In addition, he was a songwriter and music producer, usually as Ellas McDaniel, and had cameo appearances in movies. He went to live with his mother's cousin, Gussie McDaniel, in Chicago, where she eventually adopted him. admin July 28, 2019 Biography Leave a comment. After studying violin and trombone, he took up the electric guitar. He was raised mostly in Chicago by his adoptive family, from whom he took the surname McDaniel, and he recorded for the legendary blues record company Chess as Bo Diddley (a name most likely derived from the diddley bow, a one-stringed African guitar popular in the Mississippi Delta region). At a young age, he was sent to live with one of her cousins, Gussie McDaniel, in Chicago. Biography. After beginning his career as a boxer, where he received the sobriquet ‘Bo Diddley’, the singer worked the blues clubs of Chicago with a repertoire influenced … Bo Diddley was born in Mississippi and raised in Chicago, where he was exposed to music and the blues. READ MORE. Seminal R&B guitarist whose hypnotic rhythmic attack and declamatory, boasting vocals became one of the most overpowering sounds in rock & roll. The song was voted #62 on Rolling Stone magazine's list, "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Bo Diddle worked various jobs as a carpenter and a mechanic. Similar Artists About. Omissions? Biography of Bo Diddley: 1928 – Bo Diddley was born on the 30th day of December this year in McComb, Mississippi. Biography. Bo Diddle was born on December 30, 1928, in McComb, Mississippi. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). In 1992, Diddley married Sylvia Paiz. 5 out of 5 stars (2) $ 23.41 FREE shipping Add to Favorites Bo Diddley vintage concert poster re print 19"x 13" … Grateful Dead with Bo Diddley. The song is also a part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's "500 Songs that … He was raised mostly in Chicago by his adoptive family, from whom he took the surname McDaniel, and he recorded for the legendary … His songs influenced future generations of musicians including Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, The Doors, the Rolling Stones, and Bruce Springsteen. The "Bo Diddley beat" is essentially the clave rhythm, one of the most common bell patterns found in sub-Saharan African music traditions. Bo Diddley (December 30, 1928-June 2, 2008), born Ellas Otha Bates, was an original and influential American rock & roll singer, guitarist and songwriter. However, during the 1970s, his popularity waned as music was changing. Name at birth: Ellas Bates. Otha Ellas Bates (later known as Ellas McDaniel), 30 December 1928, McComb, Mississippi, USA. For all that, Diddley hit the pop charts just five times and the Top 20 only once (even though his 1955 debut single, “Bo Diddley,” backed with “I’m a Man,” was number one on the rhythm-and-blues charts). 1928. In 1934 his mother sent him to … He is best known as a pioneer for transitioning blue to rock. Biography. His first songs were “Bo Diddley” and “I'm a Man.” In 1956, he was rising the charts with songs such as “Pretty Thing” and “Who Do You Love.”. Ellas McDaniel (born Ellas Otha Bates, December 30, 1928 – June 2, 2008), known as Bo Diddley, was an American rhythm & blues and rock & roll singer, guitarist, songwriter and music producer. One scholar found this rhythm in 13 rhythm and blues recordings made in the years 1944–55, including two by Johnny Otis from 1948. A protégé of Bo Diddley, Loomis met the icon backstage at the age of 16 at Houston’s famed venue Rockefeller’s. Updates? Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, 1987, Rhythm and Blues Foundation Pioneer Awards, Lifetime Achievement Award, 1996, The Recording Academy at the Grammy Awards, Lifetime Achievement Award, 1998, “You Can't Judge a Book By the Cover,” 1962. Bo Diddley was an American R&B singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Bo Diddley's best known for his impact on American music. Bo Diddley Family, Childhood, Life Achievements, Facts, Wiki and Bio of 2017. Bo Diddley. Bo was adopted by his mother’s cousin Gussie McDaniel and a man named Bates. Before the night was over, Loomis was onstage playing guitar with the legend. His name at birth was Ellas Bates. He later married Ethel Mae Smith in 1949. Diddley continued gaining in popularity bringing his upbeat music on tour or television through the 1960s. For his children, Bo Diddley — who was just plain Ellas McDaniel when he lived in Peralta — he was just Dad, a man who taught them life lessons and gave them his love and legacy. Bo Diddley T-shirt, The Originator, Chess Records, Gladiator, guitar, Hey Bo Diddley, Chicago Blues, Bo Knows, teach the children about Bo CanYouDigItArt. