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:''This article is about the singer. For the album, see Bo Diddley (album). For the song, see Bo Diddley (song)''.
'Bo Diddley' (born December 30, 1928) aka "'The Originator'" of Rock 'N' Roll, is an influential American rock and roll singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is often cited as the key figure in the transition of blues into rock and roll, by introducing more insistent, driving rhythms and a hard edged guitar sound. He is also remembered for his characteristic rectangular-shaped guitar.
He was born 'Ellas Otha Bates' in McComb, Mississippi and later took the name 'Ellas O. B. McDaniel', after his adoptive mother, Gussie McDaniel. The stage name is named after a one-stringed African instrument (guitar).
Ellas was given a guitar by his sister as a youth, but also took violin lessons. He was inspired to become a guitarist by seeing John Lee Hooker and realizing there were virtually no African-Americans visible in Classical music at the time.
Bo Diddley is best known for the "Bo Diddley beat", a rumba-like beat (see clave) similar to "hambone", a style used by street performers who play out the beat by slapping and patting their arms, legs, chest, and cheeks while chanting rhymes. Diddley came across the beat while trying to play Gene Autry's "(I've Got Spurs That) Jingle, Jangle, Jingle". [1]
In its simplest form, the Bo Diddley beat can be counted out as a two-bar phrase:
:'One' and two 'and' three and 'four' and one and 'two' and 'three' and four and
The 'bolded' counts are the ''clave'' rhythm.
The beat has been used by many other artists, notably Elvis Presley ("His Latest Flame"); U2 ("Desire"); The Smiths ("How Soon Is Now?", "Rusholme Ruffians"); Johnnie Otis ("Willie and the Hand Jive"); George Michael ("Faith"); The Strangeloves and BowWowWow ("I Want Candy"); Guns N' Roses ("Mr. Brownstone"); David Bowie ("Panic in Detroit") and The Stooges ("1969"). The early The Rolling Stones sound was strongly associated with their versions of "Not Fade Away" and "I Need You Baby (Mona)".
In his own recordings, Bo Diddley used a variety of rhythms, however, from straight back beat to pop ballad style, frequently with maracas by Jerome Green. He was also an extremely influential guitar player, instigating the use of many special effects that would prove essential to rock-n-roll such as auto-tremolo,reverb as used by The Doors, echo popularized in surf-rock, distortion used by Jimi Hendrix, as well as other innovations in tone and attack such as string scratching, a sound produced by dragging the guitar pick the length of the guitar string as heard in the song "Road Runner". Before the invention of the stage monitor, Bo Diddley built his own double-sided speaker cabinets, which allowed musicians on stage to hear the sound that was projected to the audience. After attending a Bo Diddley concert with his father, a young Hartley Peavey, founder of Peavey Musical Instruments, insisted that his father help him build his own "monster amplifier like the one Diddley constructed for his personal use. His self-designed guitars were light-years ahead of anything that was commercially available at the time and included a guitar body recreated to look like that of a 1955 Cadillac tail fin and a fur-covered guitar. Equally integral to the "Bo Diddley sound" is the fact that Bo Diddley received violin lessons as a child in his church. He plays the violin on his mournful instrumental "The Clock Strikes Twelve", a 12-bar blues, but more importantly, he transferred the violin tuning or Sebastapol tuning to the guitar. His sound cannot be properly created without tuning the guitar: 1st string E 329.6; 2nd string B 246.9; 3rd string G sharp 207.6; 4th string E 164.8; 5th string A 110.0; 6th string E 82.4
Rhythm is important in Bo Diddley's music but harmony is also important and exercised through chord voicing and chord inversion, often mimicking choral voicing such as those heard in African-American gospel music. In the song "Bo Diddley" he mimicks the "chugging" sound of a train by playing an unfretted, or "open" hand muted E Major while the chord transition of E Major (fret 12) to D Major (fret 10)mimics the sound of a train whistle. Songs like "Who Do You Love?" are seen as the precursor to heavy metal and punk rock and often have no chord changes; that is, the musicians play the same chord throughout the piece, so that excitement is created by the rhythm, rather than by harmonic tension and release.
Bo Diddley recorded for Chicago's Chess Records subsidiary label Checker.
