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 music genre.
He played with leading bands of the time, including the Stargazers and the Broadway Dance Band, earning acclaim for his distinctive guitar style and intricate arrangements.
Over his six-decade career, Taylor blended Ghanaian rhythms with jazz, funk, and soul, inspiring musicians beyond Africa.
In his later years, Taylor's music was rediscovered globally, with tracks like Love & Death introducing him to a new audience.
A significant period in Taylor's development occurred in the early 1960s when he traveled to London to study music, collaborating with other African musicians including the famed Nigerian artist Fela Kuti. Their partnership significantly contributed to the development of Afrobeat.
On returning to Ghana, Taylor gained prominence as a band leader, working with notable artists such as Pat Thomas and CK Mann. His own recordings remained popular throughout his life, with newer albums reinforcing his status in the music scene.
Taylor's influence reached far beyond highlife; his work has been sampled by numerous hip-hop and R&B artists worldwide, furthering his reach and impact.
He is celebrated across Ghana and the African diaspora as a foundational figure, bridging traditional and contemporary sounds, with his extensive body of work continuing to influence modern genres like afrobeats.
