Bo's Bio Below
A message from Bo Diddley:
I, Ellas McDaniel (aka Bo Diddley throughout the
world), would like to share these thoughts with all of
you, that someone is trying to destroy our rose garden
here in America. Wake up and smell the roses, because
there's a fungus among us! Keep rockin' an' rollin',
but keep it clean. Love Bo Diddley - forever.
Update: July 2, 2006
A review of BO DIDDLEY and the Debby Hastings Band's upcoming July 13th concert at the
prestigious Jazz Sommer Graz Festival in the City of Graz in south-east Austria, is set
to be included in an article about BO DIDDLEY due to be published in the September 2006
edition (Issue #109) of "American Music Magazine".
The quarterly fanzine, which is devoted exclusively to news, features and reviews about
1950s rock & roll, rockabilly and country music, is published by the Swedish Rock &
Roll Club in Varberg, Sweden in both Swedish and English. Subscription rates and
other info are available by visiting the "American Music Magazine" website.
"American Music Magazine" website: http://www.americanmusicmagazine.com/
Jazz Sommer Graz Festival website: http://www.jazzsommergraz.at/
Update: June 29, 2006
A new one-hour radio special titled "Chuck Berry: Hail, Hail The King of Rock 'n' Roll"
will air between 10.00am-11.00am (Eastern) next Wednesday (July 5th) on Bob Putignano's
popular "Sounds of Blue" radio program on WFDU-FM 89.1 in the New York tri-state metro
area. It will also be available to listeners around the world via a live stream at the
WFDU-FM website located at http://wfdu.fm/ and for an additional 7 days after the
show has aired at the Live365.com website located at http://www.live365.com/stations/bob8003
Hosted by director Taylor Hackford, this radio special has been produced by Tres
Hombres Productions in conjunction with the DVD home video release this week of the
documentary "Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll", the celebrated 1987 feature film that
captured the musical event commemorating the 60th birthday of Chuck Berry. "Hail!
Hail! Rock 'n' Roll" is widely acclaimed as one of the most significant filmed
musical events of the past few decades. BO DIDDLEY appears in the movie in several
sequences with Chuck Berry and Little Richard.
The radio program includes live music, rehearsal sessions and insider
interviews compiled from both the original film and the bonus materials
unearthed for the multi-disc DVD reissues. Distributor Image Entertainment's
standard two-disc "Special Edition" and four-disc "Ultimate Edition"
boxed set of the movie feature a wide array of bonus content, including over
seven hours of never-before-seen footage, extended interviews with many
of the original founders of rock & roll, documentaries and more. The 4-disc box set
is bolstered with "Witness To History", an hour-plus round table with
Chuck Berry, Little Richard and BO DIDDLEY discussing their shared
experiences for the first time.
DVDs of the movie will also be given away during next Wednesday's live broadcast over WFDU-FM.
Sounds of Blue website: http://www.soundsofblue.com/
Update: June 28, 2006
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Radio 2 show "Rockin' With Suzi Q", which features a
blend of the best American music from the rock & roll era of the 1950s and early 1960s, will
on Thursday July 6th between 9.00pm-10.00pm BST (8.00pm-9.00pm GMT/UTC) recall the release 50
years ago next month of BO DIDDLEY's fifth single "Who Do You Love"/"I'm Bad" (Checker 842).
The show's "Golden Anniversary" feature celebrates the 50th anniversary each week of a key
moment in rock & roll history.
Listeners around the world can listen on-line to the show streamed as RealMedia either by
visiting the BBC Radio 2 Suzi Quatro Home Page located at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/quatro and clicking the "Listen Live" link or for an
additional 7 days after the show has aired by clicking the "Listen Again To This Show" link.
One of BO DIDDLEY's most potent and enduring compositions, "Who Do You Love" has since
been recorded and performed countless times by artists including Cheap Trick, Cross Canadian
Ragweed, Dion, Doors, Downliners Sect, Foghat, Gov't Mule, Sammy Hagar, Ronnie Hawkins,
Jesus & The Mary Chain, Steve Miller Band, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Carlos Santana,
Bob Seger, Smashing Pumpkins, Patti Smith, Bruce Springsteen, Stooges, George Thorogood,
Johnny Thunders and the Yardbirds.
In April 2005, the release of BO DIDDLEY's debut single "Bo Diddley"/"I'm A Man" (Checker 814)
and in November 2005, his third single "Pretty Thing"/"Bring It To Jerome" (Checker 827),
were both previously the subject of the "Rockin' With Suzi Q" show's "Golden Anniversary" feature.
