7 FACTS ABOUT KSA@70

Today I celebrate a father figure, adviser, mentor and international music legend, King Sunny Ade, on his 70th birthday.

1. Born Prince Anthony Sunday"Sunny" Adeniyi Ishola Adegeye, of Ondo royal ancestry.

2. KSA's career has spanned over fifty five years, starting as a band boy with the Moses Olaiya's Orchestra. Yes, the same Moses Olaoya, a.k.a Baba Sala, the doyen of Nigerian Comedy.

3. He was one of the exciting young talents signed on by Chief Bolarinwa Abioro, the owner of TYC records in 1966 on his new label for emerging sounds called African Sounds. Another notable act signed on around the same time was the late Fuji Creator, Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister.

4. While he taught himself how to play the guitar, he became so good that he became known as the Master Guitarist.

5. He is a two time nominee at the Grammy's. He was also the natural choice to emerge at Island records after Bob Marley as an international act.

6. The instrumental version of his song e mama bami me iyawo mi lo, was a sound track in the American film, Breathless, starring Richard Gere, and was used at the scene where Gere was rushing to win back his love interest in the film at the bus terminal.

7. KSA was the first juju act to perform standing up, the first to create an elaborate stage act based on his stagecraft , the first to expand the percussion base and the one that redefined the genre.

Happy birthday, Ishola Ogun,
Omo Egin, Baba Eleshin ni Bariga.
Omo Alhaja, Oko Alhaja,
Baba Segun, Baba ibeji,
Amuludun of Lagos, Golden Mercury of Africa
Many happy returns of the day.

Igba Odun, o di kan,

My Ten Kobo.