A Renowned Musicologist Prof. John Collins has acknowledged Germany’s role over the years in the development and the introduction of a new breathe into Ghana’s music industry known as “Burger Highlife”.

Speaking on “From Highlife to Burger Highlife” at a lecture organised by the Goethe-Institute in Accra, Prof. Collins stated that at one point in time when military takeovers of political power in Ghana nearly led to the demise of Highlife because the dictates of those regimes were not favourable for the survival of Highlife, it was Germany that opened it doors to Ghanaian musicians who were fleeing military dictatorship.

Prof. Collins, who is also a lecturer at the Department of Music, University of Ghana, stated that when Ghanaian musicians like Pat Thomas, George Darko, Charles Amoah and Daddy Lumba went to Germany in the late 1970s and early 1980s, they came back home with a new brand of Ghanaian music known as “Burger Highlife.

Recounting how ‘highlife’ became synonymous with Ghana’s music, Prof Collins who has spent his whole life in Ghana, said the word “highlife” emerged in the 19020s when the illiterate populace referred to those dancing to such music as living “high life” hence the name High-life.

Making a case on “practical Experiences – the Exodus of Ghanaian popular musicians during the curfews; the impact of German technology on the development of the Ghanaian Music Industry”, Mr. Faisal Helwani, the legendary Ghanaian music Producer and CEO of Bibini Music said for 37 years, Ghana did not have any music but only mediocrity but through his (Faisal’s) ingenuity, he was able to initiate the introduction of the copy right law in 1979.

Mr. Helwani further disclosed that he formed the Musician Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) to fight those who were in the helm of affairs because “they were stealing what belonged to musicians”.

He however described ‘hiplife’ as rubbish because he believed it did not have anything better to offer the public.

He described the music industry in Ghana as very frustrating and demoralizing for people who love to promote music in this country.

A grand finale concert will be held in Accra on 21st April at the National Theatre and Kumasi on 28th April at the Cultural Centre.