King Sunny Ade
African music icon and Juju exponent, King Sunny Ade is a year older today.
The veteran singer and guitarist, who is one of Africa’s biggest exports to the global music scene, hits the BIG 70 today.
A few weeks ago, he spoke to Thenetng on his plans to celebrate saying, ‘I started my birthday celebrations on September 1, 2016 with a special prayer from Pastor Adeboye‘.
Born Sunday Adeniyi Adegeye to a royal family in Ondo on September 22, 1946, KSA left home after his secondary school education and joined Baba Sala‘s Federal High life Dandies who were in his town on tour. He went on to begin a solo musical career with his Juju band and over the years attained global accolades.
Sunny Ade is reputed to have pioneered modern world music and has been classified as one of the most influential musicians of all time.
KSA got signed to Island Records after the death of Bob Marley, with the label intending to make him their next global star but he later left the label because he was not ready to dump his African influenced rhythm.
He has also collaborated with the likes Stevie Wonder, Manu Dibango and many other veteran international acts.
Sunny Ade has received two Grammy award nominations. He is also a successful businessman and in 2015, he launched a radio station in his native Ondo state.