Suzi Quatro Home Page: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/quatro
Update: June 26, 2006
BO DIDDLEY's original girl guitar player LADY BO will be performing at this weekend's 21st
annual Monterey Bay Blues Festival, being staged today thru Sunday (June 23rd-25th inc.)
at the Monterey County Fairgrounds in Monterey, CA.
LADY BO is scheduled to perform on the Garden Stage on Sunday afternoon commencing at 1.25pm.
Ticket packages for the 3-day Festival start at $110 for all shows, including grounds stages
and booths; grounds stages shows at $85 for all 3 days; $25 for Friday and $35 each for
Saturday and Sunday. For further information, please call 394-2652 or visit the Festival website.
This summer marks the 50th anniversary of the historic chance meeting outside New York's
Apollo Theater between BO DIDDLEY and LADY BO. As the world's first female rock group
guitarist, she went on to appear on such popular and influential recordings as "Hey Bo
Diddley", "Mona", "Say Boss Man", "Say Man", "Story of Bo Diddley", "Road Runner", "Cadillac",
"Ride On Josephine", "Bo Diddley's A Gunslinger", "Pills", "Bo's Bounce" and the underground
instrumental classic "Aztec".
Monterey Bay Blues Festival website: http://www.montereyblues.com/
Update: June 9, 2006
Fans living in the Greater Grand Forks area of North Dakota and Minnesota may be interested to
know that the Grand Forks Police and Grand Forks County Sheriff's Departments are holding a
benefit auction tonite (Friday) beginning at 7.00pm to raise funds for colleagues whose
lives have been stricken by cancer.
Amongst the more than 200 items to be auctioned is a Fender electric guitar autographed by
a number of top performers including BO DIDDLEY and the Everly Brothers.
The auction takes place in the East Grand Forks Eagles Club, 227 10th St. NW East Grand
Forks, MN. A free spaghetti dinner will be served beforehand at 5.30pm and a dance will
follow the auction. The auction is open to the public. Cash, checks and credit cards
will all be gratefully accepted.
Grand Forks Police Department website: http://www.grandforksgov.com/policedept
Grand Forks County Sheriff's Department website: http://www.grandforkscounty.net/sheriff/index.htm
Update: June 8, 2006
BO DIDDLEY's guest appearance on the track titled "Seventeen" on the New York Dolls'
new album "One Day It Will Please Us To Remember Even This" will only be available as a
limited edition bonus track on the first pressings of the CD. These initial releases
will also include a special bonus 45-minute documentary DVD about the making of the
album, which is due for release on Roadrunner Records on Tuesday July 25th. The 14
original tracks which make up the album were recorded last summer.
The influential group included their version of the BO DIDDLEY song "Pills" on their
1973 debut album and it has since remained a staple of their live shows. Citing him as
their hero, BO DIDDLEY and the re-formed New York Dolls appeared on-stage at the
celebrated Little Steven's International Underground Garage Festival held at Randall's
Island, NY in the summer of 2004.
Roadrunner Records website: http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/
Update: June 2, 2006
Coffee merchant Starbucks enters the home video business on Tuesday June 27th with an exclusive DVD
version of the documentary "Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll", the celebrated 1987 feature film that
captured the musical event commemorating the 60th birthday of Chuck Berry.
"Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll" is widely acclaimed as one of the most significant filmed
musical events of the past few decades. BO DIDDLEY appears in the movie in several
sequences with Chuck Berry and Little Richard.
The Starbucks DVD comprises a single-disc that includes 40 minutes of bonus footage
selected and edited by director Taylor Hackford, as well as an exclusive 14-track
CD of Chuck Berry's hits. The package will sell for $19.95 at more than 5,200
Starbucks locations across the US. Starbucks Coffee Company is the leading retailer,
roaster and brand of speciality coffee in the world.
The DVD is released on the same day that distributor Image Entertainment's standard
two-disc "Special Edition" and four-disc "Ultimate Edition" boxed set of the movie
go on sale in conventional retail outlets, featuring a wide array of bonus content,
including over seven hours of never-before-seen footage, extended interviews with
many of the original founders of rock & roll, documentaries and more.
The 4-disc box set is bolstered with "Witness To History", an hour-plus round
table with Chuck Berry, Little Richard and BO DIDDLEY discussing their
shared experiences for the first time.
Starbucks.com website: http://www.starbucks.com/
Image Entertainment, Inc. website: http://www.image-entertainment.com/
Update: May 20, 2006
BO DIDDLEY & the Debby Hastings Band have added further dates to their schedule in
Western Europe this summer.
