Ghana has lost one of its greatest musical pioneers, as veteran guitarist, composer, and highlife legend Ebo Taylor has passed away at the age of 90.
Gatekeepers News reports that family of the celebrated musician confirmed his death on Sunday through a post shared on his official Instagram page.
Although the exact cause of death was not disclosed, the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) said Taylor died at the Saltpond Hospital in the Central Region of the country.
His passing came barely 24 hours after the launch of the first-ever Ebo Taylor Music Festival, a major cultural event created to honour his lifetime contributions to African music.
His death also occurred exactly one month after he celebrated his 90th birthday, making the moment even more emotional for fans, colleagues, and family members.
“The world has lost a giant. A colossus of African music,” the post reads.
“Ebo Taylor passed away yesterday; a day after the launch of Ebo Taylor Music Festival and exactly a month after his 90th birthday, leaving behind an unmatched artistry legacy. @ebo.taylor your light will never fade.”
Born Deroy Taylor on January 6, 1936, in Cape Coast, Ghana, he emerged as a major musical force in the late 1950s and 1960s, a period widely regarded as the golden era of highlife music.
He trained at the Eric Gils Music School in London, where he sharpened his skills in composition, arrangement, and performance before returning to Ghana to shape the sound of modern highlife.
Taylor rose to fame through his work with popular bands such as the Stargazers and the Broadway Dance Band, where his smooth guitar melodies and rich horn arrangements quickly set him apart.
His music blended traditional Ghanaian rhythms with jazz, funk, soul, and early Afrobeat, creating a fresh sound that later became a blueprint for many African musicians.
One of the defining moments of his career came in the 1960s when he led the Black Star Highlife Band to London, where he met and collaborated with Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti.
Their partnership played a major role in the development of Afrobeat, combining political consciousness with complex musical arrangements.
Throughout the 1970s, Taylor continued to dominate the West African music scene, leading top groups such as the Ghana Black Star Band and the Uhuru Dance Band.
He also worked closely with other celebrated musicians, including CK Mann, Pat Thomas, and the Apagya Show Band, helping to shape the sound of Ghanaian popular music for decades.
Although he remained a respected figure in Africa, Taylor gained renewed global recognition in 2010 after the release of his album Love and Death on Strut Records.
The project introduced his work to a new generation of listeners worldwide. He later released critically praised albums such as Appia Kwa Bridge in 2012 and Yen Ara in 2018, cementing his international reputation.
His timeless catalogue includes classics like Heaven, Atwer Abroba, Life Stories, Ayesama, Saana, and You Need Love, songs that continue to influence musicians across genres.
Widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in Ghana’s musical history, Ebo Taylor leaves behind a powerful legacy that shaped highlife, Afrobeat, and African music as a whole.
His sound, vision, and cultural impact are expected to inspire generations to come.
