Bo Diddley
Blues, Musical Artist
1928 – 2008
Who was Bo Diddley?
Ellas Otha Bates, known by his stage name Bo Diddley, was an American R&B vocalist, guitarist, songwriter, and rock and roll pioneer. He was also known as The Originator because of his key role in the transition from the blues to rock, influencing a host of acts, including Buddy Holly, Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, The Velvet Underground, The Who, The Yardbirds, Eric Clapton, Elvis Presley, and The Beatles, among others. He introduced more insistent, driving rhythms and a hard-edged electric guitar sound on a wide-ranging catalog of songs, along with African rhythms and a signature beat that remains a cornerstone of rock and pop. Accordingly, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and received Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation and a Grammy Award from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. He was known in particular for his technical innovations, including his trademark rectangular guitar.
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- Born
- Dec 30, 1928
McComb - Also known as
- Bo Diddly
- Bo Didley
- Ellas McDaniel
- Ellas Otha Bates McDaniel
- Ellas Bates
- bo_diddley
- Diddley, Bo
- Elias McDaniel
- Ellas B. McDaniel
- The Originator
- Parents
- Siblings
- Spouses
- Louise Woolingham
(1946 - 1947) - Sylvia Paiz
(1992/09/26 - 2005) - Ethel Smith
(1949 - 1956) - Kay Reynolds
(1960 - 1980)
- Louise Woolingham
- Children
- Ethnicity
- African American
- Nationality
- United States of America
- Profession
- Lived in
- McComb
- Chicago
- Died
- Jun 2, 2008
Archer
Submitted
on July 23, 2013
Citation
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"Bo Diddley." Biographies.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.biographies.net/people/en/bo_diddley>.
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