Ebo Taylor, the renowned Ghanaian guitarist, composer, and band leader, has passed away at the age of 90.
His family announced his death, and the news has been met with tributes from across the music industry and Ghanaian society.
Taylor was born Deroy Taylor in Cape Coast, Ghana, in 1936 and rose to fame in the 1950s and 1960s as highlife music became Ghana’s dominant sound.
He was known for fusing Ghanaian rhythms with jazz, funk, soul, and early Afrobeat, influencing generations of African musicians.
Taylor’s music career spanned over six decades, during which he worked with leading bands, including the Stargazers and the Broadway Dance Band.
He also collaborated with Nigerian artist Fela Kuti, contributing to the development of Afrobeat.
In recent years, his music experienced a resurgence, with tracks like “Love & Death” gaining international attention.
Ghana’s presidential spokesperson, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, described Taylor as a “colossus” of Ghanaian music, saying the government and people of Ghana were “deeply saddened” by his loss.
Music producer Panji Anoff remembered Taylor as “Uncle Ebo,” a legend who treated everyone as an equal and shared his musical expertise freely.
