Ghanaian Highlife Legend Ebo Taylor Dies At 90

Ebo Taylor, the celebrated Ghanaian guitarist, composer and band leader whose music helped shape and define highlife, has died at the age of 90, his family has confirmed. Born Deroy Taylor in Cape Coast in 1936, he emerged as a key figure during the late 1950s and early 1960s, a period when highlife rose to prominence as Ghana’s leading musical style.

Across a career spanning more than 60 years, Taylor blended traditional Ghanaian rhythms with jazz, funk, soul and the early elements of Afrobeat, influencing generations of musicians in Africa and beyond. Ghana’s presidential spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu said the nation was “deeply saddened” by the loss of a true “colossus” of Ghanaian music.

In his early career, Taylor performed with renowned bands such as the Stargazers and the Broadway Dance Band, earning recognition for his distinctive guitar work and intricate arrangements. A key turning point came in the early 1960s when he travelled to London to study music, collaborating with other African artists, including Nigerian icon Fela Kuti. This creative exchange later became central to the development of Afrobeat, with highlife forming an important part of its roots.

After returning to Ghana, Taylor became a highly respected band leader, arranger and producer, working with leading artists such as Pat Thomas and CK Mann. Speaking to the BBC in 2014, he reflected on his approach, saying: “with the advent of James Brown and funk music there was the opportunity to develop highlife music. Fela did a lot of work introducing the funk into the Yoruba music while comparatively I did almost the same thing in Ghana.”

Later in life, Taylor spent time teaching at the University of Ghana and producing for other musicians, before enjoying a global rediscovery over the past 25 years. Albums such as Love & Death, Appia Kwa Bridge and Yen Ara introduced his music to a new international audience and reinforced his reputation as one of Ghana’s most important musical figures. Reflecting on his late-career recognition, he once said: “I think I’ve had my day, though it came much later.”

Taylor’s influence stretched far beyond highlife, with his work widely sampled in hip-hop and R&B. Songs like Heaven, Odofo Nyi Akyiri Biara and Love & Death have appeared in tracks by artists including Usher, the Black Eyed Peas, Kelly Rowland, Jidenna, Vic Mensa and Rapsody, bringing his sound to new listeners worldwide.

Tributes have poured in from across the music industry. Veteran producer Panji Anoff recalled how everyone called him “Uncle Ebo”, noting that he treated people of all ages as equals. “He would sit with us, eat with us, drink and chill with us… as though we were all peers,” Anoff told the BBC. “We lost a legend whose contribution to music has created worldwide ripples,” Black Sherif said, adding: “Rest In Power!”

Shatta Wale also praised Taylor’s enduring impact, saying that “his sound, vision and cultural impact opened doors for countless artists across Africa and beyond”. According to Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Taylor “will be remembered as one of our greatest musicians ever… as a man who strove to put Ghanaian music on the global map”.

Across Ghana and the wider African diaspora, Ebo Taylor is widely recognised as a foundational figure who bridged traditional and modern sounds. By anchoring innovation in cultural heritage, he leaves behind a timeless body of work that continues to shape contemporary African music, including afrobeats.