RIP Bo Diddley

I was very sad to learn that rock pioneer Bo Diddley passed away today. He was 79 years old. For all you kids not in the know Bo Diddley was a pioneering guitarist whose guitar playing and bomp bomp rhythm in his songs made him a rock legend. Some people say that Bo Diddley's distinctive guitar playing and unique rhythms laid the ground work for funk music. And you can definitely hear Bo Diddley's influence in everyone from Buddy Holly to the Rolling Stones to the White Stripes. The most well known song of his was "Bo Diddley" and some of you may remember him from the commercial that he did with Bo Jackson years ago for Nike or from the John Lennon concert film "Live Peace in Toronto". RIP Bo Diddley!


Here is his obit from today's yahoo news:

By RON WORD, Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 1 minute ago

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Bo Diddley, a founding father of rock 'n' roll whose distinctive "shave and a haircut, two bits" rhythm and innovative guitar effects inspired legions of other musicians, died Monday after months of ill health. He was 79.

Diddley died of heart failure at his home in Archer, Fla., spokeswoman Susan Clary said. He had suffered a heart attack in August, three months after suffering a stroke while touring in Iowa. Doctors said the stroke affected his ability to speak, and he had returned to Florida to continue rehabilitation.

The legendary singer and performer, known for his homemade square guitar, dark glasses and black hat, was an inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, had a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, and received a lifetime achievement award in 1999 at the Grammy Awards. In recent years he also played for the elder President Bush and President Clinton.


read the rest here:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080602/ap_en_mu/obit_diddley



You gotta dig this clip it's from a London show in 1972, check out the shots of the 1970's British Teddy Boys dancing in the aisles:



And Bo in his prime from 1966: