Ghana’s highlife Musicians

Bob Pinodo also known as the Show Master of Africa is a Ghanaian highlife musician, songwriter, producer, and composer. Career His album Show Master of Africa had air play on BBC winning him awards in various categories like best album, best composition, best production, best recording and album of the millennium by Entertainment Critics and …

Nana Tuffour (né James Kwaku Tuffour, 14 February 1954 – 15 June 2020), also known as 9-9-2-4, was a Ghanaian Highlife singer and songwriter. He is known for popular highlife songs such as Aketekyiwa, Abeiku and Owuo sei fie and had 15 albums to his credit. Life and career Nana Tuffour is a native of Kumasi. He started his musical career with …

Benjamin Paapa Kofi Yankson, known as Paapa Yankson (22 June 1944 – 21 July 2017) was a Ghanaian highlife singer, songwriter, and producer. He recorded two dozen albums during his career; his hit songs included “Wiase Mu Nsem”, “Show Your Love”, “Wo Yere Anaa Wo Maame”, and “Tena Menkyen”. He won multiple awards, including Best Composition …

Atongo Zimba (born 1967) is a musician and griot from Ghana. His tours in Europe, South America and Africa include a benefit for the 2010 Haiti earthquake, at the Alliance Française in Accra. His 1994 album Allah Mongode was recorded in Switzerland. His album Barefoot in the Sand was nominated “African CD of the Year” in 2007 by Amsterdam television. His recording of “In Heaven …

Emmanuel Kofi Nyame, best known as E.K. Nyame (24 December 1927 – 19 January 1977), was regarded as one of the “godfathers” of modern Ghanaian highlife music. He was a Ghanaian composer, guitarist, founder of E.K. band and the Akan Trio. He is noted as the pioneer of highlife songs in Akan language on concert stages. Life E.K. Nyame …

Isaac Akuffo (born 21 February 1992), who goes by the stage name Koo Ntakra, is a hiplife and hip hop artist from Ghana who raps in his native language of Akuapem. He was signed to Bullhaus Entertainment in 2014 but currently on his own label KN Records. He won MTN Hitmaker in 2013 and was also nominated at …

Amandzeba Nat Brew (also referred to as Nat Brew (Amandzeba), and Amandzeba), is a Ghanaian highlife artist. Early life Amandzeba is an alumnus of the Christian Methodist Senior High School in Accra. Musical career Amandzeba first became known as part of the band Nakorex, formed in 1992 with Akosua Agyapong and Rex Omar. Amandzeba later became married to Akosua Agyapong, though …

Joe Mensah (died 2003) was a Ghanaian singer and musician. Described as a music icon of Ghana, he is one of the progenitors of the highlife music genre and among the more renowned highlife musicians of the 1950s and 1960s. His hit songs include “Bonsue” and “Rokpokpo” from his 1977 album The Afrikan Hustle. Mensah played an essential role in the …

Emmanuel Tettey Mensah (31 May 1919 – 19 July 1996), was a Ghanaian musician who was regarded as the “King of Highlife” music. He led The Tempos, a band that toured widely in West Africa. Early years Mensah was born at Accra, in the Gold Coast, West Africa. His early education took place at the Government School, Accra, and …

Kwame Gyasi (1929–2012) was a Ghanaian highlife musician. He originated the Sikyi highlife sub-genre which combined electric organ with the known highlife genres. Early life and career Gyasi was born in 1929 at Ankaase in the Ashanti Region. His uncle taught him to play palmwine guitar highlife and the imported calypso music. He made his first recording …