Bo Diddley

Blues musician

• Born: December 30, 1928
• Birthplace: McComb, Mississippi
• Died: June 2, 2008
• Place of death: Archer, Florida

Diddley was an influential guitarist, singer, and songwriter. During the 1950’s, he employed his innovative style to merge blues, rhythm and blues, gospel, and Latin music to create a syncopated beat that had an enormous influence on rock-and-roll music.

Early Life

Bo Diddley (boh DIHD-lee) was born Ellas Otha Bates in McComb, Mississippi, on December 30, 1928. His father died not long after his birth and his teenage mother, Esther Wilson, was unable to care for him. Diddley was adopted by Gussie McDaniel, his mother’s first cousin. After Gussie’s husband died, she moved her family to the South Side of Chicago.

At the age of seven, Diddley had to adjust to life in a big city. Because he had come from the rural South, he was harassed on a regular basis by the neighborhood children. In order to defend himself, he learned how to box. The family joined the Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church. Under the tutelage of the church’s music director, O. W. Frederick, Diddley learned to play the violin and trombone. As a teenager, he gravitated to the electric guitar. He attended Foster Vocational School, where he figured out how to construct a guitar, an upright bass, and even a violin.

Always curious and eager to experiment with different sounds, Diddley took the time not only to modify his guitar but also to build his own rectangular instrument. He found it possible to create a distorted sound through specially modified amplifiers. By the early 1950’s, Diddley was making a name for himself beyond the streets of Chicago. While he was influenced by such performers as John Lee Hooker and Louis Jordan, he created a unique sound that impressed local listeners. Whether playing on the street corner or in a local club, Diddley was in the process of revolutionizing popular music. There is no consensus as to how “Bo Diddley” came to be his professional name, but by the time he began recording in the mid-1950’s, the new name had become synonymous with the man and his music.

Life’s Work

In the 1950’s, Diddley burst onto the musical landscape with a sound that would forever link him with rock and roll. His outrageous and aggressive presentation convinced Chess Records to sign him to a recording contract. Diddley first recorded “I’m a Man” and “Bo Diddley” in 1954. This demo impressed producer Leonard Chess so much that he decided to rerecord the songs for general release as a double-sided single in 1955. The Diddley sound was front and center with its guitar distortion and tremolo.

With the success of his double-sided single, Diddley continued to release such forceful singles with Chess as “Who Do You Love” in 1956 and “Say Man” in 1959. It was not only the sound that made these songs so radical; it also was the wit, slang, and sexual innuendo that Diddley employed in the lyrics. His other well-known songs include “Mona” (1957), “Crackin’ Up” (1959), “Road Runner” (1960), and “I Can Tell” (1962).

In 1955, Diddley was asked to appear on The Ed Sullivan Show. For a relatively unknown African American musician from Chicago, this was a remarkable chance for Diddley to broaden his audience. Sullivan requested that Diddley perform the country song “Sixteen Tons,” which had been a hit for Tennessee Ernie Ford. When it was time to perform, however, Diddley could not bring himself to honor Sullivan’s wishes; he thrilled the audience by launching into the song “Bo Diddley.” He was a bold performer who was known for his energetic and suggestive moves.

Diddley continued to have success into the early 1960’s. In 1958, Gretsch made a limited-edition guitar to his specifications. While his first album, Bo Diddley, was released in 1957, he continued to release albums on a regular basis into the mid-1970’s. Several of his songs were covered by British rock bands during the 1960’s. His pounding beats also were copied by many British rock-and-roll acts, including the Rolling Stones, the Animals, and the Yardbirds. These bands had a great respect for Diddley and his music.

During the 1970’s, Diddley frequently toured, especially in Europe, where he was hailed as a rock legend. Over the years, he became frustrated by the financial aspects of the music business. He never believed that he was justly compensated for his contribution to popular music. For the most part, he had to support himself by touring during the latter stages of his career. Diddley released his last album in 1996. He also made cameo appearances in music videos, commercials, and movies. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, and he received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998.

On June 2, 2008, Diddley died of heart failure in Archer, Florida. Married four times, he was survived by his four children and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.

Significance

Along with Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, and a handful of others, Diddley was one of rock and roll’s most influential pioneers. The beat that became his signature sound was a combination of blues, rhythm and blues, gospel, and Latin rhythms. His contribution to rock music can be heard in the work of such legendary acts as Buddy Holly, the Animals, the Rolling Stones, the Who, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, the Velvet Underground, and countless others. As a singer, songwriter, and guitarist, Diddley was a one-of-a-kind musical innovator who changed the face of popular music and culture forever.

Bibliography

Kiersh, Edward. Where Are You Now, Bo Diddley? The Stars Who Made Us Rock and Where They Are Now. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1986. Diddley is one of the pivotal early rock music figures who are discussed in this book. Interviews, photographs, and a career overview are included.

Kot, Greg. “Bo Diddley: 1928-2008.” The Chicago Tribune, June 3, 2008, p. 1. This obituary pays tribute to the power of Diddley as a personality and as a performer.

Lee, Chris. “Bo Diddley, 1928-2008.” The Los Angeles Times, June 3, 2008, p. A1. Lee characterizes Diddley as an “originator” for rock music.

Light, Alan. “Bo Diddley: 1928-2008.” Rolling Stone 1055 (2008): 49-51. A poignant tribute to Diddley and his influence on rock-and-roll groups such as the Rolling Stones, U2, and the Clash.

Roza, Greg. Bo Diddley: Rock and Roll Star. New York: Gareth Stevens, 2010. Written for a younger audience, this biography provides a fascinating portrait of a true rock-and-roll original who left a lasting imprint on popular music.

White, George R. Bo Diddley, Living Legend. Surrey, England: Castle, 1995. Includes interviews with the artist as well as a list of recordings and many striking photographs of Diddley at all stages of his career.