King Sunny Ade

Innovator extraordinaire in the lively form of juju music, King Sunny Ade has also become an international messenger for peace, love and respect, a gospel he spreads through his intense performance schedule of the last thirty years. He is at once a world-renowned performer and one of Nigeria's most popular and prolific musical artists, with over 100 albums to his credit in his native land.

Sunny Ade began his musical career in Moses Olaiya's Federal Rhythm Dandies and his own first band The Green Spots. He began his international career with a three-album stint on Island Records in the early 1980s. Sunny Ade has been exporting this delightful concoction of Afro pop and juju music to the rest of the world since that time. The release of the 1995 album "E Dide/Giet Up" presents a solid sampling of Sunny Ade's diverse talents. The disc expertly mixes the deep tones of the talking drums, crisp guitar riffs, and lively keyboard. From traditional percussion-only tracks like "Ope Oku" to celebratory raves like the title tune and "Oshodi Oke" to the slow burning Omode O'Mela, the King's role as innovator and master is easily seen.

Right from the beginning, Sunday Anthony Ishola Adeniyi Adegeye, "Sunny Ade", had music flowing in his veins. His father, Samuel Adegeye, was a part-time church organist and an itinerant trader, while his mother, Mariam, was a bean cake seller.

Born on Sunday, 22nd September, 1946 in Ondo, Ondo State, Sunny spent a considerable part of his childhood in the arts center of Oshogbo, Osun State. Between 1952 and 1960 he attended African Church Primary School and Methodist School, both in Oshogbo. In 1960, Sunny was enrolled at St. Charles Grammar School, Oshogbo. But in 1963, still in the third form, Sunny dropped out of college. Between 1958 and 1963 he was a part-time percussionist with Sunday Ariyo and Idowu Owoeye's juju bands in Oshogbo. In mid '63 Sunny ran away from home in Oshogbo to Lagos where he joined Moses Olaiya Adejumo's (Baba Sala) Federal Rhythm Dandies. In 1965, after spending about 2 years with Adejumo, Sunny established his first group, Sunny Adex and His High Society Band. Later in 1966, Sunny changed the name of his group to Sunny Ade and The Green Spot Band.