Nigerian music legend and World Music Artist, King Sunny Ade turns 70 today

The veteran singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, who is one of Africa’s biggest exports to the global music scene, hit the BIG 70 today. Sunny Ade is reputed to have pioneered modern world music and has been classified as one of the most influential musicians of all time.

EARLY DAYS

Born Sunday Adeniyi Adegeye 22 September 1946 in Osogbo, osun state to the family of Pa Samuel Adeniyi Adegeye, who came from a royal family in Ondo town, in Ondo state, thus making him an Omoba (Prince). His mother name is Maria Adegeye, she was a trader while his father was a church organist at Methodist church, Osogbo.

HIS CAREER SOJOURN

He began his musical career when, after dropping out of grammer school, he drifted to Lagos and joined a highlife band. Inspired by the music of I.K. Dairo, he joined the Rhythm Dandies, led by Moses Olaiya (later known as Baba Sala, Nigeria's preeminent funny man and a prolific film maker). He was the one that first taught him how to play guitar. King Sunny was influenced by the legendary Tunde Nightingale (early Juju pioneer extraordinare) and borrowed stylistic elements from Nightingale's 'So wa mbe' style of juju.

In 1966 he formed his own band, the Green Spots. After a long eight years in which they recorded 12 LPs for the Nigeria-Africa Song label, in 1974 he entered into increasingly annoying contract hassles and a public court case. This experience prompted him into forming his own recording company linked to Decca Records. At this time he changed the name of his band to The African Beats.

 Sunny Adé's band changed its name several times, first to African Beats and then to Golden Mercury.

BRANDS OF MUSIC AND FOREIGN TOUR

Jùjú music is his style of music. It is derived from traditional Yoruba percussion; characterised by, among other instruments, the talking drum – an instrument indigenous to his Yoruba roots, the guitar and his peculiar application to jùjú music. Sunny Adé also introduced the pedal steel guitar to Nigerian pop music. He introduced the use of synthesizers, clavinet, vibraphone, tenor guitar into the jùjú music repertoire such as dub and wah-wah guitar licks.

Sunny Adé was received to great acclaim in Europe and North America in 1982 after the release of JUJU MUSIC in 1982 and its accompanying tour was almost unanimously embraced by critics everywhere. Sunny Adé was described in The New York Times' as "one of the world's great band leaders".

RECORD DEALS AND COLLABORATIONS

After the death of Bob Marley, Island Records began looking for another third world artist to put on its contract, while Fela Kuti had just been signed by Arista Records. Producer Martin Meissonnier introduced King Sunny Adé to Chris Blackwell, leading to the release of Juju Music in 1982. Robert Palmer claims to have brought King Sunny Adé to Island's attention, his familiarity being from his life on Malta in the 60s listening to African Radio and Armed Forces Radio. Adé gained a wide following with this album and was soon billed as "the African Bob Marley".

Sunny Adé has said that his refusal to allow Island to meddle with his compositions and over-Europeanise and Americanise his music were the reasons why Island then decided to look elsewhere.

Sunny Adé's brief recordings with Island Records opened the floodgates for other world music artists like Senegalese Youssou N'Dour, Mali's Salif Keita and many others. He has also collaborated with major artists such as Manu Dibango (Wakafrika) and Stevie Wonder (played harmonica in Aura)

ACHIEVEMENTS

*He was appointed a visiting professor of music at the Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife in 2009.

*Also in July 2008, King Sunny Adé was inducted into the Afropop Hall of Fame, at the Brooklyn African Festival in the United States. He dedicated the award to the recently deceased Michael Jackson.

* Sunny Ade has received two Grammy award nominations first in 1983(synchro system) and in 1988 (Odu) thus making him the first African to be nominated twice for a Grammy.

*He was given an award for his outstanding contribution to world music at the International Reggae and World Music Awards held at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York

* In 2015, he launched a radio station, M&C 106.5fm, in his native Ondo state.

FILMOGRAPHY (HOLLYWOOD)

Film	Role	Year
Breathless	King Sunny Adé (Music)	1983
One More Saturday Night	King Sunny Adé (Music)	1986
O.C. and Stiggs	King Sunny Adé (Music & appearance)

