Bo Diddley had a difficult childhood. However, difficulties and obstacles helped to create an international artist out of Bo. Diddley is one of the creators of rock and roll.
The unique ability of the musician to play the guitar turned him into a legend. Even the death of the artist could not "trample" the memory of him into the ground. The name of Bo Diddley and the legacy he left behind are immortal.
Childhood and youth of Ellas Ota Bates
Ellas Ota Bates (real name of the singer) was born December 30, 1928 in McComb, Mississippi. The boy was raised by his mother's cousin Juzy McDaniel, whose last name Ellas took.
In the mid-1930s, the family moved to a black area in Chicago. Soon he got rid of the word "Ota" and became known as Ellas McDaniel. Then he was first imbued with rock and roll motives.
In Chicago, the guy was an active parishioner of the local Ebenezer Baptist Church. There he mastered playing several musical instruments. Soon, almost every resident of Chicago learned about Ellas's talent. The director of the music school invited him to become part of his own ensemble.
Ellas preferred rhythmic music. That is why he decided to master the guitar. Inspired by the performance of John Lee Hooker, the young musician began working with Jerome Green. At first, music did not give Ellas income, so he began to earn extra money as a carpenter and mechanic.
The creative path of Bo Diddley
Some performances on the street were not enough for the musician. His talent did not develop. Soon, Ellas and several like-minded people created the Hipsters group. Over time, the musicians began performing under the name Langley Avenue Jive Cats.
The performances of the ensemble took place on the streets of Chicago. The guys positioned themselves as street artists. In the mid-1950s, Ellas joined forces with Billy Boy Arnold, who was an excellent harmonica player, and Clifton James, drummer and bassist Roosevelt Jackson.
In this composition, the musicians released the first demos. We are talking about the songs I'm a Man and Bo Diddley. A little later, the tracks were re-recorded. The quintet resorted to the services of backing vocalists. The debut collection was released in 1955. The musical composition Bo Diddley has become a real hit in rhythm and blues. During this period of time, Ellas was given the nickname Bo Diddley.
In the mid-1950s, the musician became a member of The Ed Sullivan Show. The TV project staff heard Ellas humming the Sixteen Tons track in the locker room. They asked to perform this particular musical composition on the show.
Not without scandals
Ellas agreed, but misinterpreted the request. The musician decided that he should perform both the track that was originally agreed upon and Sixteen Tons. The host of the program was beside himself with the antics of the young artist and forbade him to appear on the show for the past 6 months.
A cover version of the Sixteen Tons song was included on the Bo Diddley Is a Gunslinger album. The record came out in 1960. This is one of the artist's most recognizable tracks.
In 1950-1960, Bo Diddley released a number of "juicy" compositions. The most memorable songs of that time were the tracks:
- Pretty Thing (1956);
- Say Man (1959);
- You Can't Judge a Book by the Cover (1962).
Musical compositions, as well as unsurpassed specific guitar playing, made Bo Diddley a real star. From the late 1950s to 1963 the artist has released 11 full-length studio albums.
In the mid-1960s, Bo Diddley visited the UK with his show. The artist performed on stage with the Everly Brothers and Little Richard. It is interesting that the favorites of the public, the Rolling Stones, performed as the opening act for the musicians.
Bo Diddley filled his own repertoire. Sometimes he wrote for other representatives of the stage. For example, Love is Strange for Jody Williams or Mama (Can I Go Out) for Jo Ann Campbell.
Bo Diddley soon left Chicago. The musician moved to Washington. There, the artist created the first home recording studio. He used it not only for his own purposes. Diddley often recorded in the studio for his protégés.
Over the next 10 years, Bo Diddley gathered fans at his concerts. The musician performed not only in large stadiums, but also in small clubs. The artist sincerely believed that the point was not in the place, but in the audience.
Interesting facts about Bo Diddley
- The highlight and, in some way, the discovery of the musician was the so-called “beat of Bo Diddley”. Music critics note that "Bo Diddley's beat" is a kind of competition at the intersection of rhythm and blues and African music.
- The musical compositions of the celebrity are one of the most popular among the tracks that are covered.
- Some call Bo Diddley the pioneer of rock music.
- The guitar last played by Bo Diddley sold at auction for $60.
- Bo Diddley is one of the 20 famous artists in the history of rock and roll.
The end of Bo Diddley's career
Since 1971, the musician moved to the provincial town of Los Lunas in New Mexico. Interestingly, during this period of time he tried himself in a profession that was far from creativity. Beau took over as sheriff. But meanwhile, he did not leave his favorite pastime - music. The artist also announced himself as a patron of the arts. Diddley donated several cars to the police.
In 1978, the musician moved to sunny Florida. There, a luxurious estate was built for the artist. Interestingly, the artist himself took part in the construction of the house.
A year later, he acted as "heating" for the Clash during their tour in the United States of America. In 1994, Bo Diddley performed on the same stage with the legendary Rolling Stones. He sang the song Who Do You Love? with her.
The Bo Diddley team continued to perform. Since 1985, musicians have rarely released compilations. But a nice bonus is that the composition of the ensemble has not changed since the mid-1980s. Bo Diddley himself did not want this, claiming that he played with his group to the last.
Bo Diddley and his team in 2005 went to the United States of America with their concert program. In 2006, the band performed at a charity concert in Ocean Springs, which was badly damaged by Hurricane Katrina.
The last years of Bo Diddley's life
Two years later, Bo Diddley got in trouble. The artist was hospitalized right from the stage. The musician had a stroke. He recovered for a long time, because he could not talk. Singing and playing musical instruments were out of the question.
The artist died on June 2, 2008. He died of a heart attack. At the time of his death, the musician lived in his house in Florida. On the day of Bo's death, Diddley was surrounded by relatives. One of the family members said that the artist's last words were the sentence "I'm going to heaven."
