Tunde Nightingale, a.k.a., "Western" was a native of Ibadan, the largest city in Nigeria. An incredible guitarist with a sonorous voice to boot, he was best known for his unique Jùjú music style, following in the tradition of Tunde King.
Born in Ibadan in the late-1940s, his contemporaries included Ayinde Bakare, I. K. Dairo and Dele Ojo. Nightingale was credited with the Owambe system, which was popular among Lagos socialites, who eagerly sponsored him on a tour abroad. When he returned, he signed with the TYC label and recorded over 40 albums in his career. Modern stars like King Sunny Ade and many other juju artists continue to be influenced by his style. He was unique because he "sounded," literally, like the proverbial singing bird, "Nightingale"
Nightingale was perhaps the first musician to become a hit performer playing juju in the post World War II period. His particular spin on juju was known as "owambe" ( its there?), a slightly risque reference to the beads worn by women under their clothes to make their dancing more sensuous in those days.
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