Entertainment
Name a VGMA category after Jerry Hansen – Sammy Rasta
Entertainment pundit and movie director, Samuel Owusu Asare, affectionately called Sammy Rasta has appealed to the organisers of Vodafone Ghana Music Awards, Charterhouse to name one of the categories after the late Jerry Hansen.
According to him, if you consider the contributions of Jerry Hansen to Ghana’s music industry and history, he deserves this honour.
Speaking on Power FM Entertainment Show hosted by Agyemang Prempeh, he said, for being a founding member and first President of the Musicians Union of Ghana(MUSIGA), as well as founding Ramblers International Band, which won many accolades as well as trained many, the late Jerry Hansen deserves this recognition.
He noted that this man through his leadership skills coupled with his creativity has shaped Ghana music which deserves some appreciation.
For this reason, he said it is about time the organisers make a decision to name one of the categories after the legend.
Aside from his leadership qualities, Sammy Rasta added that Jerry Hansen was an instrumentalist, a composer, and a singer among others.
“When a category is named after him, everyone would want to read about him, and by so doing history would be preserved,” he said.
He said celebrating legends who have passed or living for their contribution is not about organising parties but using honours like this to keep their legacies.
Sammy Rasta made these remarks following an interview by Shegah daughter of the late Jerry Hansen on Original FM where she express disappointment at how the contribution of her father and others have not been celebrated.
About the late Jerry Hansen
Mr. Hansen (his showbiz name) was born on 23rd February, 1927 at Ashanti Bekwai, to Maami Senkire and Johney Hansen, a pharmacist.
He was named John William Hansen and at the age of five years was enrolled in the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) School at Bekwai, where he was first exposed to music.
His then teacher, Mr. Stoke had a huge Piano Accordion which at the time brought the church to life when he got up to solo or accompanying the choir to perform.
Hansen admired both the teacher’s performance and instrument so much that, he tried following him wherever he went, though he never got the chance of trying his hands on the musical instrument.
In 1939, Hansen left Bekwai to Koforidua where he attended the Methodist School. He later gained admission to Achimota School in Accra where he started the real study of music under Ms. Parnell and Mr. Philip Gbeho. He then moved to Accra Academy which he completed in 1947 after obtaining their Oxford and Cambridge certificates.
Shortly after completion, he got a job with the United African Company (UAC). Within two years of working for UAC, Hansen was offered a scholarship to train as an optical mechanic, specializing in the maintenance of cameras and microscopes among others in Germany.
While in Accra, Hansen’s interest in music made him join the Accra Orchestra which had King Bruce as one of its members around 1949. Though he was not good at playing any of the instruments at the time, only carrying them, gained him entrance into their performances.
Then in 1952, King Bruce formed the BLACK BEATS and convinced him (Jerry Hansen) to join it. Jerry Hansen played for the Black Beats from 1952 to 1961 when he left that band to form RABLERS International Band with guys like Eddie Owoo, Frank Coffie, Kwesi Forson, and Aryee Hammond among others.
The band which has since been under his leadership, has over 200 songs. Popular among the songs are Ama Bonsu, Ewuraba Atifical Owuo, Egyanka Dabre and Knock on Wood, a song composed by Eddie Floyd of USA but played by Ramblers.
RAMBLERS was the resident band of Star Hotel in the sixties and occasionally performed at Ambassador Hotel and other places including state functions.
The band excelled in its performances so well that it was made to perform at official functions involving foreign dignitaries in the country.
The biggest event on Ghana’s entertainment calendar is set for a night of honours, pomp, and pageantry.
It is a night where musicians who excelled during the year under review will be rewarded through the endorsement of the Telecel Ghana Music Awards Board, the Academy, and the general public.
The Grand Arena, the ideal venue for the 27th TGMA, will host a star-studded audience of musicians, media personalities, businessmen, politicians, actors, and footballers among others.
On this night, the most coveted prize is the Artiste of the Year (AOTY) category, which will see the crowning of a new king or queen of Ghana music.
Two heavyweights in the category, Stonebwoy and Sarkodie, have the opportunity to set an enviable record as the only artistes to win the coveted title for a third time.
Should they fall short, the opportunity shifts to Black Sherif and Diana Hamilton to equal the record of two wins, joining the elite ranks of past double-winners like VIP.
A win for Diana Hamilton, will set her up in a lonely journey at the top as the only gospel musician, to win the Artiste of the Year for the second time.
Alternatively, Wendy Shay could make her debut by winning the award for the first time. This would make her team up with Diana Hamilton as the only female artistes alive to hold the title. The late Ebony, won it posthumously in 2018.
If the title slips past them and falls to Medikal, he will also become a first-time winner, etching his name into the annals of Ghana music history.
Patrons can look forward to electrifying performances from a long list of confirmed artistes, including Black Sherif, Diana Hamilton, Piesie Esther, R2Bees, Medikal, Wendy Shay, Lasmid, Kofi Kinaata, Samini, and Fido, among others.
Beyond the ultimate prize, several other major categories are up for grabs, including Music Video of the Year, New Artiste of the Year, Gospel Artiste of the Year, Most Popular Song of the Year, and Songwriter of the Year.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The fourth edition of International AmoFest lived up to its promise on Saturday, May 2, delivering a vibrant “three-in-one” experience that left the audience at Alliance Française in Accra buzzing.
The night was a masterful blend of sound and stagecraft. Berima Amo, the visionary behind the festival, led an impressive lineup of performers, including Pedro Kastelijns, Martha Apini, Rudy Ray, and Lamisi.
Together, they showcased a fusion of global music and authentic Ghanaian Highlife, staying true to the festival’s mission of preserving Ghana’s original rhythmic soul.
Adding a unique layer to the evening, Uncle Ebo Whyte’s Roverman Productions took to the stage, blending theater with the night’s musical energy.
The experience concluded with a high-energy after-party, fulfilling Berima Amo’s goal of creating a truly immersive and memorable night.
Reflecting on the event’s purpose, Amo emphasised the need for intentionality in protecting Highlife.
He called on every Ghanaian, as well as government institutions, to actively foster an environment where the genre can thrive on the global stage.
The main event followed a successful educational outreach on April 24, where over 250 high school students participated in a Highlife workshop at the Centre for National Culture.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
