Bo Diddley
Bo Diddley (actually Ellas Otha Bates , born December 30, 1928 in McComb , Mississippi , † June 2, 2008 in Archer , Florida ) was an American rock 'n' roll and blues musician . Diddley is considered a rock 'n' roll pioneer.
Life
Childhood and youth
Bo Diddley was born Ellas Otha Bates (according to other sources, Otha Ellas) on a small farm near the town of McComb , Mississippi. Since his underage mother could not raise him, her cousin Gussie McDaniel adopted him, whose last name he adopted. When Diddley was seven, the family moved to Chicago because of the Great Depression .
First Diddley learned to play the violin. At the age of twelve, he convinced his stepsister Lucille to give him a simple Gibson guitar to practice on. Towards the end of his school days he formed the band The Hipsters with two friends and played with them on the streets. After finishing school, he first worked as a carpenter and mechanic.
Career
Diddley's band, The Hipsters, grew in popularity over time. At the age of 19 he got an engagement at the 708 Club in Chicago. He attracted considerable attention thanks to his powerful amplifier, his unique style and his unusual guitar, which he had enhanced with a tremolo device made from an old clock and auto parts . 1954 Jackson and Jody Williams left the band and were replaced by James Bradford and "Buttercup". Then there were Billy Boy Arnold , Clifton James and Jerome Green.
Through Billy Boy Arnold Bo Diddley tried to get into various record companies. He finally made it with his two tracks Bo Diddley and I'm a Man on Chess Records . Willie Dixon and Otis Spann also starred on this single . Due to the success, he played a few concerts nationwide, including at the Apollo Theater in New York City , where he broke the audience record held by Sammy Davis Junior up to that point . In the following years he could be heard repeatedly in the charts and developed into a versatile musician.
In 1958 he made an electric guitar with a rectangular body for himself . He hired the neck of a Gretsch -Guitar including headstock and fretboard and the electrics, bridge and tailpiece and installed these components on a flat square of Bakelite ; this unconventionally designed instrument became his trademark. It was based on the cigar box guitar , a version of the guitar originally developed out of poverty and not uncommon in the blues, in which the body was made from a wooden or cigar box. Diddley preferred the rectangular shape because the body horns of other electric guitars are said to have bothered him when jumping on stage.
From 1959 Bo Diddley also played with Peggy Jones alias "Lady Bo", a graduate of the New York Music School. With her he expanded the spectrum of his songs again. In 1960 he moved to Washington, DC From then on he was allowed to produce his own music - a musical freedom that was unusual for a colored musician at that time and that otherwise only James Brown enjoyed. In 1962 Bo Diddley had his last hit for the time being with the song You Can't Judge a Book by the Cover (Dixon). Under his real name Ellas McDaniel, he also wrote songs like Mona , which was recorded by the Troggs , Tom Petty and the Rolling Stones . A certain rhythm is predominant, which is referred to as the “Bo Diddley Beat” or also as “salesman's knock” (because the traveling traders used to knock on the front door in this way). Examples of this syncopated rhythm (stroke / stroke / stroke / rest / stroke / stroke) are Diddley compositions like Bo Diddley , but also Magic Carpet Ride by Steppenwolf , Magic Bus by The Who and Not fade away , a song by Buddy Holly der best known through the early Rolling Stones .
From the end of the 1960s, like many other blues musicians, he got a little off the beaten track. Even so, he continued to release albums. These were created together with well-known colleagues such as Little Walter , Muddy Waters and Howlin 'Wolf . At the Toronto Peace Festival 1969 he appeared alongside John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band, Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis, among others. In 1972 he was one of the top acts on the London Rock and Roll Show at the famous Wembley Stadium . Bo Diddley's influence remained constant throughout the 1970s. Numerous musicians from the punk and new wave scene made use of his pieces.
In 1989 Diddley appeared in the Nike commercial, Bo knows, with baseball and American football player Bo Jackson.
In 1987 Diddley was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and 2004 into the Blues Hall of Fame . Occasionally he took on supporting roles in films, such as the pawnbroker in 1983 in Die Glücksritter . In the film Blues Brothers 2000 he appeared as a musician; In 2003 he had a guest appearance on the US sitcom Jim Again and again .
