Ellas McDaniel (December 30, 1928 - June 2, 2008) better known by his stage name Bo Diddley and also known as "The Originator" of Rock 'N' Roll, was 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 was also known for his characteristic rectangular-shaped guitar, in addition to his eccentric show-stopping personality.

He was born Ellas Bates in McComb, Mississippi and later took the name Ellas B. McDaniel, after his adoptive mother, Gussie McDaniel.

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 musicians including John Lee Hooker and Muddy Waters.

Bo Diddley was 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. Bo Diddley came across the beat while trying to play Gene Autry's "(I've Got Spurs That) Jingle, Jangle, Jingle". http://www.afropop.org/multi/feature/ID/298/Blues+Reflections:+2003

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"); Johnny Otis ("Willie and the Hand Jive"); George Michael ("Faith"); The Strangeloves and Bow Wow Wow ("I Want Candy"); Guns N' Roses ("Mr. Brownstone"); David Bowie ("Panic in Detroit"); The Stooges ("1969"); and The Pretenders ("Cuban Slide"). The early 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 Electronics, 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 mimics 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 recalled. "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...one of whom was Dee Clark.) 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".

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 was the rectangular-bodied Gretsch nicknamed The Twang Machine guitar that he developed and wielded in thousands of concerts over the years (although he had other similar-shaped guitars made for him by other manufacturers). In a 2005 interview on JJJ radio in Australia, Bo Diddley implied that the design was born from embarrassment. In an early gig, he was jumping around on stage with a Gibson L5 guitar and 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 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..

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 http://www.floridakeysforkatrinarelief.com/musical_performers.htm

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.

His last residence was in Archer, Florida, a small farming town near Gainesville, Florida where he attended a born again Christian church with some of his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.  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 and "I'm Alright" on their ep "got LIVE if you want it!". 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. Bo 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.

Bo Diddley was also very popular with 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 Bo Diddley opened a number of concerts for The Clash.

Bo Diddley's recording of his song "Who Do You Love" can be heard sung by him 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 Diddley also 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 introduced to 1980's audiences in George Thorogood's "Bad to the Bone" video playing a pool hustler. He also appeared in a series of Bo Jackson sports shoe ads in the "Bo, you don't know diddley" campaign; which parodied Jackson's attempts to play the guitar.

On May 17, 2007, Bo Diddley was reported 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 had 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.   On 21 May, Bo Diddley was moved out of intensive care to a regular ward at Creighton University hospital. He was then released from hospital and began treatment near his home in Archer, Florida.

On June 2, 2008, Bo Diddley died at 79 of heart failure at his home in Archer, Florida.

*Bo Diddley (1958) *Go Bo Diddley (1959) *Have Guitar-Will Travel (1960) http://www.hgwt.com/hgwt0.htm *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 (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)

* Chicago Blues Festival

* Authorized Website Bo Diddley-The Originator * Discography Albums & Singles StarPulse.com/Music/Diddley, Bo *Who 2