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bo-Diddley, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - Biography of Bo Diddley, Bo Diddley - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). They had two children and stayed married until 1980 when they divorced. Broadcast 4-22-1991. His work highly influenced the work of many renowned musicians like Buddy Holly December 30, Commonly dressed in a huge black Stetson and loud shirts, Diddley no doubt influenced the dress of British Invasion groups such as the Rolling Stones. Biography. Read Full Biography. 1 of 2. The lyrics to his songs were rife with African-American street talk, bluesy imagery, and raunchy humour (e.g., “Who Do You Love” [1957]). Share. He is cited as a key figure in the transition of blues into rock and roll, by introducing more insistent, driving rhythms and a harder-edged guitar sound. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. Corrections? Ellas McDaniel (born Ellas Otha Bates, December 30, 1928 – June 2, 2008), known as Bo Diddley, was an American rhythm & blues and rock & roll singer, guitarist, songwriter and music producer. Get the latest on Bo Diddley on Fandango. In Bo Diddley's case, some sources may have taken the same approach, but to a much lesser extent. If you have, then you've heard the "Bo Diddley beat", the most famous beat in the world! As Jeff Hannusch wrote in Guitar Player in 1984, perhaps the greatest thing one can say about Diddley is that “ he has never had to sound like anyone else but Bo Diddley. The cause of death was reported as heart failure. He is cited as a key figure in the transition of blues into rock and roll, by introducing more insistent, driving rhythms and a harder-edged guitar sound. I know that there are guidelines that say we should be consistent over matters like this, but in my view it's much more important to reflect what good sources say, avoid any confusion, and to use some common sense over what names are used in articles. Bo Diddley was born Ellas Otha Bates on December 30, 1928, in McComb, Mississippi. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Bo Diddley was born Ellas Bates on Sunday December 30, 1928, on a small farm near the town of McComb, Mississippi, in rural Pike County, close to the Louisiana border, the only child of Ethel Wilson and Eugene Bates, he had three half-brothers and a half-sister. Of course, after getting all the great tunes, There was a search for a good Biography. His family moved him to the South Side of Chicago to live with his cousin Gussie McDaniel. Bo Diddley, with his infectious rhythms and strong guitar work, was one of the early pioneers of rock and roll music. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. His Music, Wit, & Style Should speak to Everyone! Diddley was born Otha Ellas Bates in McComb, Mississippi, though his surname changed to McDaniel during his infancy when he was adopted by his mother's cousin, Gussie McDaniel. Bo Diddley biography. He was learning how to make violins and guitars. In 1955, Diddley scored his first hit with the double sided single "Bo Diddley"/"I'm A Man" and a string of R&B hits followed through the 50's & early 60's, most notably "Diddley Daddy", "Say Man", "Roadrunner" and "Mona". The outcome was a new kind of guitar-based, blues and R&B-drenched, rock and roll. Bo Diddley, original name Ellas Bates, later Ellas McDaniel, (born December 30, 1928, McComb, Mississippi, U.S.—died June 2, 2008, Archer, Florida), American singer, songwriter, and guitarist who was one of the most influential performers of rock music’s early period. His final studio album was titled Man Amongst Men which was released in 1996. Bo Diddley’s legal name was Ellas McDaniel, but he was born Otha Ellas Bates. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Diddley scored few hit records but was one of rock’s most influential artists nonetheless, because he had something nobody else could claim, his own beat: chink-a-chink-chink, ca-chink-chink. He was born on December 30, 1928 in Mississippi. Diddley, facing the nation that Sunday evening, subverted the set with a tune that showed off his customized sound, the Bo Diddley beat—a staccato duet between guitar and maracas, insistent and irresistible, an urban-jungle rhythm that conjured rock and roll out of the blues. He was nicknamed The Originator because of his key role in the transition from the blues to rock and roll, … That syncopated beat (also known as “hambone” or “shave-and-a-haircut—two-bits”) had surfaced in a few big-band rhythm-and-blues charts of the 1940s, but Diddley stripped it down and beefed it up. Bo Diddley is best known as a R & B Singer. The couple had two children but divorced in 1956. His stage shows—featuring his half sister the Duchess on vocals and rhythm guitar and Jerome Green on bass and maracas—made