Sickness and death
On May 13, 2007, Bo Diddley suffered a stroke after a concert in Council Bluffs, Iowa, which severely affected his language center. On August 29, 2007, he suffered a heart attack and had to be hospitalized again. On June 2, 2008, Diddley died of heart failure at his Florida home, aged 79.
Discography
Albums
year | title |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | |
---|---|---|---|---|
US | UK | |||
Studio albums | ||||
1958 | Bo Diddley | - | - | |
1959 | Go Bo Diddley | - | - | |
1960 | Have Guitar Will Travel | - | - |
titled after the western series Have Gun - Will Travel
|
Bo Diddley in the Spotlight | - | - |
featuring Road Runner
|
|
Bo Diddley is a Gunslinger | - |
UK20 (1 week) UK |
||
1961 | Bo Diddley Is a Lover | - | - | |
1962 | Bo Diddley's a Twister | - | - |
named after the twist fever of that time
|
Bo Diddley | - |
UK11 (8 weeks) UK |
||
1963 | Bo Diddley & Company | - | - |
first album with The Duchess
|
Surfin 'with Bo Diddley | - | - | ||
1964 | Two great guitars | - | - |
with Chuck Berry
|
1965 | Hey Good lookin ' | - | - | |
500% More Man | - | - | ||
1966 | The Originator | - | - | |
1967 | Great blues | - | - |
with Muddy Waters and Little Walter
|
1968 | The Super Super Blues Band | - | - |
with Muddy Waters and Howlin 'Wolf
|
1970 | The Black Gladiator | - | - | |
1971 | Another dimension | - | - | |
1972 | Where It All Began | - | - | |
1973 | The London Bo Diddley Sessions | - | - | |
1974 | Big Bad Bo | - | - | |
1976 | 20th Anniversary of Rock & Roll | - | - | |
1983 | Ain't It Good to Be Free | - | - | |
1989 | Breakin 'through the BS | - | - |
Home studio album recorded in Archer , Florida
|
Living legend | - | - |
Home studio album recorded in Archer, Florida
|
|
1992 | This Should Not Be | - | - |
Home studio album recorded in Albuquerque , New Mexico
|
1996 | A Man Amongst Men | - | - |
Number 8 in the US Blues Albums Charts
|
Compilations | ||||
1963 | Hey Bo Diddley | - | - |
Released in UK only
|
Bo Diddley Rides Again | - |
UK19 (1 week) UK |
Released in UK only
|
|
1964 | Bo Diddley's 16 All-Time Greatest Hits | - | - | |
1971 | Got My Own Bag of Tricks | - | - | |
1982 | Chess Masters, Volume One | - | - | |
Chess Masters, Volume Two | - | - | ||
1984 | His Greatest Sides, Volume One | - | - | |
His Greatest Sides, Volume Two | - | - | ||
1990 | The Chess Box | - | - | |
1991 | Rare & Well Done | - | - | |
1995 | Bo Knows Bo | - | - | |
1997 | His best | - | - | |
2000 | 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Bo Diddley |
- | - | |
2003 | Eddy Mitchell Presente Les Rois Du Rock - Bo Diddley | - | - | |
2005 | Classic Bo Diddley: The Universal Masters Collection | - | - | |
2006 | The Story of Bo Diddley: The Very Best of Bo Diddley | - | - | |
2007 | The Definitive Collection | - | - |
Number 2 in the US blues album charts
|
I'm a Man: The Chess Masters, 1955-1958 | - | - | ||
2008 | Rock 'N' Roll Legends | - | - | |
Road Runner: The Chess Masters, 1959-1960 | - | - | ||
gold | - | - | ||
2009 | Ride On: The Chess Masters, 1960-1961 | - | - | |
Live albums | ||||
1963 | Bo Diddley's Beach Party | - |
UK13 (6 weeks) UK |
|
1977 | I'm a man | - | - | |
1985 | Bo Diddley & Co. - Live | - | - | |
1986 | Hey ... Bo Diddley: In concert | - | - | |
1988 | Live at the Ritz | - | - |
with Ronnie Wood
|
1994 | live | - | - |
Singles
year | Title album |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
US | R&B | UK | |||
1955 | Bo Diddley Bo Diddley (1958) |
- | - | - |
B-side: I'm a Man (no album)
|
Diddley Daddy Bo Diddley (1958) |
- | - | - |
