AMAKYE DEDE ''IRON BOY'' (GHANA,1997) @ [128k]

AMAKYE DEDE

''IRON BOY''

(GHANA, 1997) @

Dan Amakye Dede is a Ghanaian musician. He is one of Ghana's premier highlife artistes and is called "Iron Boy", "the highlife maestro" and "Abrantie" (Gentleman). Amakye Dede was born in Agogo, Ashanti Akim. He attended Agogo Roman School.

Dede began his career in 1973 when he joined the Kumapim Royals as a composer and vocalist. This band, led by Akwasi Ampofo Agyei (AAA), had hits like Abebi Bewua Eso, Wanware Me A, Odo Mani Agyina and the seminal Ohohoo Batani. Dede moved to Nigeria where he had his hit Jealousy go shame.

He then formed his own band, the Apollo High Kings, in 1980. He dominated the highlife scene in the 1980s and 1990s and continues to have hit songs in the 21st century.

He has almost 20 albums to his credit. In his later career, he experimented with different genres; soca, calypso, lovers rock and pop music.

He owns a very popular bar in Accra called Abrantee Spot, where he helps celebrate live-band music.

Some of his popular songs include Handkerchief, Seniwa, Brebrebe yi, Mensuro, Mabre, Broken Promises, Nsuo Amuna, Sokoo na mmaa pe, Kose kose, Dabi dabi, Mefre wo, Okyena sesei, Odo nfonii, Nka akyi, M'ani agyina, To be a man na war, and Iron Boy.

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The energetic evergreen live band music legend, Amakye Dede thrilled scores of revelers at his December 27 concert, 'Abrantie Amakye Dede Live In Concert' at the Accra International Conference Centre. Among the many highlights of the hugely successful and well patronized concert was the musician's most bold attempt with the English language yet! In an uncharacteristic manner, Amakye Dede spent minutes addressing the crowd in English language instead of his more familiar tongue, Twi.

In spite of some hits and misses, one thing that was clear in his speech was his appreciation of the support of Ghanaian throughout the decades that he has been performing. And of course his now infamous catch phrase, 'serious' couldn't go unnoticed.

Abrantie Amakye Dede in his interaction with the crowd which included former President John Agyekum Kufuor, remarked that he has now grown from being the 'iron boy' to an 'iron man' just before he performed his hit song, 'Iron Boy'.

The 'Abrantie Amakye Dede Live In Concert' was also supported by Kwabena Kwabena, Daasebre Gyamena, and No Tribe.

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