Legendary Ghanaian musician Ebo Taylor will be laid to rest on Saturday, August 1, 2026, with his burial service scheduled to take place at the Wesley Methodist Church in Saltpond.
The veteran highlife and Afrobeat musician will be honoured with his final funeral rites on Sunday, August 2, at Victoria Park, Saltpond.
The funeral programme will begin with a private laying-in-state ceremony on Friday, July 31. A thanksgiving service will also be held at the Wesley Methodist Church on Sunday before the final funeral rites later that day.
The 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, and the Ebo Taylor family.Ebo Taylor passed away on February 7, 2026, at Saltpond Hospital, aged 90. His death came just a day after the launch of the maiden Ebo Taylor Festival and approximately one month after he celebrated his 90th birthday. The Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) officially announced his death.
Born Deroy Taylor in Cape Coast on January 6, 1936, the musician built a career that spanned more than six decades and established him as one of Africa's most influential guitarists, composers, arrangers and producers.
His musical journey began with groups including the Stargazers and the Broadway Dance Band. In the 1960s, he travelled to London, where he worked with Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti. After returning to Ghana, he became an important force behind the work of several leading musicians, producing and arranging music for artistes such as Pat Thomas and C.K. Mann.
Taylor's influence extended far beyond Ghana, particularly in the 21st century, when international reissues of his work, sampling by foreign artistes and a series of acclaimed albums introduced his music to a new global audience.
Among his notable projects are Love and Death, Appia Kwa Bridge and Yen Ara. He continued to record and perform well into his late 80s, releasing Ebo Taylor JID022 in 2025.
Through his distinctive fusion of Ghanaian highlife with elements of Afrobeat, jazz, funk and soul, Ebo Taylor left an enduring mark on African music and inspired generations of musicians around the world.
