Bo Diddley

This article is about the singer. For other uses, see Bo Diddley (disambiguation).

Bo Diddley
Diddley in 1957
Diddley in 1957
Background information
Birth nameEllas Otha Bates[1]
Also known as
  • Ellas Bates McDaniel
  • The Originator
Born(1928-12-30)December 30, 1928
McComb, Mississippi, U.S.
DiedJune 2, 2008(2008-06-02) (aged 79)
Archer, Florida, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • guitarist
Instruments
  • Guitar
  • vocals
Years active1943–2007
Labels
WebsiteBoDiddley.com

Ellas Otha Bates (December 30, 1928 – June 2, 2008), known professionally as Bo Diddley, was an American guitarist and singer who played a key role in the transition from the blues to rock and roll. He influenced many artists, including Buddy Holly,[3] Elvis Presley,[4] the Beatles, the Rolling Stones,[5] the Animals, George Thorogood, Syd Barrett,[6] and the Clash.[7]

His use of African rhythms and a signature beat, a simple five-accent hambone rhythm, is a cornerstone of hip hop, rock, and pop music.[5][8][9] In recognition of his achievements, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, the Blues Hall of Fame in 2003, and the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame in 2017.[10][8][11] He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.[12] Diddley is also recognized for his technical innovations, including his use of tremolo and reverb effects to enhance the sound of his distinctive rectangular-shaped guitars.[13][14]

  1. ^ Eagle, Bob L.; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues: A Regional Experience. ABC-CLIO. p. 227. ISBN 978-0-313-34424-4.
  2. ^ a b c Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (June 2, 2008). "The Story of Bo Diddley". AllMusic. Retrieved August 2, 2023. the biggest and baddest of all the original rock & rollers [...] there was far, far more to Bo than his patented beat and walloping gut-bucket blues [...] he could ease into dirty psychedelic funk-rock in the '70s
  3. ^ "Bo Diddley's Unique Rhythm Continues to Inspire". NPR.org. NPR. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  4. ^ Fox, Ted (1983). Showtime at the Apollo. Da Capo. pp. 5 & 92. ISBN 978-0-306-80503-5. Elvis Presley, a young, still raw hayseed, was making his first trip to the Big Apple to see his new record company, and the Apollo was where he wanted to be. Night after night in New York he sat in the Apollo transfixed by the pounding rhythms, the dancing and prancing, the sexual spectacle of rhythm-and-blues masters like Bo Diddley. ... In 1955, Elvis's stage presence was still rudimentary. But watching Bo Diddley charge up the Apollo crowd undoubtedly had a profound effect on him. When he returned to New York a few months later for his first national television appearance, on Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey's "Stage Show," he again spent hours at the Apollo after rehearsals. On the Dorsey show Elvis shocked the entire country with his outrageous hip-shaking performance, and the furor that followed made him an American sensation.
  5. ^ a b Brown, Jonathan (June 3, 2008). "Bo Diddley, Guitarist Who Inspired the Beatles and the Stones, Dies Aged 79". The Independent. Archived from the original on March 22, 2020. Retrieved April 26, 2012.
  6. ^ "Syd Barrett interview". www.sydbarrett.net. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  7. ^ Partridge, Kenneth (April 11, 2017). "How The Clash Can Lead to a Great Record Collection". Consequence of Sound. Archived from the original on September 26, 2018. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
  8. ^ a b "Bo Diddley". The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Archived from the original on February 12, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  9. ^ "Bo Diddley". Rolling Stone. 2001. Archived from the original on August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 26, 2012.
  10. ^ "Bo Diddley Exhibit in The Blues Hall of Fame". blueshalloffame.com. Archived from the original on November 5, 2019. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ "Lifetime Achievement Award". Recording Academy Grammy Awards. Archived from the original on November 20, 2019. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  13. ^ Prown, Pete; Newquist, H. P. (1997). Legends of Rock Guitar. Hal Leonard. ISBN 978-1-4768-5093-1.
  14. ^ Larson, Tom (2004). History of Rock and Roll. Kendall Hunt. p. 37. ISBN 978-0-7872-9969-9.