On November 20, 1955, he was the first African-American to appear on ''The Ed Sullivan Show'', only to infuriate him ("I did two songs and he got mad." Bo Diddley later recalls, "Ed Sullivan said that I was one of the first niggers to ever double-cross him. Said that I wouldn't last six months."). Bo Diddley was asked to sing Tennessee Ernie Ford's hit "Sixteen Tons". But when he appeared on stage, he sang his #1 R&B hit "Bo Diddley." He was banned from further appearances. The Doors and comedian Jackie Mason would later join Bo Diddley on the list of performers banned from the Ed Sullivan Show.
Although Bo Diddley was a breakthrough crossover artist with white audiences, appearing on the Alan Freed concerts, for instance, he rarely tailored his compositions to teenage concerns. The most notable exception is probably his album ''Surfin' With Bo Diddley'', which featured "Surfer's Love Call", and while Bo Diddley may never have hung ten in his baggies to catch the big wave, he was definitely an influence on surf guitar players.
His lyrics are often witty and humorous adaptations of folk music themes. His first hit, "Bo Diddley" was based on the lullaby "Hush Little Baby". (Three years before Bo's "Bo Diddley," a song that closely resembles it, "Hambone," was cut by Red Saunders' Orchestra with The Hambone Kids.) Likewise, "Hey Bo Diddley" is based on the folk song, "Old Macdonald". The rap-style boasting of "Who Do You Love", a wordplay on hoodoo, used many striking lyrics from the African-American tradition of toasts and boasts. His "Say Man" and "Say Man, Back Again" have been connected with rap, but the records actually feature the insults known as the dozens, for example "You got the nerve to call somebody ugly, why you so ugly the stork that brought you into the world ought to be arrested".[1]
In addition to the many songs identified with him, he wrote the pioneering pop tune "Love Is Strange" for Mickey and Sylvia under a pseudonym.
Over the decades, his performances have ranged from sweaty Chicago clubs to rock and roll oldies tours and even as an opening act for The Clash and a guest for the Rolling Stones. On March 28, 1972, he played with The Grateful Dead at the Academy of Music in New York City. This concert was released for the Dead's ''Dick's Picks Volume 30''.
Bo Diddley was one of the first musicians to have women in his band; Peggy Jones (aka Lady Bo), Norma-Jean Wofford (aka Duchess) and Cornelia Redmond (aka Cookie).
His trademark instrument is the rectangular-bodied Gretsch nicknamed The Twang Machine guitar that he developed and wielded in thousands of concerts over the years (although he has had other similar-shaped guitars made for him by other manufacturers). In a 2005 interview on JJJ radio in Australia, Bo implied that the design was born from embarrassment. In an early gig, he was jumping around on stage with a Gibson L5 guitar, he landed awkwardly hurting his groin. He then went about designing a smaller, less restrictive guitar so he could keep jumping around.
In recent years, Bo Diddley has received numerous accolades in recognition of his role as one of the founding fathers of rock and roll. In 1986, he was inducted into the Washington Area Music Association's Hall of Fame. The following year saw his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. In 1996, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. The following years saw his 1955 recording of his song "Bo Diddley" inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame as a recording of lasting qualitative or historical significance and he received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998.
The start of the new millennium saw Bo Diddley inducted into the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame and into the North Florida Music Association's Hall of Fame. In 2002, he received a Pioneer in Entertainment Award from the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters and a Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI) Icon Award in recognition of his many contributions to contemporary music.
In 2003, tribute was paid to Bo Diddley in the United States House of Representatives by Hon. John Conyers, Jr. of Michigan, who described him as "one of the true pioneers of rock and roll, who has influenced generations".
In 2004, Mickey and Sylvia's 1956 recording of his song "Love Is Strange" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame as a recording of qualitative or historical significance and he was inducted into the Blues Foundation's Blues Hall of Fame. In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked him #20 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[2].
In 2005, Bo Diddley celebrated his 50th anniversary in music with successful tours of Australia and Europe and with coast to coast shows across North America. He performed his song "Bo Diddley" with Eric Clapton and Robbie Robertson at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 20th annual induction ceremony and in the UK, Uncut magazine included his 1958 debut album "Bo Diddley" in its listing of the '100 Music, Movie & TV Moments That Have Changed The World'.
