Ebo Taylor, Ghanaian Highlife Icon, Dies at 90

Veteran Ghanaian musician Ebo Taylor, a towering figure in highlife and Afrobeat music and a collaborator of Nigerian Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, has died at the age of 90.

Taylor passed away on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at Saltpond Hospital in Ghana’s Central Region, the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) announced. His death came just one day after launching the inaugural Ebo Taylor Music Festival and exactly one month after his 90th birthday.

In a tribute shared on social media by his family, they wrote:

“The world has lost a giant. A colossus of African music. Ebo Taylor passed away yesterday; a day after the launch of Ebo Taylor Music Festival and exactly a month after his 90th birthday, leaving behind an unmatched artistry legacy. @ebo.taylor your light will never fade.”

Born Deroy Taylor on January 6, 1936, in Cape Coast, Ghana, Ebo Taylor’s musical career spanned more than six decades. He first rose to prominence in the late 1950s and early 1960s and became known for blending traditional Ghanaian highlife with jazz, funk, soul, and early Afrobeat influences.

Taylor’s early work included leading bands like the Stargazers and the Broadway Dance Band before taking his group to London in 1962, where he collaborated with Fela Kuti and other African musicians during a formative period for Afrobeat.

His influence continued as both a composer and producer, crafting music for leading Ghanaian artists and helping shape the West African sound that influenced later generations. In the 21st century, his music found renewed global attention through international samples, including artists in hiphop and R&B.

MUSIGA’s president and fans across Ghana and the world have mourned Taylor’s passing, celebrating him as one of Africa’s most influential musical figures whose legacy helped elevate Ghanaian music on the global stage.