A lot of dignitaries gathered at the Tema Community 8 No 2 JHS Park yesterday, November 5, 2022 to pay tribute to the late highlife musician AB Crentsil who passed away on July 13, 2022.
Present among the personalities was Former President John Drama Mahama who commiserated with the family and stakeholders of the music industry for the loss of their illustrious son.
He also shared his fondest memory of AB Crentsil, recounting his popular ‘Atia’ experience at Bolgatanga.
Other dignitaries who attended the funeral, include the Deputy Minister of Tourism Arts and Culture, Mark Okraku Mantey, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan John Kyerematen (Alan Cash) and former Chief of Staff Julius Debrah.
Alan Kyerematen and John Mahama at the funeral of AB Crentsil #GhanaWeekend pic.twitter.com/zqtRO79rjY
— Ghana Weekend (@GhanaWeekend) November 5, 2022
Musicians like Sarkodie, Keche Andrew, Kuami Eugene, Smart Nkansah, Empress Gifty, Diana Hopeson, Asabea Cropper, Donzy also attended the funeral.
Others were Nana Fynn, Tagoe Sisters, D-Cryme, Amandzeba, Charles Amoah, Akwaboah Snr, Obuoba JA Adofo, Pat Thomas, among others.
A.B. Crentsil was born in Tarkwa in 1943. He played in the El Dorados Band, Sweet Talks, Talk Of The Town Band and later his own Ahenfo Band.
Alfred Benjamin Crentsil (born 1950) began his musical career with the El Dorados of the State Aboso Glass Factory and the Lantics in Takoradi.
Then, in 1973, he joined the Sweet Talks that included Eric Agyeman, Smart Kwaku Nkansah and Pope Flynn.
This group was the resident band of the Talk of the Town Nightclub in Tema owned by Jonathan Abrahams, the brother of the highlife singer Joe Mensah.
Crentsil’s Sweet Talks (later re-named Super Sweet Talks) released albums such as ‘Adam and Eve’, ‘Mbesiafo Nto Nsa’, ‘Kusum Beat’, ‘Spiritual Ghana’ and also ‘Hollywood Highlife Party’ recorded in the United States.
In 1979, the group broke up. Whilst its lead guitarist Smart Nkansah moved on to form the Black Hustlers and then Sunsum, Crentsil set up the Super Brains, which released (featuring guitarist Smart Nkansah) the song ‘Atia’ which warns of the danger of drinking too much local gin. Crentsil then formed Ahenfo (Kings) in 1982 which released ‘Tantie Alaba’ and the controversial and erotic song ‘Moses’.
During the 1980s, Crentsil mainly recorded in Canada and his band toured abroad extensively. His top 1980s releases include ‘Kafo Mpo Dzidzi’, ‘Abrokyiri Abrabo’, ‘Party Time with The Stars’ and ‘Toronto by Night’. More recent recordings are ‘Highlife in Canada’ and a 1991 re-release by World Circuit Records of his ‘Hollywood Highlife Party’. Since the 1990s, many of his hits have also been released on CD by the UK-based companies World Circuit Records and Sterns.
In the mid-2000s, he teamed up with the highlife artist Obour to produce a collaborative highlife-hiplife album. Crentsil still makes occasional appearances, for instance at the Highlife Festivals and Parties organized periodically in Accra by Mark Okraku-Mantey of Slip Music.
AB Crentsil is known for songs such as ‘Moses’, ‘Atia’, ‘Angelina’, ‘Papa Samo’, ‘Yewo Adze Oye’, among others.
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By: Kwame Dadzie | Ghana Weekend