During the month of July, they are currently scheduled to play a series of music festivals,
theater and club dates in Austria, England, Finland, Germany and Spain.
Further details of these dates, and the rest of BO DIDDLEY's busy 2006 touring schedule,
are available on the Forthcoming Appearances page of the BO DIDDLEY-The Originator website,
located at http://members.tripod.com/~Originator_2/dates.html
Our thanks go to our good friend Wolfgang Guhl in Germany, Webmaster of the Chuck Berry -
Mr. Rock 'n' Roll website, for creating a webpage on his site giving venue and ticketing
information for BO DIDDLEY's forthcoming July 14th appearance in Munich, located at
http://www.chuckberry.de/bdmunich.htm
Update: May 18, 2006
BO DIDDLEY, blues guitarist Alvin Youngblood Hart and blues/gospel vocalist Ruthie Foster are
to embark on a 37-date coast to coast "BO DIDDLEY & Friends" tour this fall.
Beginning in California on September 22nd and concluding in Florida on November 12th,
the tour will play to theaters and concert halls in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois,
Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri,
Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Utah, Texas, Virginia, Washington and
Wisconsin.
Further details are available on the Forthcoming Appearances page of the BO DIDDLEY-The
Originator website, located at http://members.tripod.com/~Originator_2/dates.html
Alvin Youngblood Hart official website: http://www.mojomusic.com/alvin/index.htm
Ruthie Foster official website: http://www.ruthiefoster.com/
Update: May 14, 2006
BO DIDDLEY is to kick off a new American Heritage tribute series to the rich world of American
roots music. The concert will be staged at the Mondavi Center for the Arts' Jackson Hall
on the campus of the University of California, Davis on Friday September 22nd, beginning
at 8.00pm.
The Mondavi Center at UC Davis has established itself as one of the leading presenters of
world music and its 2006-07 season begins with a focus on blues music. Billed as an evening
with BO DIDDLEY & Friends, the concert will also feature blues/gospel vocalist Ruthie
Foster and blues guitarist Alvin Youngblood Hart and is the Center's official season opener.
For more information, call (530) 754-2787.
Mondavi Center for the Arts website: http://www.mondaviarts.org/
Update: April 30, 2006
The City of Gainesville in North Central Florida will be celebrating Black Music Month this
June with a free concert headlined by BO DIDDLEY and R&B/funk outfit Munkeez Strikin Matchiz.
Beginning at 8.00pm on the evening of Saturday June 17th, the show is being staged as part
of the City of Gainesville Division of Cultural Affairs "Let's Go Downtown" Plaza Series
of live music, theater and dance performances at the Community Plaza located on the corner
of SE 1st and E University Ave in historic downtown Gainesville. For more info, call 334-ARTS.
Munkeez Strikin Matchiz' acclaimed debut CD "BananAtomic Mass", which features guest
appearances from BO DIDDLEY, Chuck D of the hip hop group Public Enemy and Bernie Worrell
of WOO Warriors/P-Funk/Talking Heads fame, is now available for digital downloading, as
a full-length CD or as individual tracks, from a number of on-line music services
including eMusic, Napster and Rhapsody. "BananAtomic Mass" is also available to purchase
from the CD Baby on-line record store as well as locally in the Gainesville area at Hyde
& Zeke Records, No Future Records and CD Warehouse.
City of Gainesville Division of Cultural Affairs website: http://www.gvlculturalaffairs.org/
Munkeez Strikin Matchiz official website: http://munkeezstrikinmatchiz.com/
CD Baby "BananAtomic Mass" webpage: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/munkeezsm
eMusic "BananAtomic Mass" webpage: http://www.emusic.com/label/118/118773.html
Rhapsody "BananAtomic Mass" webpage: http://www.rhapsody.com/munkeezstrikinmatchiz/bananatomicmass
Napster website: http://www.napster.com/
Update: April 25, 2006
TheMusiciansLounge.com website, a new on-line resource for musicians, entertainers and fans,
designed to promote local live music in Calgary, AB, Canada and around the world,
features an exclusive interview with BO DIDDLEY ahead of his show at the Back Alley nightclub
in Calgary tonight (Tuesday).
The transcript of this recent telephone interview with BO DIDDLEY is located
at: http://www.themusicianslounge.com/phBB69/viewtopic.php?t=565 (registration required).
