Being a guitarist, George Darko excelled above his colleagues - Zap Mallet

"He played well when it came to the 'Yaa Amponsah' and other Highlife approaches. He was fantastic playing jazz, blues, and other genres as well. He has amazing musicianship on recordings. 

There was a moment when every decent guitarist ought to be familiar with his solos. According to Mallet, if a musician was not familiar with George Darko's solos, they were not a valuable member of their band.

George Darko is widely recognized for having contributed to revitalizing Ghanaian popular music through his "funkified" version of Highlife, which became known as Burger Highlife. His Bus Stop band released the revolutionary song "Akoo te Brofo" off his Friends album (1983). 

At that time, the band's members included Kwame Sometimer on bass, Stephan Mills on saxophone, George Darko on guitar, Amo Jagger on drums, Bob Fiscian on keyboards, and Lee Duodu on vocals.

Guitarist, writer, arranger, producer, and performer George Darko was quite active. It is impossible to overlook his contribution to Highlife. In remembrance of George Darko, who passed away at the age of 73, Bessa Simons, President of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), said: "His efforts helped grow Highlife."

originating in the Eastern Region in Akropong Akuapem. He first became interested in music during his time at Okuapeman Secondary School, where he studied guitar performance. He made the decision to pursue a career in music after departing from Okuapeman in 1969, and he got the opportunity to perform with groups including Soul Believers, Reborn Avengers, and the 4th Dimension. 

In 1977, he fled Ghana in search of better opportunities in Germany, where he founded the Sikadwa (Golden Stool) Band with a few other musicians from Ghana. This band later changed its name to Fire Connexion. He left Fire Connexion to start his own band, Bus Stop, to perform his unique brand of Highlife.

Ghanaian singer-drummer Ekow Alabi Savage, who currently resides in Germany, expressed his eternal gratitude to George Darko for giving him the opportunity to perform the Western drum set with a band for the first time in Europe in 1980.

"I performed on percussion and sang. Unfortunately, the drummer for the Sikadwa Band was unavailable for the concert. We practiced for two days, and the performance went off without a hitch thanks to George Darko's convincing that I could play the drum set. George Darko helped reposition Highlife, and I view him as a revolutionary.

In 1985, Darko's Fontom F Band followed Bus Stop. The band consisted of Ralph Karikari on bass, Atta Boison on drums, Bob Fiscian on keyboards, George Darko on guitar, and Stephan Mills on saxophone. 

The experienced guitarist continued to perform with various musicians in the following years, going under the names George Darko and Friends, George Darko and Band, and the Ghana Empire Band. 

Although he has never met George Darko in person, young guitarist Prince Hakeem Matthews, the current Instrumentalist of the Year winner at the Ghana songs Awards, said he was aware of his songs and appreciated his playing. 

I really liked the Blues vibe he exuded. He had an impact on my music," Prince Hakeem remarked.

The Okuapeman Jazz Festival was founded by George Darko in August 2013, however it was unable to sustain itself after its inaugural performance at the Palm Hill Hotel in Akropong Akuapem because of a lack of funding.

The globe has greatly profited from the inventiveness of musicians who combined familiar home flavors with concepts they found elsewhere to create their delectable concoctions. 

We will always remember George Darko as we continue to listen to songs like African Girl, Odo Colour, Prempremsiwa, Adikanfo, Moni Palava, and Akoo te Brofo. He was one such guy.