Charles Kofi Amankwaa Mann (1936 – March 20, 2018), known as C. K. Mann, was a
Ghanaian highlife musician and producer. His music career spanned over four decades; he won multiple awards for his songs. He was awarded the
Grand Medal of Ghana by
John Agyekum Kufour in 2006.
Life and career
C. K. Mann was born in 1936
in
Cape Coast
Cape Coast is a city, fishing port, and the capital of Cape Coast Metropolitan District and Central Region of Ghana. It is one of the country's most historic cities, a World Heritage Site, home to the Cape Coast Castle, with the Gulf of Guinea ...
in the
Central Region of Ghana. He worked briefly as a seaman before joining Moses Kweku Oppong's
Kakaiku band.
After familiarizing himself with the Ghanaian music scene, he joined Ocean Strings and led the band until 1965. When the band was disbanded, he joined a newly formed band in
Takoradi
Sekondi-Takoradi is a city in Ghana comprising the twin cities of Sekondi and Takoradi. It is the capital of Sekondi – Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly and the Western Region of Ghana. Sekondi-Takoradi is the region's largest city and an indus ...
, The Carousel 7. He came to prominence in 1969 when he released his single "''Edina Benya''". It was he who impressed on the band's owner, Anis Mubarak, to sign
Paapa Yankson to the group.
Mann added Western musical instruments to ''Osode'', the traditional music of Ghanaian fishermen rhythms.
Mann died in at the Ghana Ports and Harbour Authority (GHAPOHA) hospital in Takoradi on March 20, 2018, after an unspecified disease intensified the previous December.
Discography
Mann had several hit songs, including "Adwoa Yankey", "Asafo beesuon", "Obaa yaa aye me bone", "Kolomashie", "Dofo bi akyerew me", "Ankwasema dede", "Okwan tsentsen awar", "Aboa akonkoran", "Beebi a odo wo", "Tsie m'afotusem", "Ebusua ape adze aye me", "Yebeyi wo aye", and "Do me ma mondo wo bi".
His last album, ''Wope Nye Ho'' was produced by West Gold Music Studio in Takoradi and released in 2013.
Recognition
In 2006, Mann was awarded the
Grand Medal of Ghana during the 2006
National Honours and Awards Ceremony by President
John Agyekum Kufour in recognition of his contribution to Ghanaian music.
He was among the first recipients of this award after the ceremony was revamped in 2006.
A street in
Anaji
Anaji is a town in the Western region of Ghana. It is 10 kilometres from the centre Takoradi, the Western regional capital.
Boundaries
The town is bordered on the north by Namibia (a suburb of Takoradi), to the West by Kansaworodo, to the east ...
(a suburb of
Takoradi
Sekondi-Takoradi is a city in Ghana comprising the twin cities of Sekondi and Takoradi. It is the capital of Sekondi – Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly and the Western Region of Ghana. Sekondi-Takoradi is the region's largest city and an indus ...
) has been named after Mann.
See also
*
List of African musicians
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mann, C, K,
1936 births
2018 deaths
Ghanaian highlife musicians
People from Central Region (Ghana)
Ghanaian producers