an art out of bad taste. After playing for several years on Chicago’s legendary Maxwell Street, Diddley signed with Chess subsidiary Checker in 1955. In 1960, he married Kay Reynolds. He used tremolo, fuzz, and feedback effects to create a guitar sound on which only Jimi Hendrix has expanded (consider sonic outbursts like “Bo Diddley”). Date of birth : 1928-12-30 Date of death : 2008-06-02 Birthplace : McComb, Mississippi, U.S. Bo Diddley (December 30, 1928 – June 2, 2008), born Ellas Otha Bates but changed as a child to Ellas McDaniel, was an American R&B and Chicago Blues vocalist and guitarist. In the 1960s he recorded everything from surf music to straight-ahead blues with equal aplomb. His name at birth was When he was a … He made it, with its obvious African roots, one of the irresistible dance sounds in rock and roll. "Bo Diddley" was infused with waves of tremolo guitar, set to a children's chant. Find Bo Diddley movies, filmography, bio, co stars, photos, news and tweets. Bo Diddley died on June 2, 2008, at the age of 79 in Archer, Florida. He eventually dropped out of school. Still, he continued playing and touring with bands including The Grateful Dead and The Clash. His music is credited in over 150 films, documentaries, and TV shows. The couple divorced in 2005. His first recording contract was with Checker, a subsidiary of Chess Records, in 1995. This first single was called a "double-sided monster" by All-Music Guide reviewer Richie Unterberger. There Bo Diddle learned how to play the trombone and violin with the help of his church's music director. R&B singer, songwriter, and guitarist who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for pioneering the transition of blues to rock. The great Bo Diddley on Johnny Carson performing "Bo Diddley", plus the interview following the performance. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Rock's longest, strangest trip, the Grateful Dead were the psychedelic era's most beloved musical ambassadors as well as its most enduring survivors, spreading their message of peace, love, and mind expansion across the globe throughout the better part of three decades. An influential singer & guitarist who recorded his best known material for the Checker and Chess labels. 1955 – Bo Diddley was the first African-American to appear on The Ed Sullivan Show. Complete Bo Diddley 2017 Biography. Bo Diddle attended Foster Vocational High School in Chicago. You can't judge an artist by his chart success, either, and Diddley produced greater and more influential music than all but a handful of the best early rockers. He only had a few hits in the 1950s and early '60s, but as Bo Diddley sang, "You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover." Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. The odd-shaped guitars that he played reinforced his arresting look. Singer, songwriter, musician and rock pioneer. Even the rhythm of his music is heard in more contemporary songs such as “I Want Candy,” “Desire” by U2, and “Faith” by George Michael. Bo Diddley Biography by Richie Unterberger + Follow Artist. It was appropriated by fellow 1950s rockers (Johnny Otis’s “Willie and the Hand Jive” [1958]), 1960s garage bands (the Strangeloves’ “I Want Candy” [1965]), and budding superstars (the Rolling Stones’ version of Buddy Holly’s Diddley-influenced “Not Fade Away” [1964]). 1972 – Bo Diddley played with The Grateful Dead at the Academy of Music in New York City. Bo Diddley, original name Ellas Bates, later Ellas McDaniel, (born December 30, 1928, McComb, Mississippi, U.S.—died June 2, 2008, Archer, Florida), American singer, songwriter, and guitarist who was one of the most influential performers of rock music’s early period. I first discovered the Great Music of Bo Diddley Years ago, But only Recently has he usurped Chuck Berry, (Who I still love! Bo Diddley, Actor: Blues Brothers 2000. Diddley’s flamboyance, square (often homemade) guitars and distinctive backbeat (sometimes described as "shave-and-a-hair-cut") earned him a record contract with Chess Records, and in 1955 he had his … ” He was born Otha Ellas Bates in 1928 in Pike County, Mississippi. Bo Diddle married Louise Woolingham in 1946, but they divorced in 1947. "I'm a Man" was a bump-and-grind shuffle, with a powerful blues riff woven throughout. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. But his last conquest was the sublime “You Can’t Judge a Book by the Cover” (1962), until the British Invasion put him back on the map long enough for a minor 1967 hit, “Ooh Baby.” He was always outspoken about how black musicians had been underpaid, and he toured only sporadically after the 1970s, appeared in a few movies, and made occasional albums. 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