B-side: She's Fine, She's Mine (without album)
|
|
Pretty Thing Bo Diddley (1958) |
- | - |
UK34 (6 weeks) UK |
B-side: Bring It to Jerome
|
|
1956 | Diddy Wah Diddy Bo Diddley (1958) |
- | - | - |
B-Side: I Am Looking for a Woman (Album: Bo Diddley's a Twister )
|
Who Do You Love? Bo Diddley (1958) |
- | - | - |
B-side: I'm Bad (no album)
|
|
Cops and Robbers Have Guitar, Will Travel |
- | - | - |
B-side: Down Home Special (without album)
|
|
1957 | Hey Bo Diddley Bo Diddley (1958) |
- | - | - |
B-Side: Mona (Album: Got My Own Bag of Tricks )
|
Say! Boss Man Bo Diddley (1958) |
- | - | - |
B-side: Before You Accuse Me
|
|
1958 | Hush Your Mouth Bo Diddley (1958) |
- | - | - |
B-side: Dearest Darling
|
Willie and Lillie Go Bo Diddley |
- | - | - |
B-side: Bo Meets the Monster (without album)
|
|
1959 | I'm Sorry Go Bo Diddley |
- |
R&B17 (5 weeks) R&B |
- |
B-side: Oh yeah
|
Crackin Up Go Bo Diddley |
US62 (5 weeks) US |
R&B14 (5 weeks) R&B |
- |
B-side: The Great Grandfather
|
|
Say Man Go Bo Diddley |
US20 (12 weeks) US |
R&B3 (15 weeks) R&B |
- |
B-side: The Clock Strikes Twelve
|
|
Say Man, Back Again Have Guitar, Will Travel |
- |
R&B23 (1 week) R&B |
- |
B-side: She's alright
|
|
1960 | Road Runner In the Spotlight |
US75 (6 weeks) US |
R&B20 (2 weeks) R&B |
- |
B-side: My Story (without album)
|
Walkin 'and Talkin' In the Spotlight |
- | - | - | ||
Crawdad In the Spotlight |
- | - | - | ||
Gunslinger Bo Diddley Is a Gunslinger |
- | - | - |
B-Side: Signifying Blues (Album: In the Spotlight )
|
|
1961 | Not Guilty Bo Diddley Is a ... Lover |
- | - | - |
B-side: Aztec
|
Pills The Originator |
- | - | - |
B-side: Call Me (without album)
|
|
1962 |
You Can't Judge a Book by the Cover Bo Diddley (1962) |
US48 (10 weeks) US |
R&B21 (9 weeks) R&B |
- |
B-side: I Can Tell
|
1963 | The Greatest Lover in the World |
- | - | - |
B-Side: Surfer's Love Call (Album: Surfin 'with Bo Diddley )
|
1964 | Memphis Bo Diddley's Beach Party |
- | - | - |
B-side: Monkey Diddle (without album)
|
Jo-Ann The Originator |
- | - | - |
B-Side: Mama, Keep Your Big Mouth Shut (no album)
|
|
Chuck's Beat (with Chuck Berry ) Two Great Guitars |
- | - | - |
B-side: Bo's beat
|
|
1965 | Hey, good lookin ' hey! Good lookin ' |
- | - |
UK39 (4 weeks) UK |
B-Side: You Ain't Bad (Album: The Originator )
|
500% More Man 500% More Man |
- | - | - |
B-side: Let the Kids Dance
|
|
1966 | We're gonna get married |
- | - | - |
B-side: Do the Frog
|
Ooh baby |
US88 (7 weeks) US |
R&B17 (9 weeks) R&B |
- |
B-side: Back to School
|
|
1967 | Wrecking My Love Life |
- | - | - |
B-side: Boo-Ga-Loo Before You Go
|
1968 | I'm high again |
- | - | - |
B-side: Another Sugar Daddy
|
1969 | Bo Diddley 1969 |
- | - | - |
B-side: Soul Train
|
1971 | The Shape I'm In Another Dimension |
- | - | - |
B-side: Pollution
|
I Said Shut Up Woman Another Dimension |
- | - | - |
B-side: I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know
|
|
1972 | Infatuation Where It All Began |
- | - | - |
B-side: Bo Diddley-Itis
|
Bo-Jam The London Bo Diddley Sessions |
- | - | - |
B-side: Husband In Law
|
|
1973 | Don't Want No Lyin 'Woman The London Bo Diddley Sessions |
- | - | - |
B-side: Make A Hit Record
|
1976 | Drag On The 20th Anniversary of Rock 'N' Roll |
- | - | - |
B-side: Not Fade Away
|
1996 | Bo Diddley Is Crazy A Man Amongst Men |
- | - | - |
also as Can I Walk You Home , maxi CD
|
2005 | Bo Diddley |
- | - |
UK99 (1 week) UK |
B-side: I'm A Man
|
literature
- George R. White: Bo Diddley: Living Legend , Castle Communications, Chessington, Surrey 1995, 248 pp., ISBN 978-1-86074-130-2 .
