The family of legendary Ghanaian highlife and Afrobeat musician Ebo Taylor has announced that his burial service will be held on Saturday, August 1, 2026, at the Wesley Methodist Church, Saltpond.

The final funeral rites will take place the following day at Victoria Park, Saltpond.

According to the family, a private laying in state will be held on Friday, July 31, while a thanksgiving service is scheduled for Sunday, August 2, at the Wesley Methodist Church in Saltpond before the final funeral rites later that day.

The announcement was made by the Nsɔna Ebusuapanyin Nana Asobo II, Obaahemaa Nana Saakoa, Obaapanyin Baaba Koufie, the entire Nsɔna Ebusua of McCarthy Hill, Cape Coast and Saltpond, together with the Ebo Taylor family.

Ebo Taylor died on February 7, 2026, at the age of 90 at Saltpond Hospital, a day after the launch of the inaugural Ebo Taylor Festival and just a month after celebrating his 90th birthday. His death was announced by the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA).

Born Deroy Taylor on January 6, 1936, in Cape Coast, Ebo Taylor was one of Africa’s most influential guitarists, composers, arrangers and producers. During a career spanning more than six decades, he became a pioneering figure in highlife and Afrobeat, blending traditional Ghanaian rhythms with jazz, funk and soul to create a distinctive sound that earned him worldwide acclaim.

He rose to prominence with the Stargazers and the Broadway Dance Band before travelling to London in the 1960s, where he worked alongside Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti. On his return to Ghana, he produced and arranged music for several leading musicians, including Pat Thomas and C.K. Mann, while continuing to build a remarkable solo career.

Although he enjoyed immense popularity in Ghana for decades, Ebo Taylor’s music found a new global audience in the 21st century through international reissues, extensive sampling by foreign artistes and critically acclaimed albums such as Love and Death, Appia Kwa Bridge and Yen Ara. He remained active in music well into his late 80s, releasing his final project, Ebo Taylor JID022, in 2025.