You have been singing for how long now?
I have been singing for 37 years, since 1983. I have been going with my daddy to shows since 1976. I started driving my daddy in 1977 till 1983 when he died. I was my daddys driver and he used to pay me N20 naira a month when he died on 9th November, 1983.
He was to have a show on November 12 in Isara Remo. Those who my daddy was to play for now came and said they wanted to take back their money. We now said they should not worry that we would come and perform at the event.
We told them that someone will come to lead the band. We chose my daddy’s younger brother to lead the band. After we now set up, and we were ready to go that my daddy’s brother said to me. Musiliu, will you try to lead the band and sing? I said ok, let me try.
That is how I became a singer.
How come you didn’t try to sing when your dad was still alive?
We were doing it together. We were in it together. I used to write down songs for him. My dad was a composer. Going by Yoruba culture, I am considered too young to talk about Dad.
I am too young to narrate my fathers story. The truth of the matter is that my daddy did not have the benefit of Western education. He didn’t go to school. So whenever he comes up with a song, I will write it down for him. So that he won’t forget.
He can then call on me anytime to remind him about the song he asked me to write down for him yesterday or 3 days ago. I will now dictate the song to him for him to cram it in his head until he can know it off hand.
But these days, for todays musicians once you can have a school cert. you can cram easily but in my fathers generation many of them did not go to school. So it was more tedious for them.
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