Bo Diddley - Ellas Bates - Ellas McDaniel
b December 30, 1928 - McComb, MS
d June 2, 2008 - Archer, FL
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award - 1998
Grammy Song Award-Who Do You Love (Checker 1956) - 2010
Grammy Song Award-Bo Diddley & flip-I'm a Man (Checker 1955) - 1998
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - 1987
You may come across several variations of the names above
attributed
to Bo Diddley, however David Blakey, Webmaster for Bo provided on
11-16-2004 the spelling of the names shown above. Thanks David.
Ellas Bates was adopted by Gussie McDaniel shortly after his birth. Gussie
was a cousin of Bo's mother. They moved to Chicago in the mid 1930's,
where Bo studied classical violin for the next several years under O.W.
Frederick. Bo received his first guitar when he was twelve as a Christmas
present from his sister Lucille. It was in high school that he acquired
the
nickname Bo Diddley. After graduation, Bo worked as a truck driver,
boxer,
a laborer and became a part-time musician. Bo played on street
corners and
on Maxwell Street with his neighborhood friends, Billy Boy Arnold
and
Jody Williams (Joseph Leon Williams). He took the professional name of
"Bo Diddley" in 1955 when told by Leonard Chess that he needed a new
name
other than Ellas McDaniel. Billy Boy Arnold suggested he use the name
Bo Diddley of the colorful street character from their Chicago neighborhood.
Two
original songs were recorded
for Checker Records and released on May 4, 1955
titled "Bo Diddley"
and "I'm a Man." This 45 rpm recording went to the top of
the
charts and everyone knew of Bo Diddley.
Bo was also a song writer and
you're probably familiar
with the tune "Love
is Strange" made famous by
Mickey (Baker) and Sylvia (Vanderpool)
which is
credited to Ethel Smith in
1957. Ethel Smith was Bo's wife at the
time! Bernard Pretty Purdie was
the drummer and Bo's neighborhood buddy,
Jody Williams played guitar on this,
so listen close for that Bo
Diddley
sound. What do you think?
Bo was covered by the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, the Doors,
the Grateful Dead,
and others. Even rap group De La Soul liked Bo.
Bo said he started the Rap Thing
anyway with his 1959 hit "Say Man",
which includes jive talking Bo signifying
(dissin') with maraca player Jerome
Green.
Bo was married four times with four children and numerous
grandchildren &
great-grandchildren.
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