Segun Bucknor

Segun Bucknor (Lagos, Nigeria, 1946 - August 11, 2017) was a Nigerian Afrobeat keyboardist, guitarist, vocalist, composer, bandleader, and a journalist. Segun Bucknor & His Revolution - La La La, is included on "Nigeria 70 (The Definitive Story of 1970's Funky Lagos)". Bucknor was educated at King's College. He was a member of the school's band and choir. He started out playing the tin whistle as a junior band member but later graduated to learning the guitar and piano. During this time, he apprenticed under Roy Chicago's band. In 1964, he was a member of a newly formed band, the Hot Four. He was the band's organist and lead guitar player, other members were Mike Nelson Cole, the band leader and Sunmi Smart Cole, the drummer. The group played regularly in Lagos clubs such as Surulere night club. However, Bucknor traveled to the United States to study for a couple of years. During his time in the United States, he was influenced by Ray Charles. After his return in 1968, the band received funding from a trio of investors and upon the exit of Mike Nelson Cole, Bucknor became the band leader. In 1969, the name of the band became Segun Bucknor and the Assembly. The group recorded a couple of soul songs such as Lord Give Me Soul and I Will Love You No Matter How. Gradually the group migrated from soul songs to a style of afrobeat, in their performance, a dancing trio called the Sweet Things were included. In 1970, they released Son of January 15th a proto-Afrobeat sound. Thereafter, the band released a few politically charged songs Sorrow, Sorrow, Sorrow, Poor Man No Get Brother before its popularity began to slip. Bucknor was married to Sola Bucknor until his death in 2017. Together, they had two children: Tosyn Bucknor, a media personality and Funke Bucknor-Obruthe, a businesswoman. Bucknor died in Lagos on 11 August 2017 after suffering from multiple strokes at the age of 71. At the time of his death, he was suffering from hypertension and diabetes. He was survived by his wife Sola and his two children. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.