Ghana’s legendary highlife and Afrobeat icon, Ebo Taylor, will be laid to rest on Saturday, August 1, 2026, with a burial service at the Wesley Methodist Church in Saltpond.
According to the funeral programme released by the family, a private laying-in-state ceremony will be held on Friday, July 31, allowing close relatives and invited guests to pay their final respects. A thanksgiving service will take place at the Wesley Methodist Church on Sunday, August 2, before the final funeral rites are held later that day at Victoria Park, Saltpond.
The funeral arrangements were announced by Nsɔna Ebusuapanyin Nana Asobo II, Obaahemaa Nana Saakoa, Obaapanyin Baaba Koufie, the Nsɔna Ebusua of McCarthy Hill, Cape Coast and Saltpond, together with the Ebo Taylor family.
Ebo Taylor passed away on February 7, 2026, at Saltpond Hospital at the age of 90. His death came just a day after the launch of the maiden Ebo Taylor Festival and about a month after celebrating his 90th birthday. The news of his passing was officially announced by the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA).
Born Deroy Taylor on January 6, 1936, in Cape Coast, Ebo Taylor enjoyed a remarkable music career spanning more than six decades. Widely regarded as one of Africa’s finest guitarists, composers, arrangers and producers, he played a pivotal role in shaping the sound of Ghanaian highlife while blending it with Afrobeat, jazz, funk and soul.
His musical journey began with groups such as the Stargazers and the Broadway Dance Band before he travelled to London in the 1960s, where he collaborated with Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti. Upon his return to Ghana, he worked with and influenced some of the country’s biggest music legends, including Pat Thomas and C.K. Mann.
In recent years, Ebo Taylor’s music reached a new global audience through international reissues, collaborations and samples by foreign artistes. His celebrated projects, including Love and Death, Appia Kwa Bridge and Yen Ara, cemented his place as one of Africa’s most respected musical pioneers. Even in his late 80s, he remained active, releasing Ebo Taylor JID022 in 2025.
As family, friends, fellow musicians and admirers prepare to bid him a final farewell, Ebo Taylor’s extraordinary legacy continues to inspire generations, ensuring that his timeless contribution to African music will never be forgotten.
