Birth name: Ellas Otha Bates Also known as: Ellas McDaniel Born: December 30, 1928 Origin: McComb, Mississippi, USA Died: June 2, 2008 (aged 79) Cause of Death: Hewart Failure Location: Archer, Florida, USA Genre(s): Rhythm and Blues, Rock 'n' Roll, Blues-rock Occupation(s): Singer-songwriter, musician Instrument(s): Vocals, guitar, violin, synthesizer, electric piano, piano, organ, percussion, drums Years active: 1951 – 2008 Label(s): Checker Records, Chess Records, BoKay Productions, RCA Victor, MF Productions, Triple X Records, Atlantic Records
Bo Diddley passed away at the age of 79 in his home in Archer, Florida on June 02, 2008, as a result of heart failure following an ongoing health condition after having suffered a previous heart attack in august 2007. In addition, Diddley had a stroke just three months earlier while touring in Iowa, which affected his speach, at which time he was returned home in Florida to follow up with rehabilitation.
Bo Diddley was born in 1928 near McComb, Mississippi, as Otha Ellas Bates. He was an african-amercian singer, songwriter and performer, who was well recognized for his distinctive pounding signature beat and guitar effects that has been an inspiration for many other musicians over the years.
At age five, Diddley and his cousin, Gussie McDaniel, who raised him and who’s last name he adopted, moved to Chicago, Illinois, where Bo studied violin and acquired his first guitar in 1940 at the age of 12, picking up the nick name "Bo Diddley" given to him by other youngsters while attending grammar school, which is believed to be in reference of the single-stringed folk instrument called the diddley bow. Later as Diddley grew up and progressed with his guitar playing and singing, be began performing in south side clubs, where he was noted to have often played an odd homemade rectacular shaped electric guitar. He became a favored act among fans with his distinct innovative guitar effects, jive talk and strutting onstage in his dark glasses and black hat. In 1955 at the age of age 27, he recorded his first record at the Universal Recording Studio in Chicago containing "Bo Diddley" and "I’m A Man", which was released under a Chess Records subsidiary, Checker Records. The song "Bo Diddley" immediately became a hit single that remained on the charts for 18 weeks, seven more weeks then the B-side, "I’m a Man". It was the first recording to introduce the African rhythmns into "rock and roll" by using the patted juba beat. It is #62 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Diddley's other major songs included, "Say Man," "You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover," "Shave and a Haircut," "Uncle John," "Who Do You Love?" and "The Mule."
Bo Diddley was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, received a lifetime achievement award in 1999 at the Grammy Awards and has a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame. In recent years he also played for the elder President George H.W. Bush and President Bill Clinton. Although it is stated that Diddley showed great appreciation towards all of the honors received, he quoted "but it didn't put no figures in my checkbook." and "If you ain't got no money, ain't nobody calls you honey."
Rest In Peace.. Bo Diddley!
Jan (editor)
Remembering Bo Diddley
In 1966 the Electric Prunes signed with Reprise and our management started getting us jobs to help support our musical endeavors in the LA area. The first gig offered to the band was a one week stint backing and artist "Dick Glass" at the famed Troubadour. A live recording for an album was scheduled for the end of the week of appearances and the Electric Prunes agreed to be the "Glass Menagre" (?spelling?) since we were supporting Dick "Glass".
The plus side of this gig was the week was to be spent with Bo Diddley as the headline act. Who didn't know Bo Diddley? This was a chance for us to play with a longtime hero. Bo was the fire in the hole all week. Stepping up and trancing the audience with his magnetic beat music. We were in awe! I don't remember much about the recording or our sets; but the exposure was enough to cement a "Bo Diddley" beat to the end of Get Me To The World On Time in a later recording session. This hand-jive rhythm was added to spike up the end of the record for that final "launch" into space. Everything we are exposed to finds its way into the music and Bo became a part of our history after this.
In 2004 I got to thank Bo for this inspiration and for being so cool with us on our first gig. He was the same guy in 2004 as 1966. That's how it is with the great ones ... they are REAL!
Rest in rhythm, Bo. JAMES LOWE Electric Prunes
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