Bo Diddley, 1928-2008

CNN is reporting rock legend Bo Diddley died this morning at his home in Archer, Fla. He was 79 years old.

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Update:

I made the earlier post while at work, so I couldn’t really get too much info, but here’s more on the death earlier today of Bo Diddley:

MIAMI (Reuters) - Rock ‘n’ roll pioneer Bo Diddley, who banged out hit songs powered by the relentless “Bo Diddley beat” that influenced rockers from Buddy Holly to U2, died on Monday at the age of 79.

Diddley died of heart failure at his home in Archer, Fla., his management agency, Talent Consultants International, said in a statement. “One of the founding fathers of rock ‘n’ roll has left the building he helped construct,” the statement said.

Diddley suffered a stroke during a concert in Iowa in May 2007 and was hospitalized in Omaha, Neb.. In August 2007 he had a heart attack in Florida.

Garry Mitchell, a grandson of Diddley and one of more than 35 family members at the musician's home when he died at about 1:45 a.m. EDT (0545 GMT), said his death was not unexpected.

“There was a gospel song that was sang and he said ‘wow’ with a thumbs up,” Mitchell told Reuters, when asked to describe the scene at Diddley’s deathbed. “The song was ‘Walk Around Heaven’ and in his last words he stated that he was going to heaven.”

For a timeline of Bo Diddley’s life, along with recommended reading and essential listening, check out Bo’s page on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Web site.

Tonight’s music comes from the 1988 album Live at the Ritz, which Ronnie Wood and Bo Diddley recorded live at the Ritz in New York in November 1987.

Hey Bo Diddley.mp3
Honky Tonk Women.mp3
Who Do You Love.mp3

Labels: classic rock, covers, current events

posted by aikin @ 1:39 PM