How well did you know the late Legendary Highlife Musician Nana Kwame Ampadu? You might have only been familiar with his music and nothing else.
Ghpage is here to furnish you, our cherished reader the full biography of the icon and king of Highlife Music, Nana Ampadu, the one whose style of music will forever be remembered.
Take time to go through this article as we give you all you need to know about the best in the music game; Nana Ampadu;
Early Life and Education
Nana Kwame Ampadu was born on March 31st, 1945 at Obo Kwahu in the Eastern Region of Ghana.
Nana Ampadu was named Kwame Ampadu by his father. He added ‘Patrick’ to his name after being baptized. He was described by many as the ‘King’ of Highlife music earning him the title ‘Nana’.
He was named after his father, Opanin Kwame Ampadu, the then head of the Asona Clan of Obo Kwahu. His mother, Madam Mercy Afua Ntiriwaa, was a devoted presbyter also of Obo Kwahu.
He was enrolled into the Obo Roman Catholic Primary School from 1950-1952 where his parents took him to the village Adeemmra near Aboam in the Afframs Plains and had a continuation of his schooling from class three to standard 3 and completed primary school in 1955.
Kwame Ampadu furthered his elementary school at Obo Anglican Middle boys School from 1956-1959. He completed successfully as a brilliant form four leaver.
At the senior school, the Obo Anglican Middle Boys authorities including teachers took delight in the cute figure Ampadu not for his brilliance only but his artistic exuberance in singing.
Music Career
Nana Ampadu in 1963 at the Park Cinema in Accra formed the ‘African Brothers Band’ with his immediate senior brother, Rover Amo Ampadu who incidentally became the manager of the band.
He joined Yamoah’s band and Ramblers before forming the African Brothers Band.
Some of the Band members were Eddie Donkor (later senior Eddie Donkor) and with the inclusion of Nana Nyarko, Yaw Asante, Yaw Owusu, Rover Amoh, Kwame Anim, Koo Ofori.
Nana Ampadu rose to fame after he released his single “Ebi Te Yie” somewhere in the year 1967 which led to him becoming a household name.
Nana Ampadu is credited as one of the pillars of Highlife music. He has numerous hit songs to his credit and is known to have composed over 800 songs.
He composed and recorded songs about money, love and marriage, good citizenship, greed, drunkenness, death, road manners for commercial drivers, effective parenting, social stratification and virtually every aspect of our being in this country.
Tracks like: Ebi Ti Yie, Aku Sika, Kofi Nkrabea, Obiaa Ba Nnye, Woyoo Woyoo, Mother, Mentumi Ngyae Wo, Agartha, Aye Se Ye Do Wo, Obra, Drivers, Anibere Nnye, Oman Bo Adwo, Kwaata and many others were popular at distinct times.
Death
Patrick Nana Kwame Ampadu was reported dead on Tuesday, September 28, 2021 after he was admitted at the Intensive Care Unit of the Legon Hospital in Accra. He died at age 76.
