AKA: Ellas McDaniel
Bio:
BO DIDDLEY IS SO COOL HE'S PERMAFROST.
Paul Gambaccini, BBC TV, 1998
BO DIDDLEY shaped and defined the sound and presentation of rock music for all time. From Elvis Presley to George Thorogood, from The Rolling Stones to ZZ Top, from The Doors to The Clash, from Buddy Holly to Prince, and from The Everly Brothers to Run DMC, all acknowledged the unique influences of BO DIDDLEY upon their styles of music" A tireless campaigner in live performance against the use of misogynistic and dirty lyrics in today's rap music, BO DIDDLEY performs in schools, colleges and churches across the US teaching children and young people the importance of respect and education and the dangers of drugs and gang culture.
ELLAS BATES AKA BO DIDDLEY was born on Sunday December 30th 1928 on a small farm near the town of McComb, Mississippi, USA, in rural Pike County, close to the Louisiana border, the only child of Ethel Wilson and Eugene Bates. He was adopted by his mother's cousin, Mrs. Gussie McDaniel, and changed his name to ELLAS McDANIEL.
In the mid-1930's the family moved to the south side of Chicago. Soon after, he began to take violin lessons which he studied for twelve years, composing 2 concertos.
A frustrated drummer, he tried to translate the sounds that he heard into his own style. Gradually he began to duplicate what he did with his violin bow by rapidly flicking his plectrum across his guitar strings. "I play the guitar as if I'm playing the drums....I play drum licks on the guitar."
He formed his first group, a trio named The Hipsters, later known as The Langley Avenue Jive Cats, after the Chicago street where he lived.
In 1950 maracas player Jerome Green joined the group, followed a year later by harmonica player Billy Boy Arnold. After more than a decade of playing on street corners and in clubs around Chicago, BO DIDDLEY finally got the chance to cut a demo of 2 songs that he had written; "Uncle John" & "I'm A Man".
In the spring of 1955 he took the recordings to brothers Leonard and Phil Chess, owners of Chess Records. They released a double A-side disc "Bo Diddley"/"I'm A Man" on the Chess Records subsidiary label Checker Records. It went straight to the top of the rhythm'n'blues charts, establishing BO DIDDLEY as one of the most exciting and original new talents in American music.
BO DIDDLEY has received numerous accolades in recognition of his role as one of the founding fathers of rock 'n' roll.
In 1986, he was inducted into the Washington Area Music Association's Hall of Fame. In 1987 Bo Diddley was inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of
Fame. His pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
In 1996, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Rhythm and Blues Foundation.
In 1997 his 1955 debut recording of his song "Bo Diddley" inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame as a recording of lasting qualitative or historical significance and he received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the GRAMMY Awards Ceremony.
In 2000 he entered the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame and the North Florida Music Association's Hall of Fame.
In 2002, he received a Pioneer in Entertainment Award from the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters and a Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI) Icon Award in recognition of his many contributions to contemporary music.
In 2003, tribute was paid to BO DIDDLEY in the United States House of Representatives by Hon. John Conyers, Jr. of Michigan, who described him as "one of the true pioneers of rock 'n' roll, who has influenced generations".