A transcript of the interview, in which BO DIDDLEY shares his thoughts on various topics
including drugs, rap music and the recent proclamation of "BO DIDDLEY Day" in North Central
Florida, is also available in the BO DIDDLEY-The Originator website Forum, located at
http://members.tripod.com/~Originator_2/guestbook.html and then by clicking on the "Enter
My Forum" button.
TheMusiciansLounge.com website: http://www.themusicianslounge.com/
The Back Alley nightclub website: http://www.backalleycalgary.com/
Update: April 12, 2006
BO DIDDLEY makes a special guest appearance on a track titled "Seventeen" on the New York
Dolls' new album "One Day It Will Please Us To Remember Even This", due for release on
Roadrunner Records on Tuesday July 25th. The 13 original tracks which make up the album
were recorded last summer.
The influential group included their version of the BO DIDDLEY song "Pills" on their
1973 debut album and it has since remained a staple of their live shows. Citing him as
their hero, BO DIDDLEY and the re-formed New York Dolls appeared on-stage at the
celebrated Little Steven's International Underground Garage Festival held at Randall's
Island, NY in the summer of 2004.
Roadrunner Records website: http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/
Update: April 11, 2006
Image Entertainment, Inc., a leading independent licensee, producer and distributor of home
entertainment programming in North America, has secured the DVD rights to Taylor Hackford's
movie "Hail! Hail! Rock'n'Roll", the celebrated 1987 feature film that captured the musical
event commemorating the 60th birthday of Chuck Berry. BO DIDDLEY appears in the movie in
several sequences with Chuck Berry and Little Richard.
Image Entertainment plan to release the DVD on Tuesday June 27th as both a 2-disc
"Special Edition" and as a 4-disc "Ultimate Edition" boxed set, featuring a wide array
of bonus content, including over seven hours of never-before-seen footage, extended
interviews with many of the original founders of rock & roll, documentaries and more.
The 4-disc box set is to be bolstered with "Witness To History", an hour-plus round
table with Chuck Berry, Little Richard and BO DIDDLEY discussing their shared
experiences for the first time.
"Hail! Hail! Rock'n'Roll" is widely acclaimed as one of the most significant
filmed musical events of the past few decades.
Image Entertainment, Inc. website: http://www.image-entertainment.com/
Update: April 5, 2006
BO DIDDLEY and the Debby Hastings Band are to perform at the inaugural Ruth Brown Blues Festival,
being held at 8.00pm on the evening of Saturday May 13th at the nTelos Pavilion, Harbor Center,
Olde Towne in Portsmouth, VA.
Presented as part of Festival Portsmouth and the 10th annual Virginia Arts Festival, this special
homecoming tribute evening to Portsmouth native Ruth Brown will also feature performances from
Shemekia Copeland and Clarence "Frogman" Henry.
With pop hits such as "Lucky Lips" in 1957 and "This Little Girl's Gone Rockin'" in
1958, Ruth Brown was Atlantic Records' top selling artist of the 1950s.
Ruth Brown Official Website: http://www.missrhythm.com/
Virginia Arts Festival website: http://www.virginiaartsfest.com/jazz-blues.html
nTelos Pavilion website: http://www.pavilionconcerts.com/
Update: April 4, 2006
The popular About.com website guide to blues, zydeco and Americana music has begun a poll
to find the "Greatest Blues Song" from a shortlist of 10 of the most recognized blues songs
of all-time. Included in the listing is BO DIDDLEY's classic "I'm A Man" (aka "Mannish Boy").
Other songs making the shortlist include Elmore James' "The Sky Is Crying", Etta James' "I'd
Rather Go Blind", BB King's "The Thrill Is Gone" and the Muddy Waters hits "I'm Ready",
"Hoochie Coochie Man" and "Got My Mojo Workin'".
Originally written and recorded by BO DIDDLEY in March 1955 as "I'm A Man" and then
later reworked by Muddy Waters in May of 1955 as "Mannish Boy", visitors to the About.com
blues website are being encouraged to listen to sound clips of both versions of the song
and then to vote for their favorite song in the poll.
"I'm A Man"/"Mannish Boy" has been performed and recorded countless times in the past 50
years by artists including the Beatles, the Grateful Dead, John Lennon, the Rolling Stones,
the Who and the Yardbirds, whose recording of "I'm A Man" was a US Top 20 pop hit for the
group in the winter of 1965.
About.com "Greatest Blues Song" poll: http://blues.about.com/od/bluestoppicks/a/bestsongpoll.htm
Update: April 2, 2006
Movie actor and musician Steven Seagal and his band Thunderbox' new blues CD "Mojo Priest" is
released on his Nonsolo Blues label, distributed by EMI France, in Europe tomorrow (Monday),
with a scheduled US release due in May.
