A Photographic Retrospective By John Robert Rowlands

Bo Diddley

 

b. Otha Ellas Bates (later known as Ellas McDaniel), 28 December 1928, McComb, Mississippi, USA.

After beginning his career as a boxer, where he received the sobriquet 'Bo Diddley', the

singer worked the blues clubs of Chicago with a repertoire influenced by Louis Jordan,

John Lee Hooker and Muddy Waters. In late 1954, he teamed up with Billy Boy Arnold and recorded

demos of 'I'm A Man' and 'Bo Diddley'. Re-recorded at Chess Studios with a backing ensemble comprising

Otis Spann (piano), Lester Davenport (harmonica), Frank Kirkland (drums) and Jerome Green (maracas),

the a-side, 'Bo Diddley', became an R&B hit in 1955.

Before long, Diddley's distorted, amplified, custom-made guitar, with its rectangular shape and

pumping rhythm style became a familiar, much-imitated trademark, as did his self-referential songs

with such titles as 'Bo Diddley's A Gunslinger', 'Diddley Daddy' and 'Bo's A Lumberjack'.

His jive-talking routine with 'Say Man' (a US Top 20 hit in 1959) continued on 'Pretty Thing'

and 'Hey Good Lookin'', which reached the lower regions of the UK charts in 1963.

By then, Diddley was regarded as something of an R&B legend and found a new lease of life courtesy

of the UK beat boom. The Pretty Things named themselves after one of his songs, while his work was covered

by such artists as the Rolling Stones, Animals, Manfred Mann , Kinks, Yardbirds, Downliner's

Sect and the Zephyrs. Diddley subsequently jammed on albums by Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters

and appeared infrequently at rock festivals. His classic version of 'Who Do You Love'

became a staple cover for a new generation of US acts ranging from Quicksilver Messenger Service

to the Doors, Tom Rush and Bob Seger, while the UK's Juicy Lucy took the song into the UK Top 20.
Like many of his generation, Diddley attempted to update his image and in the mid-70s

released The Black Gladiator in the uncomfortable guise of an ageing funkster.

Where It All Begins, produced by Johnny Otis (whose hit 'Willie And The Hand Jive' owed

much to Diddley's style), was probably the most interesting of his post-60s albums.

In 1979, Diddley toured with the Clash and in 1984 took a cameo role in the film Trading Places.

A familiar face on the revival circuit, Diddley is rightly regarded as a seminal figure in the

history of rock 'n' roll. His continued appeal to younger performers was emphasized by

Craig McLachlan 's hit recording of 'Mona' in 1990. Diddley's sound and

'chunk-a-chunka-cha' rhythm continues to remain an enormous influence on pop and rock,

both consciously and unconsciously. It was announced in 1995, after many years of relative

recording inactivity, that Diddley had signed for Mike Vernon 's Code

Blue record label; the result was A Man Amongst Men. Even with the assistance of

Richie Sambora, Jimmie Vaughan, Ronnie Wood, Keith Richards, Billy Boy Arnold,

Johnny 'Guitar' Watson and the Shirelles, the anticipation was greater than the result.

 

Bo Diddley photography by John Robert Rowlands