By Simon Asare
Accra, June 2, GNA – It was a nostalgic night for Highlife fans as legendary Amakye Dede rocked the stage at the 25th Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA).
The Highlife maestro earned a well-deserved Lifetime Achievement Award for his tremendous contributions to the Ghanaian music industry over the course of five decades.
During this year’s awards ceremony, certain members of the youthful music generation sang some of Amakye Dede’s timeless hit tracks, demonstrating the artiste”s magnificence.
Kwabena Kwabena began his tribute performance with Amakye Dede’s “Kanea Maye Kyere Me” and sparkled on tune, with the audience loving his vocal delivery.
Akwaboah and Eno Barony followed with a masterclass performance of “Su fre woNyame,” while Fameye wowed the audience with a one-of-a-kind rendition of Amakye Dede’s “Iron Boy.”
Epixode also created an impression on the stage with a strong performance of “Adukuro Mu Nsuo,” which made the audience realise Amakye Dede’s grandeur.
Amakye Dede capped his honour with a musical performance of “Mmaa Pe sokoo,” perhaps one of his most hit songs, which turned out to be faultless and one of the night’s highlights.
In an emotional statement, the iconic artist expressed gratitude to those who had supported him over the years, telling them he loved them to the fullest.
Amakye Dede’s musical journey began when he joined the Kumapim Royals, a renowned Highlife band led by AkwasiAmpofo Agyei (AAA), as a composer and a vocalist, one of Ghana’s Highlife legends.
He later established his own music group, the Apollo High Kings, recognized for delivering numerous Highlife hits throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
With a discography reflecting twenty (20) albums to his credit and a vast repertoire of songs, Amakye’s immense contribution has not only shaped the Highlife landscape but also inspired different generations of artistes and music lovers.
The “Iron Boy”, as he is affectionately called by Ghanaians, had over the years explored diverse genres like Soca, Calypso, Lovers Rock as well as Highlife.
GNA