US Edition
Ebo Taylor: Influential Highlife and Afrobeat Musician Dies at 90
Ebo Taylor's six-decade career shaped highlife and Afrobeat, influencing artists globally and being sampled by major hip-hop and R&B performers, his legacy spans generations.
- Ebo Taylor, the Ghanaian guitarist, composer and band leader, has died at age 90, Taylor's family announced; he helped define the highlife genre.
- Born in Cape Coast, Deroy Taylor began performing in his teens and rose to prominence as highlife grew in Ghana, later studying music in London and playing with the Stargazers and Broadway Dance Band.
- He became a sought-after band leader, arranger and producer, working with Pat Thomas, CK Mann, and collaborating with Fela Kuti abroad, shaping Afrobeat's foundation.
- Across Ghana and the wider African diaspora, Taylor is recognised as a foundational figure who bridged traditional and modern sounds, and his music continues to inform contemporary styles including afrobeats.
- In recent decades, his recordings have been sampled by artists including Usher, the Black Eyed Peas, Kelly Rowland, Jidenna, Vic Mensa and Rapsody, introducing his work globally.
28 Articles
28 Articles
Ebo Taylor, Ghanaian highlife icon, dies at 90
Ebo Taylor, the legendary Ghanaian guitarist, composer, and bandleader whose work defined highlife and inspired generations of musicians across Africa and beyond, has died at the age of 90, his family confirmed.
Ghana mourns as Highlife music legend, Ebo Taylor dies
Tributes have been pouring in from across Ghana and the world since the death of Ghanaian highlife legend Ebo Taylor.A guitarist, composer and bandleader who died on Saturday, Taylor’s six-decade career played a key role in shaping modern popular music in West Africa.Often described as one of the founding fathers of contemporary highlife, Taylor died a day after the launch of a music festival bearing his name in the capital, Accra, and just a mo…
Ghanaian highlife legend Ebo Taylor dead at 90
Ghanaian highlife musician and composer Ebo Taylor died on 7 February at the age of 90. His family confirmed the news, although the cause of death had not been disclosed at the time of publication. Taylor’s passing comes six years after he received the Music In Africa Honorary Award at the opening of the Music In Africa Conference for Collaborations, Exchange and Showcases (ACCES) in Accra on 28 November 2019. He was honoured alongside fellow Gh…
Ghanaian guitarist and composer Ebo Taylor passed away on Saturday at the age of 90. His family announced this on social media. Taylor had a significant influence on the development of West African music, particularly highlife and Afrobeat.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 40% of the sources lean Right
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
