Imajin Advertising, organizers of the event, made it public at an impressive ceremony held at the Oak Plaza Hotel in Accra on Thursday.
The choice of Crentsil would come as a surprise to most people, after series of media speculations said it was going to be Kojo Antwi. The organizers opted for AB Crentsil after a deal with Antwi was not reached.
Accepting to be part of this year’s event, he told a gathering of media men and corporate heads present that he was delighted to have been chosen to lead the 2013 edition, adding “i feel honoured. It is a good thing that would help me.”
The organizers added that this year’s, would see an improvement, giving patrons value for their tickets worth. Legends and Legacy Ball 2013 takes place at the Conference Centre on November 30 2013 with other supporting artistes performing some of A.B Centsil’s hit songs in his presence.
Mr. Alfred Benjamin Crentsil was born on the 15th of January 1944 at Prestea, A gold mining area in the western region of Ghana. He is the son of Mr. Alfred Benjamin Crenstil ESQ and Madam Mary Yawson who hails from Awoya, Saltpong in the central region of Ghana. AB had his primary education at Takoradi Methodist primary in the early 1950s and completed at the reverend Cleland memorial middle school in 1966 also at Takoradi. He was employed at the electrical engineering department of the Ghana Railway Corporation, Takoradi in 1966 as electrical apprentice.
Along the line, he joined a group called the strollers dance band at Takoradi Amanful in 1967 under the management of the late Kwesi Donkor as a lead vocalist. Mr. AB. Crenstillater became a full time musician and was one of the pioneers who formed a band named the El-Dorados at Aboso glass factory in 1970 as a lead vocalist and a rhythm guitarist.
Mr. Crenstil then got married to miss Elizabeth Quansah now Mrs. Elizabeth Crenstil in 1970 and they are now blessed with seven children (three males and four females) namely Alfred Joseph, Alfred Ekow, Alfred Kwaku, Evelyn, Juliana, Irene and Alberta Crenstil.
Later AB. Crenstil and the rest of the group moved to the Harbour city of Takoradi to form a resident band known as the LANTICS band at Atlantic Hotel in 1972 and recorded ABU ROW KRUDUKRUDU and ALICE PACK AND GO which became an instant hit.
The group then left the LANTICS band of Atlantic hotel in 1974 to form another band known as SWEET TALKS INT. BAND at TALK OF THE TOWN HOTEL in Tema under the management of Mr. Jonathan Abraham. A.B. Crentsil ruled over Ghana's highlife scene in the '70s.
Accompanied by guitarist Smart Nkansah, drummer J Y Thorty, keyboardist and drummer Max Cozy, frugal horns player Atta Kennedy, trumpeter Tommy King, Kelly Koomson, Saxophonist Mr Owusu, base players Atta kojo, Akwasi Cropper, Eugene Akuffo Cropper, and Eugenia Asabea Cropper, Joel Ackah and second vocalist Pope Flynn, Sweet Talks made its debut in December 1973. Their first hit came two years later with "Adam and Eve," the first of series of double entendre-laden tunes. A.B continued composing and recording songs with SWEET TALKS INT. BRAD. Some of the recorded songs were ADAM AND EVE, MBASIAFO NTO NSA, OSOODE, KUSUM BEAT, GYAE SU GYAE NKOMO(SPIRITUAL GHANA), OSOOKO, etc.
A.B. Crenstil then left SWEET TALKS INT. BAND in 1979 and formed his own band known as AHENFO band and continued to record more hits such as ADJOA, THE LORD'S PRAYER, ATIA, MOSES, TORONTO BY NIGHT, YOU DEVIL GO AWAY FROM ME, etc. He has serenaded Ghanaians with so many beautiful songs some of which have been afore mentioned.
But his controversial song Moses, which is one his most successful singles readily, comes to mind when A.B Crenstil's name is mentioned. The song was a massive hit during the time of its release and still a favorite of most fans of A. B Crenstil. About three years ago, he remixed some of his hit songs notably Angelina, Juliana, etc with Obour, who is currently the president of the Musicians union of Ghana (MUSIGA) and they were all instant hits.
He has over has 20 rollicking albums to his credit and has received several awards and recognitions both locally and internationally. With 25 years of experience in the music business Mr. Crentsil has won numerous Ghanaian Music Awards including the Fontomfrom Evergreen Award which is a special honor bestowed upon a musician with 15-20 years of continuous music experience.
ECRAG Flagstar awards in 86, 87, the Leisure concert group of the year 1988, leisure song of the year 1988, with the cassette album dubbed "Devil". He was also the winner of Flagstar in 1988 for contributing to development of contemporary Ghanaian highlife music internationally, through live performances and regular record releases.
In 1990, the national commission of culture conferred on him, the highlife Nkosofoo award. Of the entire awards he has received, the one he holds most dear to his heart is the award he received from President Kufour in 2006. He was honored with a gold medal for distinguishing himself in music in Ghana and abroad.
He often mentions Adwoa Bomba on almost all his albums. The name happens to belong to his wife whose official name is Elizabeth Crenstil, without whose love, support and counseling, he admits he
wouldn't have come this far. He is indeed a gifted professor of music.
For your scintillating music over the years on the local and international scene, we say Ayekoo.
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