King Sunny Adé (born Sunday Adeniyi Adegeye in 1946) is a celebrated Nigerian musician, singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist who is widely regarded as the "King of Jùjú Music" and one of the most influential African musicians of all time. Born into a Yoruba royal family, he left school to pursue his passion for music, forming his own band, The Green Spots, in 1967, which later became the renowned African Beats. Adé was instrumental in developing jùjú, a Nigerian popular music genre blending traditional Yoruba drumming and vocal styles with elements of rock and roll, highlife, and electric guitars (including the introduction of the pedal steel guitar). After achieving massive success in Nigeria throughout the 1970s, he gained international acclaim in the 1980s following the release of albums like Juju Music (1982) and Synchro System (1983) on Island Records, the latter earning him the distinction of being the first Nigerian artist to receive a Grammy Award nomination. He continues to tour and record, known for his masterful guitar work, intricate polyrhythms, and spectacular, lengthy live performances with his large band.