In 2006, Bo Diddley participated as the headliner of a grass-roots organized fundraiser concert, to benefit the town of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, which was devastated by the Hurricane Katrina. The 'Florida Keys for Katrina Relief' was originally set for 23 October, 2005, but Hurricane Wilma barreled through the Florida Keys on October 24 causing flooding and economic mayhem. In January 2006 the Florida Keys had recovered enough to host the fundraising concert to benefit the more hard hit community of Ocean Springs. When asked about the fundraiser Bo Diddley stated, "This is the United States of America. We believe in helping one another." See the video at [2]
He spent many years in New Mexico, not only as a musician, but as a law officer. He lived in Los Lunas from 1971 to 1978 while continuing his distinguished musical career. Bo Diddley served for two and a half years as Deputy Sheriff in the Valencia County Citizens' Patrol; during that time he personally purchased and donated three highway patrol pursuit cars.
He currently resides in Archer, Florida, a small farming town near Gainesville, Florida where he attends a born again Christian church with some of his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. He continues to tour around the world, and as of the summer of 2006 was planning to record some faith-based songs, at least some of which would be utilizing his own original music.
Bo Diddley performed a number of shows around the country in 2005 and 2006, with the Johnnie Johnson Band featuring the great Johnnie Johnson on keys, Richard Hunt on drums and Gus Thornton on bass.
His own songs have been frequently covered.
The Rolling Stones covered "Mona" as "I Need You Baby (Mona)" on their debut album. The Animals and Bob Seger both recorded "The Story of Bo Diddley". The Who, The Remains and The Yardbirds covered "I'm a Man"; whilst The Woolies, George Thorogood and Juicy Lucy had hits with "Who Do You Love", which was also covered by Quicksilver Messenger Service; and was a concert favorite of The Doors. Diddley's "Road Runner" was also frequently covered, including by Brownsville Station, Humble Pie and The Who in concert, and on Aerosmith's ''Honkin' on Bobo'' album. Guru Guru - a popular Krautrock band - performed "Bo Diddley" on their live album ''Essen 1970'', though the track cuts off rather abruptly at the twelve minute mark. Both Eric Clapton and Creedence Clearwater Revival covered "Before You Accuse Me", as well as the 13th Floor Elevators.
Muddy Waters' "Mannish Boy" (originally "Manish Boy") was an adaptation of Bo Diddley's "I'm a Man" and also an answer song, the title being Muddy Waters' take on his younger rival. "Say Man" was Bo Diddley's only Top 40 hit. David Lindley recorded a tribute song entitled "Pay Bo Diddley". The Jesus and Mary Chain covered "Who do you love" on their 12" "April skies" in 1987 and in the same year recorded a tribute song "Bo Diddley is Jesus" on a 2x7". Elliott Murphy used both his name and beat in his song "Bilbao Bo Diddley". Ronnie Hawkins recorded and covered "Hey Bo Diddley", "Bo Diddley" and "Who Do You Love" during his many recording sessions, including those with his backing band of the time, The Hawks, who later became known as The Band. The Finnish rock/blues band Max on the Rox also covered Who Do You Love in their second album, Rox II. Liverpool band The Stairs covered "You don't love me (you don't care)" on their 1992 ''Woman Gone And Say Goodbye'' ep.
Diddley was also very popular by proto-punk musicians and later in the punk scene. For example both the New York Dolls and The Lurkers recorded their own version of his song "Pills", and Diddley opened a number of concerts for The Clash.
Bo Diddley's song "Who Do You Love" can be heard sung by Bo and played by Los Lobos, in the intro credits to the movie ''La Bamba''.
He also appeared on a 2003 episode of the sitcom ''According to Jim'' entitled "Bo Diddley"
He also had a small role as a pawnbroker in the 1983 film ''Trading Places'' starring Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd. Bo shared a set with Aykroyd again in Blues Brothers 2000, this time as a guitarist.
Iggy Pop listed Bo as one of The Immortals in Rolling Stone magazine.
NOFX mentions Bo Diddley in their song "Buggley Eyes".
Bo Diddley was parodied on the british Comedy show Not Only... But Also... where he was portrayed by Dudley Moore as 'Bo Dudley.' the sketch centered around Bo describing the lyrics for his new song, 'Momma's Got a Brand New Bag, Yeah!' At the end of the sketch, when he is asked by the announcer, played by Peter Cook, if any on his songs might be ascociated with sex, Dudley replies: "Oh, no, and in any case I wouldn't sing that sort of garbage!"
