Singer/songwriter and music pioneer Bo Diddley died on Monday, June 2, 2008, at 79. He suffered heart failure at his home in Archer, Florida, according to a family spokesperson. For more than a year, Diddley had been dealing with a slew of ailments.
Diddley's health began to decline on May 2007, when he suffered a stroke while touring in Iowa. The stroke affected his ability to speak. The following August, he experienced a heart attack during a routine physical.
Bo Diddley was born Elias Bates on December 30, 1928, in McComb, Mississippi. He was sent to Chicago at an early age to live with a cousin, Gussie McDaniel. Eventually, he was adopted by McDaniel and took her last name.
Diddley was exposed to music at an early age, and he studied the violin for a number of years. However, he switched to the guitar after hearing blues legend John Lee Hooker. He also attended vocational school for a time, learning how to construct violins and guitars. He later dropped out.
He worked a number of odd jobs and played on street corners before getting gigs at neighborhood bars in Chicago. Eventually, he received a recording contract with Checker in 1955. That same year, he released his first rhythm and blues hit, a self-titled single entitled “Bo Diddley” and the B-side single “I’m a Man.” He reached the top 40 charts in 1956 with the song “Pretty Things.” Other hits include “Who Do You Love,” “Mona,” and “Before You Accuse Me.”
Diddley appeared on television, toured, and recorded new material until the mid-60s. Nevertheless, musical tastes began changing, and he produced few albums and wasn’t met with the same enthusiasm.
Yet, he still toured a lot, remaining a formidable live performer. He was not afraid to venture out in his music aspirations, even touring with the punk rock group, The Clash in 1979. This is one of many tours that exposed Diddley to a younger audience.
In 1987, Diddley was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in recognitions of his pivotal role as a musical pioneer and trailblazer for other musicians who followed him. In 1996, he won a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Rhythm and Blues Foundation Pioneer Awards, and he released his last studio album entitled Man Amongst Men, which received a warm reception from critics. He received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998.
He is often called “The Originator,” and has inspired countless acts that have followed in his musical footsteps, including such diverse musicians as Buddy Holly, Bruce Springsteen, the Rolling Stones, the Who, and the Doors.
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