Memorabilia -> Entertainment-Memorabilia -> Music-Memorabilia
Bo Diddley is a legend, both for his guitar playing and his role as one of the first influences in modern rock ‘n roll. Born Ellas Othas Bates in Mississippi in 1928, he later became known as the “originator” because he was one of the first to move from playing the blues to playing rock ‘n roll. He started out playing violin and trombone in his church’s orchestra, but became captivated by the guitar and rhythmic gospel music.
Inspired by the music of John Lee Hooker, he started playing the music he loved with his friends, sometimes performing on street corners or for tips in night spots. He became a regular at the same club where Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker regularly performed in 1951 in Chicago. Then in 1954, he put together a band and made some demo recordings. One of those songs, Bo Diddley, became a #1 hit R & B single in 1955.
The Bo Diddley beat was a distinctive rhythm he often used in his music, a rumba-like beat he became known for. He was also recognized for his innovations with the guitar. His music often followed the same chord throughout the song, but had unusual rhythms and changes that made it dynamic. He often played an unusual looking guitar shaped like a box that he built himself in 1958. He also played the violin on some of his recordings. The songs he wrote were often witty takes or humorous versions of folk music.
When he appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1955, Bo Diddley got himself banned from ever appearing again by going against the show’s wishes. He had been asked to sing a Merle Travis song, but instead sang his hit “Bo Diddley.” Despite Ed Sullivan’s anger and pronouncement that he wouldn’t last six months, Diddley had hit after hit through the 50s and 60s, and released 11 albums.
Bo Diddley wasn’t just a pioneer in musical styles or types of guitar, but in other areas, too. He was one of the first musicians to set up his own recording studio at his home. And he was also one of the first men to have women in his band. A woman led his band for the last 25 years he performed, in fact.
He went on to perform with well known acts, and receive numerous awards and distinctions from the musical community and from his fans. Bo Diddley appeared in a small part in the 1983 film Trading Places, and made commercials for Nike. His songs have been covered by a variety of acts over the years, and his birthplace has even been given a Mississippi Blues Trail historical marker to honor his contribution to the art form.
He’s only been gone since June, 2008, so his contributions to musical world continued until recently, even though he was less active in the months and years leading up to his death. eBay is a wonderful place to find Bo Diddley memorabilia like old vinyl albums and recordings.
Originally posted 2008-12-28 14:00:11. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Related Posts -
Beatles Memorabilia Memorabilia -> Music Memorabilia -> Rock, Pop-> The Beatles Out of all of the rock groups that rose to prominence in the 1960’s, none took the world by storm quite like The Beatles and since then, Beatles memorabilia has been a hot commodity. There are fans that have built up...... -
Bruce Lee Movies Collectibles -> Memorabilia -> Movie Memorabilia Bruce Lee is a revered name in the martial arts community, and Bruce Lee movies are classics among action and martial arts fans. Lee was more than actor, he actually developed a martial art form called Jeet Kune Do, and popularized the sport in...... -
Vintage Pin-Up Posters Memorabilia -> Movie Memorabilia -> Posters Vintage pin-up posters represent a popular movie and magazine phase of US history. The ultimate pin-up girl was Marilyn Monroe, without whom no collection of vintage pin-ups would be complete. She was the pin-up queen of the 1950s, a sex symbol, and was considered...... - Guitar Picks Memorabilia -> Rock, Pop -> Guitar and Guitar Picks When you think of guitar picks, do you think of those tiny rounded triangles of plastic that probably cost about a penny to manufacture? Guitarists used to file down materials like wood, bone, stone, amber, ivory and even metal or shell......
-
Fender Guitar Dealers -> Musical Instruments -> String A Fender guitar is one of the best guitars you can purchase in the world today, whether it's a new instrument or a vintage one. Fender began with Leo Fender releasing the Esquire model guitar in 1950, but production only lasted for about......
Related Websites -
5 Tips for Acoustic Guitar Playing Here are a couple of acoustic guitar tips for free that every beginner should learn sooner than later. Some of it is harder to learn than it is for others; forewarned is forearmed. Guitar Tip #1 - You are incredibly unlikely to hear anyone ever say to themselves "It is...... -
Acoustic Guitar Tablature Acoustic music tablature has now become the preferred method for reading and playing guitar music among many of the people playing the acoustic guitar today. Even among those who are classically trained, who used sheet music during instruction, becoming more familiar with the art of reading and understanding guitar tablature...... - Robert Trujillo: Bassist for Metallica Metallica was up to the task of performing at Ozzfest this year, for they commanded the attention of the massive stadium. Robert Trujillo was rocking for over two hours with drummer Lars Ulrich, singer/guitarist James Hetfield and lead guitarist Kirk Hammett, all of whom brought forth a power that made......
-
Guitar Hero Metallica Review Final Thoughts: I recommend this game to all fans of the GH series and Metallica. The game does a solid job of capturing the essence of Metallica and really provides a nice challenge. I have played every Guitar Hero game from beginning to end, and this ranks as my...... -
Learning to Play the Acoustic Guitar When it comes to learning how to play the acoustic guitar and its associated cords, there are a myriad of different places that you can turn to in order to get the help you need. Although there may be a myriad of different sites out there that will help you......