On May 17, 2007, Bo Diddley was reported [3] to be in intensive care in Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska, following a stroke during a concert at Council Bluffs, Iowa on May 13. He has a history of hypertension and diabetes, and tests indicated that the stroke affected the left side of his brain, impairing his speech and speech recognition. His mobility has not been greatly affected but communication skills have been affected, at this point it is not known if he will be able to perform again. On 21 May, Diddley was moved out of intensive care to a regular ward at Creighton University hospital. [4] He was then released from hospital and began treatment near his home in Archer, Florida.
The pioneering rocker has recently relocated to his home, having improved his health.
On 28 August 2007, Bo Diddley was reported to have suffered a heart attack while undergoing a medical check-up. He was taken to the North Florida Regional Medical Center in Gainesville where he was reported to be in serious but stable condition.[5]
He left hospital on September 5 2007. A spokeswoman said : "Diddly is glad to be back home with his family and away from the hospital food."
★ ''Bo Diddley'' (1958)
★ ''Go Bo Diddley'' (1959)
★ ''Have Guitar-Will Travel'' (1960) [3]
★ ''Bo Diddley In The Spotlight'' (1960)
★ ''Bo Diddley Is A Gunslinger'' (1960) (Checker 2977) Album Cover
★ ''Bo Diddley Is A Lover'' (1961)
★ ''Bo Diddley's A Twister'' (1962)
★ ''Bo Diddley Deagles'' (1962)
★ ''Bo Diddley & Company'' (1962)
★ ''Surfin' with Bo Diddley'' (1963)
★ ''Bo Diddley's Beach Party'' (1963)
★ ''Bo Diddley's 16 All-Time Greatest Hits'' (1964)
★ ''Two Great Guitars'' (with Chuck Berry) (1964)
★ ''Hey Good Lookin' (1965)
★ ''500% More Man'' (1965)
★ ''The Originator'' (1966)
★ ''Super Blues'' (with Muddy Waters & Little Walter) (1967)
★ ''Super Super Blues Band'' (with Muddy Waters & Howlin' Wolf) (1967)
★ ''The Black Gladiator'' (1970)
★ ''Another Dimension'' (1971)
★ ''Where It All Began'' (1972)
★ ''Got My Own Bag of Tricks'' (1972)
★ ''The London Bo Diddley Sessions'' (1973)
★ ''Big Bad Bo'' (1974)
★ ''20th Anniversary of Rock & Roll'' (1976)
★ ''I'm A Man'' (1977)
★ ''Ain't It Good To Be Free'' (1983)
★ ''Bo Diddley - His Greatest Sides - Volume 1 (Chess Records CH-9106)'' (1984)
★ ''Bo Diddley & Co - Live'' (1985)
★ ''Hey...Bo Diddley in Concert'' (1986)
★ ''Breakin' Through The BS'' (1989)
★ ''Living Legend'' (1989)
★ ''Rare & Well Done'' (1991)
★ ''Live At The Ritz'' (with Ronnie Wood) (1992)
★ ''This Should Not Be'' (1993)
★ ''Promises'' (1994)
★ ''A Man Amongst Men'' (1996)
★ ''Moochas Gracias'' (with Anna Moo) (2002)
★ ''Dick's Picks #30'' (1972 5-song Live Session with The Grateful Dead) (2003)
1. "Say Man" (McDaniels) 1958
2. The Immortals: The First Fifty
3. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6664525.stm
4. http://www.sunherald.com/news/breaking_news/story/59667.html Sun Herald AAP report - Bo Diddley, improving after recent stroke, to be moved out of intensive care]
5. http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070828/people_nm/diddley_dc Rock pioneer Bo Diddley suffers heart attack
★ Chicago Blues Festival
★ Authorized Website Bo Diddley-The Originator
★ Discography Albums & Singles StarPulse.com/Music/Diddley, Bo
★ Who 2
Bo Diddley's emphasis on rhythm largely influenced popular music, especially that of rock and roll in the 1960s.
