Steady Bongo
Encyclopedia
lansana Sheriff popularly known by his stage name
Steady Bongo, is an internationally recognized Sierra Leonean musician
and record producer
. He is one of the most famous musicians from Sierra Leone.
, a rural town
in Kailahun District
in Eastern Sierra Leone to an ethnic Mandingo
father and a Mende
mother. Steady Bongo grew up in a largely Mende speaking household in Daru. From an early age, he performed on stage, imitating musicians such as the legendary Big Fayia, Samile, Eric Donaldson, and Prince Nico. He hosted a program called "Variety Time" at the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Service (SLBS). His first album, Ready Before You Married, was released in 1990 and became an instant success not only in Sierra Leone, but in neighbouring countries as well. His second album Kormot Bi En Me, released in 1996, received the Best Album Award and had record-breaking sales. The album was the first of Steady Bongo's records to be released on CD in the United States
. In 1998, he released Welcome to Democracy Na Salone and Born For Suffer in 1999.
He's one of the first musicians that popularised Sierra Leone music to the outside world.
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
Steady Bongo, is an internationally recognized Sierra Leonean musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
. He is one of the most famous musicians from Sierra Leone.
Biography
Lansana Sheriff better known as Steady Bongo was born in DaruDaru, Sierra Leone
Daru is small rural town in Kailahun District in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone with a population of 5,958 . The town is home to one of the largest military baracks in Sierra Leone. The majority of the people in the town are from the Mende ethnic group...
, a rural town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in Kailahun District
Kailahun District
Kailahun District is a district in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone. Its capital and largest city is Kailahun. The other major towns in the district include Segbwema, Koindu, Pendembu and Daru. As of 2010, the district has a population of 395,957 ....
in Eastern Sierra Leone to an ethnic Mandingo
Mandingo people of Sierra Leone
The Mandinka people of Sierra Leone is a major ethnic group in Sierra Leone and they are the descendants of Mandinka settlers from Guinea who migrated to Sierra Leone between 1840 to about 1900...
father and a Mende
Mende people
The Mende people are one of the two largest and most dominant ethnic group in Sierra Leone, along with the Temne. The Mende make up 30% of Sierra Leone's total population or 1,932,015 members...
mother. Steady Bongo grew up in a largely Mende speaking household in Daru. From an early age, he performed on stage, imitating musicians such as the legendary Big Fayia, Samile, Eric Donaldson, and Prince Nico. He hosted a program called "Variety Time" at the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Service (SLBS). His first album, Ready Before You Married, was released in 1990 and became an instant success not only in Sierra Leone, but in neighbouring countries as well. His second album Kormot Bi En Me, released in 1996, received the Best Album Award and had record-breaking sales. The album was the first of Steady Bongo's records to be released on CD in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In 1998, he released Welcome to Democracy Na Salone and Born For Suffer in 1999.
He's one of the first musicians that popularised Sierra Leone music to the outside world.
Discography
- Ready Before You Married (1992)
- Kormot Bi En Me (1996)
- Welcome to Democracy Na Salone (1998)
- Born For Suffer (1999)
External links
- http://steadybongo.com/