Bo Diddley (1928-2008)

"I don't like to copy anybody. Everybody tries to do what I do, update it. I don't have any idols I copied after. They copied everything I did, upgraded it, messed it up. It seems to me that nobody can come up with their own thing, they have to put a little bit of Bo Diddley there."--Bo on copy cat artists

Like Mos Def so eloquently said "BO DIDDLEY IS ROCK & ROLL!!!" Don't let the history books tell you other wise.

I wish I could do a more proper send off for this icon, but I really can't. In this instance, I'm still a young buck that needs to more research before I just start speaking about a man that was making history before I even started breathing. But, I know enough about him to know that he deserves mention in every conversation pertaining to Rock music. I also know that like so many other Black musicians of yesteryear, Diddley never really got his just due (or checks) when he was in his prime. He didn't really start getting his props until later in his life. In an interview he once alluded that age ain't nothing but a number, but to be 70 years old and still be touring to support himself because he never once received a royalty check for his recordings is equally commendable and tragic.

So, with that, I guess the only thing I can encourage us to do is to go back and get very familiar with Bo's catalog and make sure that he isn't forgotten as time goes on.

I, like so many other youngsters who grew up in the 80s, got introduced to Bo through that old Nike Bo Jackson commercial. Its moments like that that I'm thankful to have had a father around to immediately give me a briefing on exactly who I was looking at, an icon.



Here is a decent send off over at The Loaf.