King Sunny Adé facts for kids

Quick facts for kids King Sunny Adé
Background information
Birth name	Sunday Adeniyi Adegeye
Born	(1946-09-22) 22 September 1946 (age 78) Ondo, Southern Region, British Nigeria (now Ondo, Ondo State, Nigeria)
Genres	Jùjú, African pop
Occupation(s)	Singer, musician
Years active	1960s–present
Labels	Island Records, Sunny Alade, I.R.S., Provogue, African Songs, Sigma Park, Master Disk

King Sunny Adé is a famous Nigerian singer, songwriter, and musician. His real name is Sunday Adeniyi Adegeye. He was born on September 22, 1946. He is known for his unique style of jùjú and African pop.

Many people see King Sunny Adé as one of the first African pop musicians to become famous around the world. He is also considered one of the most important musicians of all time.

He started his band, later called the African Beats, in 1967. After becoming very popular in Nigeria in the 1970s, he signed with Island Records in 1982. This helped him gain international fame with his albums Juju Music (1982) and Synchro System (1983). Synchro System even earned him a Grammy nomination, which was a first for a Nigerian artist! His 1998 album Odu also received a Grammy nomination.

Early Life

King Sunny Adé was born in Osogbo, Nigeria. He comes from a royal family in Ondo and Akure. This means he is an Omoba, a prince, of the Yoruba people.

His father played the organ in church. His mother, Maria Adegeye, was a trader. His mother's family included Oba Adesida I, who ruled Akure for 60 years.

Music Career

Sunny Adé left school in Ondo City to pursue his dream of music. He moved to Lagos, where his amazing music journey began.

His music style has changed and grown over the years. He started with a highlife band called Moses Olaiya's Federal Rhythm Dandies. In 1967, he formed his own band, The Green Spots. Later, his band changed names several times, becoming the African Beats and then Golden Mercury.

King Sunny Adé was inspired by another jùjú pioneer, Tunde Nightingale. He learned some of his musical ideas from Nightingale's "So wa mbe" style.

He also created the King Sunny Ade Foundation. This organization helps young musicians and includes a performing arts center and a modern recording studio. He is a visiting lecturer at Obafemi Awolowo University and has received the Order of the Federal Republic. He was the first Nigerian to be nominated for a Grammy Award.

Stage Performances

After being very successful in Nigeria for over ten years, Sunny Adé became famous in Europe and North America in 1982. His album Juju Music was released worldwide, and his tour was loved by critics.

The New York Times called him "one of the world's great band leaders." His live shows were known for amazing musicianship, especially his guitar skills and energetic dancing. His concerts were also usually much longer than typical shows.

His next album, Synchro System (1983), was also a big hit. It earned him his first Grammy Award nomination. This made him the first Nigerian ever to be nominated for a Grammy.

In 2017, King Sunny Adé announced he would perform in London with his fellow artist Ebenezer Obey. He was also named an ambassador for the "Change Begins With Me" campaign by the Nigerian Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed.

A Fusion of Sounds

Sunny Adé's music uses many instruments. One important instrument is the talking drum, which comes from his Yoruba culture. He also uses the guitar in a special way in his jùjú music.

His songs often include poetic lyrics (called ewi in Yoruba). He also performs praise singing for important people. His music helps keep the oral traditions of his people alive for future generations.

King Sunny Adé brought new instruments to Nigerian pop music, like the pedal steel guitar. He also started using synthesizers, clarinets, vibraphones, and tenor guitars in jùjú music. He said he used these instruments because traditional jùjú instruments were hard to find or difficult to take on tour. For example, the pedal steel guitar sounded similar to an African violin.

His band created a special sound that they often use as an entrance song during live shows. This sound is made with many electric guitars that act like a percussion section, and talking drums that sound like a "gossipy Greek chorus."

Island Records

After the death of Bob Marley, Island Records looked for another international artist. King Sunny Adé was introduced to Chris Blackwell, which led to the release of Juju Music in 1982. This album helped Sunny Adé gain many fans, and he was even called "the African Bob Marley."

King Sunny Adé later left Island Records after releasing Synchro System (1983) and Aura (1984).

Collaborations

Sunny Adé has worked with many famous artists. These include Manu Dibango on the album Wakafrika and Stevie Wonder, who played harmonica on Aura. He has also collaborated with younger Nigerian artists like Wasiu Alabi Pasuma.

His time recording with Island Records helped open the door for other "world music" artists. These include Youssou N'Dour from Senegal and Salif Keita from Mali.

Later Career

1987 Comeback

In 1987, Sunny Adé became famous internationally again. This happened when Rykodisc released a live concert recording he did in Seattle.

He then signed another record deal for three albums with the Mesa record label in America. One of these albums was Odu (1988). This album was a collection of traditional Yoruba songs. It earned him his second Grammy Award nomination, making him the first African to be nominated twice for a Grammy.

Besides being a global musician, Sunny Adé is also very important in Nigeria. He runs several businesses and created a non-profit organization called the King Sunny Adé Foundation. He also works with the Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria.

Even with the rise of hip-hop in Nigeria, Sunny Adé's music continues to inspire many other Nigerian musicians. These musicians admire the "big band" style that Sunny Adé and the late Fela Kuti were known for. The musician Lagbaja is one of those inspired by Sunny Adé's music. In 2008, he received an award for his amazing contribution to world music at the International Reggae and World Music Awards in New York.

2009 Comeback

In 2009, King Sunny Adé, also known as "The Chairman" in Nigeria, started another tour in the United States and Canada. He was also appointed a visiting professor of music at the Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife. In July of that year, King Sunny Adé was added to the Afropop Hall of Fame in the United States. He dedicated this award to Michael Jackson.

Acting Career

In the 1980s, Sunny Adé worked in Hollywood. His music was featured in the 1983 film Breathless, starring Richard Gere. It was also in the 1986 comedy One More Saturday Night. He even acted in Robert Altman's 1987 comedy O.C. and Stiggs. In the early 2000s, he appeared in a few Nollywood movies.

Awards and Recognition

Sunny Adé has received many awards throughout his career.

• In November 2016, he received an AFRIMA award.
• In December 2016, he was added to the Hard Rock Cafe hall of fame.
• In February 2021, he was inducted into The Headies Hall of Fame at The Headies 2020.

Filmography

Discography

See also

In Spanish: King Sunny Adé para niños