Bo Diddley

After hearing "Who Do You Love?" in class this week, I wanted to known more on Bo Diddley. Bo Diddley was born in McComb, Mississippi and was adopted and raised by his mother's cousin. In 1934, the family moved to Chicago where he became an active member of his local Baptist Church. There he was invited to become apart of the orchestra until the age of 18.

He then enrolled at Foster Vocational School, where he built a guitar, violin and upright bass. He dropped out before graduating and began performing in a duo with Roosevelt Jackson, who played the washtub bass. The group became a trio when they added another guitarist, Jody Williams. Then finally, a quartet when they added a harmonica player, Billy Boy Arnold.

Mr. Diddley first heard of the "Bo Diddley beat" in a church in Chicago. Songs such as "Bo Diddley" and "Pretty Thing" have the popular rhythm.

Diddley appeared on the "The Ed Sullivan Show" in 1955. Mr. Diddley was asked to play “Sixteen Tons,” the song popularized by Tennessee Ernie Ford. Without telling Mr. Sullivan, he played “Bo Diddley” instead. After performing "Bo Diddley, Mr. Sullivan told Diddley, off-air, that he would never work in television again. As a result of his performance, Mr. Diddley did not play on a network show for 10 years.

In 1963, he starred in a UK concert tour with the Everly Brothers and Little Richard. The Rolling Stones, still barely known outside London at that time, appeared as a supporting act. On songs like “Who Do You Love,” his guitar style was an extension of his early violin playing, Diddley said.

Starting in the 1970's Diddley audience grew and he began playing with The Grateful Dead and The Crash.

Here is a list of Bo Diddley's achievements found on bodiddley.com

1986 - inducted into the Washington Area Music Association's Hall of Fame.
1987 - inducted the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
1990 - Lifetime Achievement Award from Guitar Magazine,
1998 - Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation the National Academy of Recorded Arts and Sciences..
1999 - His 1955 recording of his song "Bo Diddley" inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame as a recording of lasting qualitative or historical significance.
2000 - inducted into the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame and into the North Florida Music Association's Hall of Fame.
2002 - Pioneer in Entertainment Award from the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters, and an Icon Award from Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI)
2008 - Although confirmed before his death in June, 2008, an honorary degree was conferred upon Bo by the University of Florida in August, 2008.

On May 13th 2007, after performing at a concert in Iowa the day before, Bo Diddley was admitted to intensive care in Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska after experiencing a stroke. In August 2007, Diddley suffered from a heart attack in Florida. Bo Diddley died at his home on June 2, 2008 of heart failure at his home.