Legendary Ghanaian highlife musician and composer Ebo Taylor has passed away at the age of 90, marking the end of an era for one of Africa’s most influential musical pioneers.
The death of the revered musician was confirmed by the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) and the organisers of EBOFEST. According to MUSIGA, Ebo Taylor died in the early hours of Saturday, February 7, 2026, at the Saltpond Hospital in the Central Region.
His passing comes just a month after he celebrated his 90th birthday, an occasion that also saw the launch of the Ebo Taylor Festival, an initiative established to honour and preserve his enduring musical legacy.
Born in Cape Coast in 1936, Ebo Taylor emerged as a defining figure in Ghana’s highlife movement, blending traditional rhythms with jazz, funk and Afrobeat influences. He rose to prominence in the late 1950s as a member of the Stargazers Band and the Broadway Dance Band before forming the Black Star Highlife Band.
In 1962, Taylor travelled to London with his band, where he collaborated with a community of African musicians, including Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti. The period proved pivotal, shaping a sound that would later influence generations of musicians across Africa and beyond.
After returning to Ghana, Ebo Taylor became a key force at Essiebons Records, where he produced and mentored some of the country’s most celebrated highlife artistes, including Pat Thomas and C.K. Mann. His work helped define the golden age of Ghanaian highlife.
In his later years, Taylor’s music found renewed global relevance. His compositions were rediscovered and sampled by international producers, most notably by American R&B star Usher, whose song She Don’t Know featuring Ludacris sampled Taylor’s classic Heaven.
Ebo Taylor also released several critically acclaimed albums in the 21st century, including Love and Death in 2008, Appia Kwa Bridge in 2012, and Yen Ara in 2018, further cementing his status as a timeless musical innovator.
Tributes have poured in from across the music industry. Veteran rapper Reggie Rockstone described Taylor’s passing as the fall of a “big tree,” while his son, Kweku Taylor, mourned the loss of what he called a “colossus of African music.”
Ebo Taylor leaves behind a rich legacy that continues to resonate through highlife, Afrobeat and global contemporary music, ensuring that his influence will endure far beyond his lifetime.
Follow us on all platforms for more updates
https://www.tiktok.com/@urbancertgh
https://x.com/urbancertgh
https://instagram.com/urbancertgh
https://web.facebook.com/urbancertgh1
https://www.youtube.com/@urbancertgh