The album, which was recorded at the House of Blues and Sounds Unreel Studios in Memphis,
TN last fall, includes tracks recorded with an all-star line-up of musicians including BO
DIDDLEY, Ruth Brown, James Cotton, Honeyboy Edwards, Robert Lockwood, Jr., Louisiana Red,
Bob Margolin, Hubert Sumlin and Koko Taylor. The US release next month is scheduled to
include a bonus DVD filmed at the recording sessions for the album.
BO DIDDLEY features on the album singing and playing guitar on his new song titled
"Shake". Amongst the 13 tracks that make up the album are 3 reworkings of blues
standards: Howlin' Wolf's "Little Red Rooster", Muddy Waters' "Hoochie Coochie Man"
and Elmore James' "Dust My Broom".
Steven Seagal's movie credits include "Above The Law", "Under Siege", "Executive
Decision" and "Exit Wounds".
Steven Seagal Official Website: http://www.stevenseagal.com/
Steven Seagal Official Music Website: http://www.stevenseagal.info/index_uk.html
Update: March 28, 2006
Fans may be interested to know that the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Radio 2 network
is to broadcast a special 2-part tribute to Howlin' Wolf, part one to air next Tuesday (April 4th)
between 9.30pm-10.00pm BST (8.30pm-9.00pm GMT/UTC) with part two the following Tuesday (April
11th), also between 9.30pm-10.00pm BST (8.30pm-9.00pm GMT/UTC).
This 2-part documentary relates the story of Howlin' Wolf and examines his enduring
influence on rock music and is being broadcast to mark the 30th anniversary of his death.
It include tributes from musicians and associates including Jeff Beck, Marshall Chess,
Bonnie Raitt, Hubert Sumlin and Bill Wyman.
In September 1967, Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters and BO DIDDLEY joined forces in the Chess
Records studios to record the all-star blues super session album "The Super Super Blues
Band" (Checker LP-3010), featuring spirited reworkings of a number of their classic
songs including "Little Red Rooster", "Diddley Daddy", "Spoonful" and "Goin' Down Slow".
In a Chess Records feature recently published in the UK's "Record Collector" magazine,
Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry and BO DIDDLEY were described as "the Big Four
of Chess who revolutionised popular music".
Listeners around the world can hear this special 2-part Howlin' Wolf tribute program
via RealAudio media format by visiting the BBC Radio 2 webpage located at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/documentaries/index.shtml and clicking either
the "Listen Live" or "Listen Again" icons to launch the BBC Radio Player.
The 2 programs can be heard on-line for an additional 7 days after each show has aired.
BBC Radio 2 webpage: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/documentaries/index.shtml
Howlin' Wolf Home Page: http://www.howlinwolf.com/
Update: March 21, 2006
BO DIDDLEY and the Debby Hastings Band will be one of the featured attractions at this year's
prestigious Beale Street Music Festival in Memphis, TN.
The 3-day festival, which each year features more than 60 of the nation's top blues,
rock, gospel, R&B, alternate and soul music acts, is being held in Tom Lee Park at Beale
St. & Riverside Dr. in downtown Memphis, the weekend of Friday thru Sunday May 5th-7th
inclusive. BO DIDDLEY takes to the stage on Saturday May 6th.
Other artists appearing on this year's special bill, which celebrates the 30th
anniversary of the month-long Memphis In May International Festival, sponsors of
the Beale Street Music Festival, include Bryan Adams, the Bar-Kays, James Brown,
Chicago, George Clinton & Parliament/Funkadelic, Bruce Hornsby, BB King, Huey Lewis
& The News, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Hubert Sumlin, Booker T & The MGs
and Johnny Winter.
Tickets for the Festival are now on sale through Ticketmaster.
No age restrictions; everyone must have a ticket.
Memphis In May International Festival website: http://www.memphisinmay.org/
Ticketmaster website: http://www.ticketmaster.com/
Update: February 28, 2006
Saturday (February 25th) was declared "BO DIDDLEY Day" in Alachua County, North Central Florida,
during a Black History Month celebration at the Archer Church of God in Christ. He was cited for
his many music accomplishments, including his role of bridging blues and rock & roll.
Many of BO DIDDLEY's children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren
were in attendance at the gospel-infused event and presented much of the afternoon's musical
entertainment in honor and celebration of BO DIDDLEY's contributions to the Church and to
the community of Alachua County. BO DIDDLEY has helped the Church over the years by giving
items of musical equipment and other donations.
