NANA AMPADU I : MENTOR SAESON 5 HI-LIFE (TRAINER)

In TV3's unmatched reality show Mentor season 5, Nana is the trainer in the High-life category and his contestants are Ama, Lee, Getty, Nana and Y.F.

Nana Kwame Ampadu I was born to Opanin Kwame Ampadu, the then head of the Asona clan of Obo Kwahu in the Eastern Region of Ghana, and madam Mercy Afua Ntiriwaa, a staunch presbyter also of Obo Kwahu.

Nana Kwame Ampadu was born at on March 31st, 1945 and was named Kwame Ampadu after his father. Little Ampadu was enrolled into the Obo Roman Catholic Primary School from 1950-1952 where his parents took him to the village Adeemmra near Aboam in the Afframs Plains and had continuation of his schooling from class three to standard three (3), now class six and completed the junior or primary school in 1955.

Ampadu was so cute and tiny that people took him to be a child and would not be convinced that he was a middle school leaver who could be considered for a job. This was in 1960. After a few months of sojourn in the capital city, Accra, Kwame Ampadu or this time Patrick Kwame Ampadu was called to take a job as a messenger with the Ministry of Agriculture at Kwahu Mpraeso.

Ampadu, at times sang to entertain some of his friends and admirers. Before he could see the 10th month of his employment he abandoned his post and fled to Accra again. A schoolmate, one Noah, who was a guitarist, had gone to invite young Ampadu to quit his job to come and join him in Accra where they would manage to form a band. So, he finally arrived in Accra, but upon inquiries about Noah he became disappointed, Noah has gone to Agogo and from indications, he was not coming back to stay in Accra. Ampadu, though disappointed, never lost hope.

In 1964, young Ampadu met Mr. Jerry Hansen, leader and founder of the Ramblers Dance band and cultivated his acquaintance where Ampadu gave Jerry eight songs in all for free which the Ramblers Band recorded. Some of the songs are Ntoboase, Afutusem, Scholarship, Me Nsoromma Bepue. All these songs became hit tracks. One good turn deserves another.

In 1967 alone, his group of band recorded 8 songs for the Ambassador records and 16 songs for G.F.I.C. Between 1968 and 1978 where Nana Ampadu requested for the abrogation of its contract with Mr. D.K Nyarko, the group had released not less than 400 single tracks.

Year after year the African Brothers Band Int. released hits and sensational song tracks. In 1972, the government of Ghana, N.L.C organized a nationwide big and small bands competition to select the best hilife band. The final was held in at the REX CENEMA in Accra and in the end, the African Brothers Band Int. emerged as the winners and P.S.K AMPADU was crowned at the Arts Council of Ghana by the state on February 10th 1973 where the title of Nwontofohene Nana Kwame Ampadu was conferred on him.