Ghanaian highlife legend Ebo Taylor passes on at 90

Lengendary Ghanaian highlife musician Ebo Taylor has passed on at the age of 90 as announced by the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) and organisers of EBOFEST.

According to the Ghana Music Union, he died in the early hours of Saturday, 7 February, 2026 at the Saltpond hospital.

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Ebo Taylor celebrated his 90th birthday just a month ago, where he launched the Ebo Taylor Festival, an event set up to honour his musical legacy.

Born in Cape Coast in 1936, he played with top bands, produced stars at Essiebons Records, and jammed with Fela Kuti in London.

Taylor first gained recognition in the late 1950s as a member of the Stargazers and the Broadway Dance Band. In 1962, he travelled to London with his Black Star Highlife Band, where he collaborated with Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti and other African musicians.

He later returned to Ghana and went on to produce recordings for leading highlife artistes, including Pat Thomas and C.K. Mann.

In later years, Taylor’s music reached new global audiences. In the 21st century, international producers sampled his work, notably Usher, whose song “She Don’t Know” featuring Ludacris drew from Taylor’s track “Heaven”. He also released several critically acclaimed albums, including Love and Death (2008), Appia Kwa Bridge (2012) and Yen Ara (2018).

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Tributes poured in from musicians like Reggie Rockstone, who called him a 'big tree' that has fallen, while his son Kweku mourned the loss of a 'colossus of African music.' His influence lives on in global samples and highlife beats.