During the celebration, BO DIDDLEY performed a new song titled "Get Out of My Face Satan" as
well as a duet with his grandson Deacon Garry Mitchell aka Philosopher G on BO DIDDLEY's
powerful anti-drugs, anti-gang rap "Kids Don't Do It". The event also included many local
Christian music performers, including the Latin sounds of singer Dagna and the gospel
mime artist the Boy of Silence, but the festivities on the day focused on BO DIDDLEY,
with many of his family filling the Church to honor him. His offspring comprised all
the members of the Church's youth choir and most of the members of its adult choir.
Presenting a proclamation declaring it to be "BO DIDDLEY Day", Alachua County Commissioner
Rodney Long paid tribute: "It goes to show... how deep the roots of Bo run. He does it from
his heart and he doesn't expect pay".
Alachua County, Florida website: http://www.co.alachua.fl.us/
Update: February 19, 2006
We were greatly saddened to learn of the death of former BO DIDDLEY
band drummer Clifton James in Chicago, IL on Thursday morning (February
16th). He was aged 69.
BO DIDDLEY's original drummer, Clifton began playing with the band in
1954 and continued throughout the 1950s and 1960s, playing on many of
BO DIDDLEY's classic Chess recordings, including "Bo Diddley", "I'm A
Man", "Diddley Daddy", "Pretty Thing", "Bring It To Jerome", "Diddy Wah
Diddy", "Who Do You Love", "Cops & Robbers" and "Road Runner".
He was the drummer for BO DIDDLEY's landmark November 1955 appearance
on the Ed Sullivan CBS Television show, which is now widely hailed as
the earliest example of rock music on TV and for which Clifton received
an award in Chicago last month, recognizing him as a rock music-
television pioneer. He also appeared in BO DIDDLEY's highly acclaimed
live performance in the 1966 AIP movie "The Big TNT Show" and in DA
Pennebaker's 1970 "Sweet Toronto" concert film.
Throughout the 1960s, Clifton toured and recorded sessions with many of
the Chess Records greats, including Willie Dixon, the Flamingos, Buddy
Guy, the Moonglows, Koko Taylor, Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson and
Howlin' Wolf, before touring with his own blues band in the 1970s.
In May 2002, Clifton was reunited on-stage with BO DIDDLEY and former
band members Billy Boy Arnold and Jody Williams at that year's Chicago
Blues Festival and in April last year he made another triumphant return
to live performance at the New Orleans 2005 Ponderosa Stomp series of
concerts, backing BO DIDDLEY's former guitarist LADY BO. He had been
scheduled to perform once again with LADY BO, Billy Boy Arnold and Jody
Williams at a BO DIDDLEY band reunion show at this year's upcoming
Ponderosa Stomp event in May.
As an integral part of BO DIDDLEY's bands in the 1950s and 1960s,
Clifton James' pioneering drumming skills, utilising complex cross-
rhythms, helped create the original BO DIDDLEY sound and thereby shaped
the beat of rock & roll. We send our sincere condolences to his family
and friends at this very sad time.
Update: February 15, 2006
Fans living in the Denver-Aurora area of Colorado may be interested to know that a new exhibit
titled "Rock & Roll: The Day They Came To Town" goes on display at the Aurora History Museum
at 15001 East Alemeda Drive in Aurora, CO from next Tuesday (February 21st) thru to Sunday
May 28th inclusive. Admission is free.
The exhibit includes electric guitars previously owned by BO DIDDLEY and Chuck Berry,
along with rock & roll concert posters, items of clothing and other memorabilia gathered
from a number of sources, including the Experience Music Project in Seattle, WA and the
Stax Museum in Memphis, TN.
Call 303-739-6660 or visit the City of Aurora website for further details.
City of Aurora website: http://www.auroragov.org/
Update: February 9, 2006
BO DIDDLEY and the R&B/funk band Munkeez Strikin Matchiz will be headlining the 5-day
Bronson Music Festival on Saturday February 18th, beginning at 7.00pm.
The Festival, which features rock & roll, bluegrass, gospel, blues and country music,
is being held from Wednesday February 15th thru Sunday 19th inclusive, at the
Bronson Motor Speedway in Bronson, FL.
Organised by the Bronson Chamber of Commerce, the Festival is a community event
to benefit the local chapters of the American Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity.
