/Ajisari act, Monsuru Akande.
4.0. He taught himself how to play the guitar, but became so proficient that he became known as the Master Guitarist.
4.5. KSA is listed by the Rolling Stone Magazine as one of the greatest 100 guitarists that has ever lived.
5.0. He is a two time nominee for Grammy awards, and was the natural successor to Bob Marley at Island Records.
5.5. His album on Island records E dide, rose to no 2 on the billboard international charts, and was the highest ranked Nigerian album for forty years.
6.0. The instrumental version of his song, E mama bami le iyawo mi lo, was a sound track in the American hit movie, Breathless, starring Richard Gere.
6.5. It was used at the scene where the Richard Gere character was chasing down a bus in order to stop his love interest from leaving him forever at the Bus Terminal.
7.0. KSA was the first act to ply his trade standing up within the Yoruba social circle. Up till that point only highline musicians, who only played at clubs and concerts, did that.
7.5. For almost six decades, spanning three generations , KSA has remained on top of the Juju food chain. His longevity is stuff legends are made of. I have no doubt that God permitting, he would still be on stage, performing, on his 100th birthday.
8.0 Despite being a public figure for the last sixty years, KSA has managed to keep a low key private lifestyle. Expertly separate his KSA alter ego to that of Prince Adegeye.
8.5 The infamous rumor of hm running mad back in the 70s was an ignorant interpretation of a newspaper headline that screamed, fans went crazy for Sunny Ade.
Happy birthday, Isola Ogun
Omo Egin, Baba elesin ni Bariga.
Omo Alhaja, oko Alhaja.
Baba Segun, Baba ibeji.
Amunludun of Lagos, Golden Mercury of Africa
Member of the Federal Republic, King of World Beats.
Many happy returns, Baba Oloye.
Igba odun, odun Kan.
Osi Aare lo so be, Aase gun.
My10kobo.
