Diddley, Bo (originally, McDaniel, Ellas)

Diddley, Bo (originally, McDaniel, Ellas), best remembered for his percussive “shave-and-a-haircut” guitar-playing style that influenced The Yard-birds and The Rolling Stones. Bo Diddley was one of rock ’n’ roll’s first electric guitarist-singers; b. Ellas Bates, McComb, Miss., Dec. 30, 1928 (soon adopted by the McDaniel family).

Ellas McDaniel moved to Chicago with his adopted family in 1934. Nicknamed Bo Diddley as a child, he began 12 years of violin studies upon arrival and took up guitar as a teenager. He manned a washboard trio to play the streets and rent parties from 1946 to 1951, when he debuted at the 708 Club. Diddley began playing with maraca player Jerome Green, and eventually signed with Chess Records in 1955, recording on the sister label, Checker. His first single, “Bo Diddley /I’m a Man/’ became a top R&B hit, and Muddy Waters soon recorded his own smash hit version of “I’m a Man” as “Manish Boy.” Subsequent R&B Diddley hits included “Diddley Daddy” and “Pretty Thing,” but classics such as “Who Do You Love” and “Mona” failed to chart. He broke through into the pop field in 1959 with “Say Man,” on which he traded insults with Green. In the early 1960s he also hit with “Road Runner” and “You Can’t Judge a Book by the Cover.” Diddley toured throughout the 1960s with Green and his half-sister guitarist- vocalist, simply known as “The Duchess.”

Bo Diddley first toured Great Britain in 1963. His influence on 1960s British groups became apparent when The Yardbirds hit with “I’m a Man” and The Rolling Stones recorded “Mona.” During the 1960s Diddley teamed with Chuck Berry for Two Great Guitars, Muddy Waters and Little Walter for Super Blues, and Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf for Super, Super Blues Band. Diddley worked the rock ’n’ roll revival circuit from 1969–74, appearing in the 1973 film Let the Good Times Roll After leaving Chess in 1974, he recorded an album for RCA. In 1979 he opened for The Clash on their debut tour of the United States.

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, Bo Diddley toured with Ron Wood in 1988 and returned to recording with Breaking through the B.S. on Triple X Records in 1989. In 1992 Rhino Records issued the tribute set Bo Diddley Beats, assembling recordings by Buddy Holly, Dee Clark, The Miracles and others. In the mid 1990s Bo Diddley recorded for MCA and Atlantic Records.

Discography

Bo Diddley (1958; reissued as Boss Man, 1968); Go Bo Diddley (1959); Bo Diddley/Go Bo Diddley (recorded 1955–58); Have Guitar, Will Travel (1960); In the Spotlight (1960); Bo Diddley Is a Gunslinger (1960); Bo Diddley Is a Lover (1961); Bo Diddley’s a Twister (1962; reissued as Roadrunner, 1968); Bo Diddley (1962); Hey Bo Diddley (1963); Bo Diddley and Company (1963); Surfin’ with Bo Diddley (1963); Bo Diddley’s Beach Party (1963); 16 All-Time Greatest Hits (1964); Hey Good Lookin’ (1965); 500% More Man (1966); The Originator (1967); Black Gladiator (1969); Another Dimension (1971); Where It All Began (1972); Got My Own Bag of Tricks (1972); The London Bo Diddley Sessions (1973); Big Bad Bo (1974); 20th Anniversary of Rock ’n Roll (1976); Toronto Rock ’n’ Roll Revival Vol. 5 (1982); Give Me a Break (1988); Breaking through the B.S. (1989); His Greatest Sides, Vol. I; The Chess Box (1990); Rare and Well Done (1991); Bo’s Blues (1993); Bo Knows Bo (1995); A Man amongst Men (1996); Mona (1996); His Best (1997).

BO DIDDLE Y AND CHUCK BERRY : Two Great Guitars (1964). BO DIDDLEY, MUDD Y WATERS, AND LITTLE WATER: Super Blues (1967). BO DIDDLEY, MUDDY WATERS, AND HOWLIN ’ WOLF: The Super Super Blues Band (1968).

—Brock Helander