'Bo Diddley' (born December 30, 1928) aka "'The Originator'" of Rock 'N' Roll, is an influential American rock and roll singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is often cited as the key figure in the transition of blues into rock and roll, by introducing more insistent, driving rhythms and a hard edged guitar sound. He is also remembered for his characteristic rectangular-shaped guitar.
| Contents |
| Early life and career |
| Bo Diddley's rhythms |
| Career |
| Bo's signature guitar |
| The later years |
| Cover versions and tributes |
| 2007 illness |
| Discography |
| Notes |
| See also |
| External links |
Early life and career
He was born 'Ellas Otha Bates' in McComb, Mississippi and later took the name 'Ellas O. B. McDaniel', after his adoptive mother, Gussie McDaniel. The stage name is named after a one-stringed African instrument (guitar).
Ellas was given a guitar by his sister as a youth, but also took violin lessons. He was inspired to become a guitarist by seeing John Lee Hooker and realizing there were virtually no African-Americans visible in Classical music at the time.
Bo Diddley's rhythms
Bo Diddley is best known for the "Bo Diddley beat", a rumba-like beat (see clave) similar to "hambone", a style used by street performers who play out the beat by slapping and patting their arms, legs, chest, and cheeks while chanting rhymes. Diddley came across the beat while trying to play Gene Autry's "(I've Got Spurs That) Jingle, Jangle, Jingle". [1]
In its simplest form, the Bo Diddley beat can be counted out as a two-bar phrase:
:'One' and two 'and' three and 'four' and one and 'two' and 'three' and four and
The 'bolded' counts are the ''clave'' rhythm.
The beat has been used by many other artists, notably Elvis Presley ("His Latest Flame"); U2 ("Desire"); The Smiths ("How Soon Is Now?", "Rusholme Ruffians"); Johnnie Otis ("Willie and the Hand Jive"); George Michael ("Faith"); The Strangeloves and BowWowWow ("I Want Candy"); Guns N' Roses ("Mr. Brownstone"); David Bowie ("Panic in Detroit") and The Stooges ("1969"). The early The Rolling Stones sound was strongly associated with their versions of "Not Fade Away" and "I Need You Baby (Mona)".
In his own recordings, Bo Diddley used a variety of rhythms, however, from straight back beat to pop ballad style, frequently with maracas by Jerome Green. He was also an extremely influential guitar player, instigating the use of many special effects that would prove essential to rock-n-roll such as auto-tremolo,reverb as used by The Doors, echo popularized in surf-rock, distortion used by Jimi Hendrix, as well as other innovations in tone and attack such as string scratching, a sound produced by dragging the guitar pick the length of the guitar string as heard in the song "Road Runner". Before the invention of the stage monitor, Bo Diddley built his own double-sided speaker cabinets, which allowed musicians on stage to hear the sound that was projected to the audience. After attending a Bo Diddley concert with his father, a young Hartley Peavey, founder of Peavey Musical Instruments, insisted that his father help him build his own "monster amplifier like the one Diddley constructed for his personal use. His self-designed guitars were light-years ahead of anything that was commercially available at the time and included a guitar body recreated to look like that of a 1955 Cadillac tail fin and a fur-covered guitar. Equally integral to the "Bo Diddley sound" is the fact that Bo Diddley received violin lessons as a child in his church. He plays the violin on his mournful instrumental "The Clock Strikes Twelve", a 12-bar blues, but more importantly, he transferred the violin tuning or Sebastapol tuning to the guitar. His sound cannot be properly created without tuning the guitar: 1st string E 329.6; 2nd string B 246.9; 3rd string G sharp 207.6; 4th string E 164.8; 5th string A 110.0; 6th string E 82.4
Rhythm is important in Bo Diddley's music but harmony is also important and exercised through chord voicing and chord inversion, often mimicking choral voicing such as those heard in African-American gospel music. In the song "Bo Diddley" he mimicks the "chugging" sound of a train by playing an unfretted, or "open" hand muted E Major while the chord transition of E Major (fret 12) to D Major (fret 10)mimics the sound of a train whistle. Songs like "Who Do You Love?" are seen as the precursor to heavy metal and punk rock and often have no chord changes; that is, the musicians play the same chord throughout the piece, so that excitement is created by the rhythm, rather than by harmonic tension and release.
Bo Diddley and Sandy Gennaro playing drums together on "Hey Bo Diddley"
Career
Bo Diddley recorded for Chicago's Chess Records subsidiary label Checker.
