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The family of Ebo Taylor, the legendary Ghanaian guitarist, composer, and bandleader, announced his passing at the age of 90 on Friday in Cape Coast, Ghana, marking the end of a prolific career that defined the evolution of West African music. Throughout his decades-long journey, Taylor became a foundational figure in the global music scene, celebrated for his pioneering role in fusing traditional Ghanaian highlife rhythms with the soul and grit of American funk. His death follows a lifetime of artistic innovation that saw him transition from a local star to a globally recognized icon whose work influenced countless contemporary artists and researchers of African rhythmic structures. Taylor's career began to take significant shape in the 1950s and 60s, particularly through his involvement with highlife bands like the Stargazers and the Broadway Dance Band. However, it was his move to London in 1962 to study at the Eric Gilder School of Music that expanded his horizons. It was there that he collaborated with his lifelong friend and fellow musical revolutionary, Fela Kuti. This period of cross-cultural exchange was instrumental in formulating the afrobeat and afro-funk genres, as Taylor and Kuti experimented with jazz arrangements alongside West African percussion, fundamentally changing the sonic landscape of the continent. In his later years, Taylor experienced a major international resurgence, releasing several acclaimed albums on the Strut Records label and embarking on world tours well into his 80s. His unique arrangements and hypnotic guitar lines gained a second life in the digital age, as he became one of the most frequently sampled African musicians in history. Global hip-hop and electronic music producers, including superstars like Usher and Ludacris, have utilized his tracks to bring his signature 1970s sound to modern audiences. His legacy remains as a bridge between the traditional and the modern, ensuring that the spirit of Ghanaian highlife continues to resonate in contemporary pop culture.