American Red Cross website: http://www.redcross.org/
Habitat for Humanity website: http://www.habitat.org/
Bronson Motor Speedway website: http://www.bronsonmotorspeedway.com/
Munkeez Strikin Matchiz website: http://munkeezstrikinmatchiz.com/
Update: January 19, 2006
The February 2006 issue of the popular UK monthly magazine "Record Collector" (Issue #320),
which goes on sale today (Thursday, Jan. 19th), includes a feature on the history of Chess
Records written by Kingsley Abbott plus an interview with Marshall Chess.
"Record Collector" magazine is the world's leading publication for collectors of rare
records and memorabilia. In the feature, along with Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters and Howlin'
Wolf, BO DIDDLEY is described as "one of the Big Four of Chess who revolutionised popular music".
Metropolis Publishing's "Record Collector" website: http://www.metropolis.co.uk/recordcollector.html
Update: January 14, 2006
BO DIDDLEY's long-time friend and tenor saxophone player Nick Savage
was one of the headliners at a Hurricane Katrina benefit concert
weekend (January 14th/15th) in north-central Florida.
"Nasty" Nick Savage has recorded and performed on-stage with BO DIDDLEY
for almost 20 years, appearing on his 1989 album "Breakin' Through The
BS". He has also appeared on-stage many times with Bill Haley's Comets
and opened for artists including Ray Charles and Willie Nelson.
The SuperSax Sounds of Nick Savage - Have Sax Will Travel:
http://www.nicksavage.com/pages/1/index.htm
"Waveland to Wasteland: The Mississippi Town That FEMA Forgot" website:
http://www.femaforgotwaveland.com/index.html
Update: January 8, 2006
Fans living in Chicago, IL may be interested to know that former BO DIDDLEY band drummer Clifton
James is scheduled to be be one of the honored panelists at a special event titled "TV A-Go-Go:
Rock Music On Television" being held this Wednesday (January 11th) starting at 6.00pm at the
Chicago Cultural Center, Claudia Cassidy Theater, 77 E Randolph St. Admission is free.
Hosted by Jake Austen, author of the recently published book "TV A-Go-Go: Rock on TV From
American Bandstand to American Idol", the event celebrates the history of rock music on TV,
with an emphasis on Chicago artists and programs, and will screen rare rock & roll-related
TV clips, including BO DIDDLEY's historic November 1955 debut TV appearance on Ed Sullivan's
"Toast of The Town" CBS-TV show, and feature talks with a number of Chicago rock music and
TV pioneers.
Clifton James played drums in the BO DIDDLEY band from 1954 and throughout the 1950s and
1960s and appears on the Ed Sullivan show video clip. He also recorded many classic
tracks with BO DIDDLEY over the years, including "Bo Diddley", "I'm A Man", "Diddley Daddy",
"Pretty Thing", "Bring It To Jerome", "Diddy Wah Diddy", "Who Do You Love" and "Road Runner".
In the year 2000, BO DIDDLEY's appearance on the Ed Sullivan show was acclaimed as one of
VH1's "100 Greatest Rock & Roll Moments On TV".
Update: January 1, 2006
Writing in an article in the "Hampton Roads Daily Press" newspaper in Hampton Roads,
VA today (New Year's Day), its pop music/entertainment reporter Sam McDonald lists BO
DIDDLEY's September 10th performance at the 2005 Hampton Bay Days concert as one of
his 10 memorable music moments from last year. He writes:
"This architect of rock & roll was feeling good when he stepped on the stage in
downtown Hampton. Playing classics from the 1950s, joking with the crowd and
entertaining with endearing freestyle raps, he showed flashes of the bohemian
spirit that made him a legend. Not bad for a guy who remained seated through most of his set".
BO DIDDLEY's dates for 2006 currently include shows in California, Florida,
Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Canada and Jamaica. Please check
the Forthcoming Appearances page of the BO DIDDLEY-The Originator
website at http://members.tripod.com/~Originator_2/dates.html for all the latest details.
"Hampton Roads Daily Press" website: http://www.dailypress.com/
Update: December 31, 2005
BO DIDDLEY's original girl guitar player LADY BO is slated to perform at the 5th annual
Ponderosa Stomp being held on Tuesday & Wednesday May 9th & 10th at the Gibson Factory
in Memphis, TN. Other former members of the BO DIDDLEY band also slated to play are Billy
Boy Arnold, Clifton James and Jody Williams.
The annual New Orleans roots music romp, that draws crowds from all over the world,
will find a temporary home in Memphis in 2006. Billed as "2 Nights of Insane Rock &
Roll", the 2-day music festival, which celebrates the unsung heroes of the blues, soul,
rockabilly, swamp pop and New Orleans R&B, will benefit New Orleans and Gulf Coast
musicians rendered homeless and jobless by Hurricane Katrina.