DISCOGRAPHY

NO	Title	Record Company	Song writer	Year
1	Yekinni Akande b/w Col. Adéyinka Adébayo	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	1967
2	Ewo Ijamba Motto	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	1967
3	Omo Oba Sijuwade	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	1967
4	Layiwola Folashade	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	1967
5	Qlalekan Salami b/w Challenge Cup '67	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	1968
6	"Mini-Woho"	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	1968
7	Awa Arawa	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	1968
8	An W'oba	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	1968
9	Ally Mekudi	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	1968
10	Col. Benjamin Adékunle	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	1968
11	Alujonu Onigita	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	1968
12	Ibilekeleke	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	1970
13	Eda nreti Eleya	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	1970
14	Oluku	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	1970
15	Egbe Igbimo b/w Sewele	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	1970
16	Mo gbinla mi soko	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	1970
17	Mo gbinla mi soko	African Songs		1970
18	Ibi Ise bari	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	1970
19	Alanu L'Oluwa*	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	1970
20	London Special - London La Wa	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	1970
21	Soyoyo	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	Unknown
22	Ajo jobiile	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	Unknown
23	Igbalaye	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	Unknown
24	Ija Pari	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	Unknown
25	Akanji Adé Fowope	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	Unknown
26	New Sound of Sunny Adé	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	Unknown
27	Olowo (part 1) b/w Olowo (part 2)	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	Unknown
28	Tony Clarke	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	Unknown
29	Awa Arawa	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	Unknown
30	Ibilekeleke	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	Unknown
31	Mo gbinla mi soko	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	Unknown
32	Egbe Awawa	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	Unknown
33	Nkuruma/Nibi Taiye Bayi Si	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	Unknown
34	Sunny Ti De/A Kunle A Tewo Adura	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	Unknown
35	In The Heart of Great Britain/Ile Labo Sinmi Oko/Sehindemi	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	Unknown
36	Ogun (By Popular Request/Chief Bolarinwa Abioro )	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	Unknown
37	Mr. Adénaike (Ololu)/Prince Adésanya	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	Unknown
38	Late Dr. Nkrumah/Sunny Special	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	Unknown
39	Ogun (in full)/ Our New Sound	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	Unknown
40	Late Pa Yohanna Gowon/Asalamu-Alaikun	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	Unknown
41	Sunny Ti De / Kolawole Bockersteth	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	Unknown
42	Afai Bawon Ja/Omo Wumi	African Songs		Unknown
43	Ogidan Ko Ni Se Barber/ Ibanuje Mo Niwon/ Ariya Odun Kewa	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	Unknown
44	Sunny Tide / Oro T'Onlo	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	Unknown
45	Syncro System Movement	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	Unknown
46	E Kilo F'Omo Ode/ Esubiri Ebo Mi	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1974
47	Mo Ti Mo/ Kileni Ase	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1975
48	Late Gen Murtala Mohammed	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1976
49	Live Play	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1976
50	Syncro System	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1977
51	Emi Agbadura	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	1977
52	Sound Vibration/ Kiti-Kiti	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1977
53	Araiye E Dakun	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1978
54	365 Is My Number	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1978
55	FESTAC 77	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1978
56	Isu Joba Lori Iyan	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1978
57	The Royal Sound/Ariya Is Unlimited	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	1979
58	I'm Searching for My Love	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1979
59	Ori Mi Ja Fun Mi	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1970
60	Eje Nlogba	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1980
61	Osupa Mi Tole	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1981
62	The Message/ Ma J'Aiye Oni	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1981
63	Check E/ Ki Isu To Diyan	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1981
64	Ariya Special/ A Gbe Kini Ohun De	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1981
65	Ja Funmi[2]	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1981
66	The Message	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1982
67	Maa Jo	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Ad]	1982
68	Ijinle Odu	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1982
69	Ja Funmi	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1982
70	Live At Montreux	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1982
71	Juju Music	Mango	King Sunny Adé	1982
77	Ajoo	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1983
78	Synchro Feelings	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1983
79	Bobby	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1983
80	Synchro Series	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1983
81	Consience	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1983
82	Ase/ Ogunja	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1983
83	Explosion	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1984
84	Togetherness	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1984
85	Aura	Island Records	King Sunny Adé	1984
86	Ase	Island Records	King Sunny Adé	1984
87	Gratitude	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1985
88	The Truth	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1985
89	Saviour	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1985
90	Sweet Banana	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1986
91	My Dear	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1986
92	Let Them Say	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1986
93	Jealousy	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1987
94	Merciful God	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1987
95	The Return of the Juju King	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1987
96	The Good Shepherd	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1988
97	The Child	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1988
98	Destiny	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1988
99	Live Live Juju	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé & His African Beats	1988
100	Sunny Adé Ti E Nreti	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1989
101	Authority	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1990
102	Get Up	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1990
103	Return Of The Juju King Volume 2	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1990
104	Triumph	Broadway	King Sunny Adé	1992
105	Surprise	Sigma Park	King Sunny Adé	1992
106	Glory	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1993
107	King Sunny Adé & The New African Beats	Hemisphere/IRS	King Sunny Adé	1994
108	The Way Forward	Sigma Park	King Sunny Adé	1994
109	E Dide/Get Up	MESA	King Sunny Adé	1995
110	E Dide/Get Up	Master Disc	King Sunny Adé	1995
111	My Dream	Sigma Disk	King Sunny Adé	1996
112	The Golden Age	Sigma Disk	King Sunny Adé	1997
113	Ogun	Aladdin	King Sunny Adé	1997
114	Odu[3]	Mesa/Atlantic Records	King Sunny Adé	1998
115	His Evergreen Hits	African Songs	King Sunny Adé	1998
116	Fantasia '98 World Tour	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1999
117	Ariya Is Unlimited	Sigma Park	King Sunny Adé	1982
118	Live At The Hollywood Palace	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	1999
119	Kool Samba	Master Disk	King Sunny Adé	1999
120	Seven Degrees North	Sunny Alade	King Sunny Adé	2000
121	Owanbe/ 0805 Is My Number	Fortune Records	King Sunny Adé	2003
122	Juju-Apala Live	Fortune Records	King Sunny Adé	2000
123	Divine Shield	Master DIsk	King Sunny Adé	2004