By Seli Baisie
Ghanaian highlife legend, Daniel Amakye Dede, has been honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 25th Telecel Ghana Music Awards.
Known as ‘Iron Boy,’ Amakye Dede was celebrated with vibrant tribute performances by artists such as Kwabena Kwabena, Akwaboah, Fameye, Eno Barony, and Epixode.
He also took the stage himself, performing some of his classic hits, which had the audience on their feet until the end of his performance.
The event was held at the Grand Arena of the Accra International Conference Centre on Saturday, June 1.
Amakye Dede’s remarkable presence in the Ghanaian music industry for over five decades is a testament to his enduring legacy.
He began his musical journey with the Kumapim Royals, a renowned highlife band led by Akwasi Ampofo Agyei (AAA), where he served as a composer and vocalist.
Later, Amakye Dede formed his own group, the Apollo High Kings, known for producing numerous highlife hits throughout the 1980s and 1990s. With twenty albums and a vast repertoire of songs, his contributions have significantly shaped the highlife genre and inspired generations of artists and music lovers.
Over the years, Amakye Dede has explored various music genres like Soca, Calypso, and Lovers Rock, blending them with Ghana’s highlife sound. Some of his notable songs include “Iron Boy,” “Su fre wo Nyame,” “Asem to me a ka bi ma me,” “Dabidabi Ebeye Yie,” “Mmaa Pe Sokoo,” and “Bebrebe Yi.”