On November 20, 1955, he was the first African-American to appear on ''The Ed Sullivan Show'', only to infuriate him ("I did two songs and he got mad." Bo Diddley later recalls, "Ed Sullivan said that I was one of the first niggers to ever double-cross him. Said that I wouldn't last six months."). Bo Diddley was asked to sing Tennessee Ernie Ford's hit "Sixteen Tons". But when he appeared on stage, he sang his #1 R&B hit "Bo Diddley." He was banned from further appearances. The Doors and comedian Jackie Mason would later join Bo Diddley on the list of performers banned from the Ed Sullivan Show.
Although Bo Diddley was a breakthrough crossover artist with white audiences, appearing on the Alan Freed concerts, for instance, he rarely tailored his compositions to teenage concerns. The most notable exception is probably his album ''Surfin' With Bo Diddley'', which featured "Surfer's Love Call", and while Bo Diddley may never have hung ten in his baggies to catch the big wave, he was definitely an influence on surf guitar players.
His lyrics are often witty and humorous adaptations of folk music themes. His first hit, "Bo Diddley" was based on the lullaby "Hush Little Baby". (Three years before Bo's "Bo Diddley," a song that closely resembles it, "Hambone," was cut by Red Saunders' Orchestra with The Hambone Kids.) Likewise, "Hey Bo Diddley" is based on the folk song, "Old Macdonald". The rap-style boasting of "Who Do You Love", a wordplay on hoodoo, used many striking lyrics from the African-American tradition of toasts and boasts. His "Say Man" and "Say Man, Back Again" have been connected with rap, but the records actually feature the insults known as the dozens, for example "You got the nerve to call somebody ugly, why you so ugly the stork that brought you into the world ought to be arrested".[1]
In addition to the many songs identified with him, he wrote the pioneering pop tune "Love Is Strange" for Mickey and Sylvia under a pseudonym.
Over the decades, his performances have ranged from sweaty Chicago clubs to rock and roll oldies tours and even as an opening act for The Clash and a guest for the Rolling Stones. On March 28, 1972, he played with The Grateful Dead at the Academy of Music in New York City. This concert was released for the Dead's ''Dick's Picks Volume 30''.
Bo Diddley was one of the first musicians to have women in his band; Peggy Jones (aka Lady Bo), Norma-Jean Wofford (aka Duchess) and Cornelia Redmond (aka Cookie).
Bo's signature guitar
His trademark instrument is the rectangular-bodied Gretsch nicknamed The Twang Machine guitar that he developed and wielded in thousands of concerts over the years (although he has had other similar-shaped guitars made for him by other manufacturers). In a 2005 interview on JJJ radio in Australia, Bo implied that the design was born from embarrassment. In an early gig, he was jumping around on stage with a Gibson L5 guitar, he landed awkwardly hurting his groin. He then went about designing a smaller, less restrictive guitar so he could keep jumping around.
The later years
Bo Diddley in Wolfsburg/Germany 2004
In recent years, Bo Diddley has received numerous accolades in recognition of his role as one of the founding fathers of rock and roll. In 1986, he was inducted into the Washington Area Music Association's Hall of Fame. The following year saw his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. In 1996, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. The following years saw his 1955 recording of his song "Bo Diddley" inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame as a recording of lasting qualitative or historical significance and he received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998.
The start of the new millennium saw Bo Diddley inducted into the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame and into the North Florida Music Association's Hall of Fame. In 2002, he received a Pioneer in Entertainment Award from the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters and a Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI) Icon Award in recognition of his many contributions to contemporary music.
In 2003, tribute was paid to Bo Diddley in the United States House of Representatives by Hon. John Conyers, Jr. of Michigan, who described him as "one of the true pioneers of rock and roll, who has influenced generations".
Bo Diddley in Prague/CZ 2005
In 2004, Mickey and Sylvia's 1956 recording of his song "Love Is Strange" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame as a recording of qualitative or historical significance and he was inducted into the Blues Foundation's Blues Hall of Fame. In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked him #20 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[2].
In 2005, Bo Diddley celebrated his 50th anniversary in music with successful tours of Australia and Europe and with coast to coast shows across North America. He performed his song "Bo Diddley" with Eric Clapton and Robbie Robertson at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 20th annual induction ceremony and in the UK, Uncut magazine included his 1958 debut album "Bo Diddley" in its listing of the '100 Music, Movie & TV Moments That Have Changed The World'.
