Rock and Roll pioneer Bo Diddley has died in Florida at the age of 79.
Diddley, born Elias Otha Bates, also used the name Ellas McDaniel for his songwriting.He was born in Mississippi but moved to Chicago as a child.
He adopted the name Bo Diddley in 1951. The name was the reverse of the two-stringed instrument called the diddley bow, which was used by black musicians in the south (and still used today by music hobo Seasick Steve).
Diddley recorded at the famed Chess studios in Chicago. He is best known for the classics 'I'm A Man', 'Who Do You Love' and his namesake tune 'Bo Diddley'.
In Bo's early days, he closest 'competitor' was the legendary Chuck Berry. Bo once told Undercover News "Chuck was not the father of rock 'n' roll, I was".
"Chuck stole his sound from me," he said.
Bo Diddley was admitted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. In 1996, he received the lifetime achievement award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. In 1998, he was given a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Diddey died of heart failure. He had suffered a heart attack in August last year and three months early had a stroke.