Trivia
- Bo Diddley tells of his life in the autobiographical song The Story of Bo Diddley , which was also covered by the English rock band The Animals . A live version of the track “Bo Diddley” can be heard, for example, on the Animal LP “In The Beginning” (1970) (A-side, track 3 [of 7]) (length: 7:53).
- The Spanish band Fito y Fitipaldis released the song Yo no soy Bo Diddley ("I'm not Bo Diddley") on the album Por la boca vive el pez (2008) Diddley.
- In the animated film Fritz the Cat , the title Bo Diddley is played as a soundtrack for almost 2 minutes .
- The ghosts from various Super Mario games called Buu Huu were called Boo Diddleys in the English version of Super Mario Bros. 3
- The Rolling Stone listed Bo Diddley as 20th of the 100 greatest musicians and 27th of the 100 best guitarists of all time .
Web links
- Works by and about Bo Diddley in the catalog of the German National Library
- Bo Diddley - The Originator
- Bo Diddley Biography at Rolling Stone
- Bo Diddley, Who Gave Rock His Beat, Dies at 79. In: New York Times . June 3, 2008, accessed March 16, 2018 (with audio files and audio slide show).
- “Bomp, ba-bomp-bomp, bomp-bomp!” Spiegel Online , June 3, 2008, with picture gallery and video
- Official website (English)
- Bo Diddley at Discogs (English)
Individual evidence
- ^ A b c Neil Strauss: The Indestructible Beat of Bo Diddley. Fifty years ago, he helped pioneer rock & roll, and he's never stopped. Inside the mind of rock's greatest inventor. In: Rolling Stone . August 25, 2005, accessed March 16, 2018 .
- ↑ Kay, H .: Rock'n'Roll Souvenirs, p. 15. ISBN 3-89441-179-1
- ^ "" Wow "was his last word" , Die Zeit , June 3, 2008
- ↑ Die Klampfmaschinen - Legendary Electric Guitars , one day , October 24, 2011
- ↑ Bi Diddley - The 50ies Collection (click on the arrow symbol)
- ↑ Magic Carpet Ride - Steppenwolf (click on the arrow symbol)
- ↑ Magic Bus - The Who (click on the arrow symbol)
- ↑ Not fade away - The Rolling Stones (click on the arrow symbol)
- ↑ Imdb entry
- ↑ "Diddley suffered a stroke" , n-tv.de , May 18, 2007
-
↑ a b chart sources:
- Bo Diddley on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart
- Bo Diddley on the Billboard Hot R & B / Hip-Hop Songs chart
- Bo Diddley in the Official UK Charts (English)
- ↑ The Story of Bo Diddley at allmusic.com
- ^ Entry by Animals on allmusic.com with reference to their interpretation of The Story of Bo Diddley
- ↑ 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. Rolling Stone , December 2, 2010, accessed August 8, 2017 .
- ↑ 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. Rolling Stone , December 18, 2015, accessed August 8, 2017 .
personal data | |
---|---|
SURNAME | Diddley, Bo |
ALTERNATIVE NAMES | McDaniel, Ellas OB; Bates, Otha Ellas |
BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American musician |
DATE OF BIRTH | December 30, 1928 |
PLACE OF BIRTH | McComb |
DATE OF DEATH | June 2, 2008 |
Place of death | Archer |