In 2006, Bo Diddley participated as the headliner of a grass-roots organized fundraiser concert, to benefit the town of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, which was devastated by the Hurricane Katrina. The 'Florida Keys for Katrina Relief' was originally set for 23 October, 2005, but Hurricane Wilma barreled through the Florida Keys on October 24 causing flooding and economic mayhem. In January 2006 the Florida Keys had recovered enough to host the fundraising concert to benefit the more hard hit community of Ocean Springs. When asked about the fundraiser Bo Diddley stated, "This is the United States of America. We believe in helping one another." See the video at [2]
He spent many years in New Mexico, not only as a musician, but as a law officer. He lived in Los Lunas from 1971 to 1978 while continuing his distinguished musical career. Bo Diddley served for two and a half years as Deputy Sheriff in the Valencia County Citizens' Patrol; during that time he personally purchased and donated three highway patrol pursuit cars.
He currently resides in Archer, Florida, a small farming town near Gainesville, Florida where he attends a born again Christian church with some of his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. He continues to tour around the world, and as of the summer of 2006 was planning to record some faith-based songs, at least some of which would be utilizing his own original music.
Bo Diddley performed a number of shows around the country in 2005 and 2006, with the Johnnie Johnson Band featuring the great Johnnie Johnson on keys, Richard Hunt on drums and Gus Thornton on bass.
Cover versions and tributes
His own songs have been frequently covered.
The Rolling Stones covered "Mona" as "I Need You Baby (Mona)" on their debut album. The Animals and Bob Seger both recorded "The Story of Bo Diddley". The Who, The Remains and The Yardbirds covered "I'm a Man"; whilst The Woolies, George Thorogood and Juicy Lucy had hits with "Who Do You Love", which was also covered by Quicksilver Messenger Service; and was a concert favorite of The Doors. Diddley's "Road Runner" was also frequently covered, including by Brownsville Station, Humble Pie and The Who in concert, and on Aerosmith's ''Honkin' on Bobo'' album. Guru Guru - a popular Krautrock band - performed "Bo Diddley" on their live album ''Essen 1970'', though the track cuts off rather abruptly at the twelve minute mark. Both Eric Clapton and Creedence Clearwater Revival covered "Before You Accuse Me", as well as the 13th Floor Elevators.
Muddy Waters' "Mannish Boy" (originally "Manish Boy") was an adaptation of Bo Diddley's "I'm a Man" and also an answer song, the title being Muddy Waters' take on his younger rival. "Say Man" was Bo Diddley's only Top 40 hit. David Lindley recorded a tribute song entitled "Pay Bo Diddley". The Jesus and Mary Chain covered "Who do you love" on their 12" "April skies" in 1987 and in the same year recorded a tribute song "Bo Diddley is Jesus" on a 2x7". Elliott Murphy used both his name and beat in his song "Bilbao Bo Diddley". Ronnie Hawkins recorded and covered "Hey Bo Diddley", "Bo Diddley" and "Who Do You Love" during his many recording sessions, including those with his backing band of the time, The Hawks, who later became known as The Band. The Finnish rock/blues band Max on the Rox also covered Who Do You Love in their second album, Rox II. Liverpool band The Stairs covered "You don't love me (you don't care)" on their 1992 ''Woman Gone And Say Goodbye'' ep.
Diddley was also very popular by proto-punk musicians and later in the punk scene. For example both the New York Dolls and The Lurkers recorded their own version of his song "Pills", and Diddley opened a number of concerts for The Clash.
Bo Diddley's song "Who Do You Love" can be heard sung by Bo and played by Los Lobos, in the intro credits to the movie ''La Bamba''.
He also appeared on a 2003 episode of the sitcom ''According to Jim'' entitled "Bo Diddley"
He also had a small role as a pawnbroker in the 1983 film ''Trading Places'' starring Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd. Bo shared a set with Aykroyd again in Blues Brothers 2000, this time as a guitarist.
Iggy Pop listed Bo as one of The Immortals in Rolling Stone magazine.
NOFX mentions Bo Diddley in their song "Buggley Eyes".
