Hey! Bo Diddley, "The Originator" (1928 - 2008)
"Bo Diddley" was born on a cotton farm near McComb, Mississippi, on Dec. 30, 1928, being named Ellas Bates. With 6 years was adopted by a cousin of his mother, also taking his last name and moving its name to Ellas McDaniel. Coinciding with the "Great African-American Migration" (from poor areas of the south to the industrial cities of northern USA) moved to Chicago where he studied violin, until her half-sister Lucille gave him an acoustic guitar. In this city experienced the changes that suffered the blues, with the inclusion of electric instruments, drums, harmonica, and sometimes saxophones. Will be pawning the sound of the electric guitar, formed different groups with which he played in spare time which left him with the various trades that are earning a salary. A first recording for the label Chess Records in 1955 (with Bo Diddley songs and I'ma man), the success that he smiled and a band key to achieving the sound so special, highlighting Jerome Green to the maracas and voices, and their stepsister "The Duchess" to accompany the electric guitar, not forgetting of course the wild African rhythms and battery. Partner and frequent changes of domicile. Multiple collaborations with groups and artists from the first row, the influence of his style and music throughout the decades (from Buddy Holly to Rolling Stones, the Who to Bruce Springsteen, the Sex Pistols to Jesus & Mary Chain), hundreds of versions of his subjects (the Who do you love is one of the subjects with fewer chords and more different versions in the history of music), and recognition in the form of the most distinguished prizes in popular music, have marked his career until 2 June 2008 when heart problems forced him to move out of district, this time for good.
With a very personal style, percussive rhythms, repetitive, rasposos, tribal and distorted, became a father of rhythm & blues, a keystone in the evolution of rock & roll and "creator" of a very sound, the sound Bo Diddley, something very few have been able to achieve. While it was based on African rhythms, no one had achieved the sound and vibration that his syncopated guitar and compositions passed. Without boasting or technical virtuosity in the left for posterity riffs and rhythms that have become as classic, recorded in the subconscious of many people who knew but did not know the name of its author. In the interpretation of his songs, full of humor and enthusiasm, showed a contagious and primitive, merging sound and movement, with the exact dose of restraint and energy. I have not had the good fortune to attend a live concert yours, but I think it would certainly be one of the most shocking. Until we are able to travel in time we will have to settle for seeing you on video singing and playing his guitar feature Gretsh square "square-bodies", although this time I preferred to choose two videos from his early days, before they designed this guitar.
"Bo Diddley - Road Runner"
"Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley, 1955 (in the controversial Ed Sullivan Show)
Sure that angels are holding, with dances and convulsive maracas in his hands, the arrival of French black and his hectic pace. bee bee bam bam bam bam bam bee ...
