Ebo Taylor, the Ghanaian guitarist, composer and band leader whose work helped define the highlife genre and influenced generations of African musicians, has died at the age of 90, his family has announced.
Born Deroy Taylor in the city of Cape Coast in 1936, he rose to prominence during the late 1950s and early 1960s as highlife became Ghana's dominant musical form. He played with the era's leading bands, including the Stargazers and the Broadway Dance Band, and gained a reputation for a distinctive guitar style and detailed arrangements.
Over a six-decade career, he fused Ghanaian rhythms with jazz, funk, soul and early Afrobeat and went on to inspire musicians beyond the continent. In the last 25 years of his life, his music was rediscovered by a global audience with the release of tracks like Love & Death, driving a fresh host of fans.
A formative period in Taylor's musical development came in the early 1960s when he travelled to London to study music. There, he worked alongside other African musicians, including Nigerian artist Fela Kuti. Their collaboration is viewed as part of a wider exchange of ideas that contributed to the evolution of Afrobeat, with highlife significantly influencing its foundational music.
Taylor became a sought-after band leader, arranger and producer, working with some of Ghana's most respected artists, including Pat Thomas and CK Mann. Reflecting on his own influences, he noted how the advent of funk music provided opportunities for the development of highlife.
Towards the end of the last century and the beginning of this, Taylor focused on teaching music at the University of Ghana. He continued to record music that gained attention, with albums such as Love & Death and Yen Ara reinforcing his significance in Ghanaian music.
His influence extended far beyond highlife, as several of his tracks were sampled by international artists across hip-hop and R&B genres. Taylor’s contribution to music has created worldwide ripples, and he is remembered as a foundational figure who bridged traditional and modern sounds, leaving a lasting impact on the narrative of African popular music.
Born Deroy Taylor in the city of Cape Coast in 1936, he rose to prominence during the late 1950s and early 1960s as highlife became Ghana's dominant musical form. He played with the era's leading bands, including the Stargazers and the Broadway Dance Band, and gained a reputation for a distinctive guitar style and detailed arrangements.
Over a six-decade career, he fused Ghanaian rhythms with jazz, funk, soul and early Afrobeat and went on to inspire musicians beyond the continent. In the last 25 years of his life, his music was rediscovered by a global audience with the release of tracks like Love & Death, driving a fresh host of fans.
A formative period in Taylor's musical development came in the early 1960s when he travelled to London to study music. There, he worked alongside other African musicians, including Nigerian artist Fela Kuti. Their collaboration is viewed as part of a wider exchange of ideas that contributed to the evolution of Afrobeat, with highlife significantly influencing its foundational music.
Taylor became a sought-after band leader, arranger and producer, working with some of Ghana's most respected artists, including Pat Thomas and CK Mann. Reflecting on his own influences, he noted how the advent of funk music provided opportunities for the development of highlife.
Towards the end of the last century and the beginning of this, Taylor focused on teaching music at the University of Ghana. He continued to record music that gained attention, with albums such as Love & Death and Yen Ara reinforcing his significance in Ghanaian music.
His influence extended far beyond highlife, as several of his tracks were sampled by international artists across hip-hop and R&B genres. Taylor’s contribution to music has created worldwide ripples, and he is remembered as a foundational figure who bridged traditional and modern sounds, leaving a lasting impact on the narrative of African popular music.
