Rock and Roll Pioneer Bo Diddley was born on this day in 1928. Bo Diddley was born Ellas Otha Bates. He was also known as Ellas McDaniel. Bo Diddley was never huge on the charts, he didn’t sell tons of records but he influenced everyone who heard him or saw him play. Among the artists he influenced-a who’s who of rock and roll- Buddy Holly, Elvis, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Eric Clapton….the list is endless. He is of course in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Bo Diddley was himself inspired by seeing John Lee Hooker in concert when he was a young man. Bo Diddley had that “Bo Diddley guitar sound that influenced so many guitar players. If you heard Bo Diddley once you would always recognize that sound he made. Again, not a big hit maker which doesn’t mean he wasn’t great. He toured all his life up until suffering a stroke a year before his death in 2008 at the age of 79.
below is a link to Bo Diddley live in 1965.
slicethelife 