Bo Diddley was parodied on the british Comedy show Not Only... But Also... where he was portrayed by Dudley Moore as 'Bo Dudley.' the sketch centered around Bo describing the lyrics for his new song, 'Momma's Got a Brand New Bag, Yeah!' At the end of the sketch, when he is asked by the announcer, played by Peter Cook, if any on his songs might be ascociated with sex, Dudley replies: "Oh, no, and in any case I wouldn't sing that sort of garbage!"
2007 illness
On May 17, 2007, Bo Diddley was reported [3] to be in intensive care in Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska, following a stroke during a concert at Council Bluffs, Iowa on May 13. He has a history of hypertension and diabetes, and tests indicated that the stroke affected the left side of his brain, impairing his speech and speech recognition. His mobility has not been greatly affected but communication skills have been affected, at this point it is not known if he will be able to perform again. On 21 May, Diddley was moved out of intensive care to a regular ward at Creighton University hospital. [4] He was then released from hospital and began treatment near his home in Archer, Florida.
The pioneering rocker has recently relocated to his home, having improved his health.
On 28 August 2007, Bo Diddley was reported to have suffered a heart attack while undergoing a medical check-up. He was taken to the North Florida Regional Medical Center in Gainesville where he was reported to be in serious but stable condition.[5]
He left hospital on September 5 2007. A spokeswoman said : "Diddly is glad to be back home with his family and away from the hospital food."
Discography
★ ''Bo Diddley'' (1958)
★ ''Go Bo Diddley'' (1959)
★ ''Have Guitar-Will Travel'' (1960) [3]
★ ''Bo Diddley In The Spotlight'' (1960)
★ ''Bo Diddley Is A Gunslinger'' (1960) (Checker 2977) Album Cover
★ ''Bo Diddley Is A Lover'' (1961)
★ ''Bo Diddley's A Twister'' (1962)
★ ''Bo Diddley Deagles'' (1962)
★ ''Bo Diddley & Company'' (1962)
★ ''Surfin' with Bo Diddley'' (1963)
★ ''Bo Diddley's Beach Party'' (1963)
★ ''Bo Diddley's 16 All-Time Greatest Hits'' (1964)
★ ''Two Great Guitars'' (with Chuck Berry) (1964)
★ ''Hey Good Lookin' (1965)
★ ''500% More Man'' (1965)
★ ''The Originator'' (1966)
★ ''Super Blues'' (with Muddy Waters & Little Walter) (1967)
★ ''Super Super Blues Band'' (with Muddy Waters & Howlin' Wolf) (1967)
★ ''The Black Gladiator'' (1970)
★ ''Another Dimension'' (1971)
★ ''Where It All Began'' (1972)
★ ''Got My Own Bag of Tricks'' (1972)
★ ''The London Bo Diddley Sessions'' (1973)
★ ''Big Bad Bo'' (1974)
★ ''20th Anniversary of Rock & Roll'' (1976)
★ ''I'm A Man'' (1977)
★ ''Ain't It Good To Be Free'' (1983)
★ ''Bo Diddley - His Greatest Sides - Volume 1 (Chess Records CH-9106)'' (1984)
★ ''Bo Diddley & Co - Live'' (1985)
★ ''Hey...Bo Diddley in Concert'' (1986)
★ ''Breakin' Through The BS'' (1989)
★ ''Living Legend'' (1989)
★ ''Rare & Well Done'' (1991)
★ ''Live At The Ritz'' (with Ronnie Wood) (1992)
★ ''This Should Not Be'' (1993)
★ ''Promises'' (1994)
★ ''A Man Amongst Men'' (1996)
★ ''Moochas Gracias'' (with Anna Moo) (2002)
★ ''Dick's Picks #30'' (1972 5-song Live Session with The Grateful Dead) (2003)
Notes
1. "Say Man" (McDaniels) 1958
2. The Immortals: The First Fifty
3. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6664525.stm
4. http://www.sunherald.com/news/breaking_news/story/59667.html Sun Herald AAP report - Bo Diddley, improving after recent stroke, to be moved out of intensive care]
5. http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070828/people_nm/diddley_dc Rock pioneer Bo Diddley suffers heart attack
See also
★ Chicago Blues Festival
External links
★ Authorized Website Bo Diddley-The Originator
★ Discography Albums & Singles StarPulse.com/Music/Diddley, Bo
★ Who 2
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