Tickets are $40 per night. Advance tickets will be available on-line at
www.knights-maumau.com/tickets_merchandise.php
from Friday January 20th and will also be available at the door on the night of the show.
Ponderosa Stomp website:
http://www.ponderosastomp.com/
Update: December 28, 2005
Writing in a news article in "The Post-Standard" newspaper in Syracuse, (Monday, Dec. 26th), its
music critic Mark Bialczak describes BO DIDDLEY, Dave Brubeck and Smokey Robinson as "performers
who helped shape the American musical landscape for generations" and as "a trifecta of
stars that still earn their idol status because of what they accomplish on-stage right now".
Listing BO DIDDLEY's July 17th performance at the New York State Blues Fest as one of
his Top 10 shows in Central New York for 2005, Mark Bialczak writes: "BO DIDDLEY
has so much fun croaking his rock-blues classics to the rain-soaked fans that his
handlers have to pull him off the Clinton Square stage. BO DIDDLEY rocks, raps and
reminisces with an attitude that says "Nobody's nearly as cool as me". "Hey, Bo Diddley", indeed".
BO DIDDLEY's dates for 2006 currently include shows in California, Florida,
Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Canada and Jamaica. Please check the
Forthcoming Appearances page of the BO DIDDLEY-The Originator website at
http://members.tripod.com/~Originator_2/dates.html for all the latest details.
Just a reminder from us that BO DIDDLEY celebrates his 77th birthday this Friday
(December 30th) and we encourage all his many fans around the world, if they haven't
done so already, to sign the BO DIDDLEY-The Originator website Guestbook with their
birthday greetings and messages.
As we always do at this time of the year, we have made special arrangements for
BO DIDDLEY to view each and every one of your greetings. This is an opportunity
for you to convey your appreciation and best wishes to one of the undisputed
legends of rock & roll and a true original, on the occasion of his 77th birthday.
Please sign the Guestbook, located at http://members.tripod.com/~Originator_2/guestbook.html
and show your support for The Originator - BO DIDDLEY. Thank you very much.
"The Post-Standard" website: http://www.syracuse.com/
Update: December 6, 2005
BO DIDDLEY's original girl guitar player LADY BO, along with her husband Wally Malone on bass, will be performing tomorrow evening (Wednesday) at the annual "Toys For Tots" Community Party being staged at The Chateau in Incline Village, NV.
Admission to the party, which is sponsored each year by the Marine Corps Reserve of Reno, is one new unwrapped toy or a check or credit card donation to purchase toys and winter clothing for local children in need.
Thursday thru Saturday evenings of this week, (December 8th thru 10th inc.), LADY BO and Wally Malone will be in residence at the Rapscallion Seafood House & Bar, 1555 South Wells Ave. in Reno, NV, followed by further dates at this venue during January, February and March 2006. For reservations or more information, call (775) 323-1211.
In other LADY BO news, an article titled "LADY BO: First Lady of Guitar" written by Renee Westbrook is published in the Fall (November/December) 2005 issue of "ROCKRGRL" magazine, issue #57.
"ROCKRGRL" is published six times a year out of offices in Seattle, WA and distributed in the US, Canada and internationally by Tower, Small Changes, Disticor, Newbury Comics, Ingram, Armadillo, Ubiquity, Hudson, Kent, Lambda Rising, Chris Stadler, Soure Interlink, Media Solutions, BuyOlympia.com, Carrot Top, Bookazine and Don Olson.
Rapscallion Seafood House & Bar website: http://www.rapscallion.com/
"ROCKRGRL" magazine website: http://www.rockrgrl.com/
Update: December 1, 2005
BO DIDDLEY and the Debby Hastings Band are to perform at next month's prestigious 3-day Air
Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival 2006, to be held from Thursday January 26th thru Saturday
January 28th inc. at the Rose Hall Resort & Country Club in Montego Bay, Jamaica. BO
DIDDLEY takes to the stage on the Friday night, January 27th.
Black Entertainment Television (BET), one of the top cable TV entertainment networks,
has joined forces with the Jamaica Tourist Board to promote the Festival.
BET will produce a half-hour preview show, to premier on BET and its sister channel
BET Jazz this month, promoting the destination, the Festival and the Festival location.
In addition, a Festival commercial will air repeatedly on BET Jazz and VH1 Soul. BET
will also promote the Festival in Atlanta, GA on KISS 104.1 FM, Atlanta's Old
School R&B radio station.
Air Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival 2006 website: http://www.airjamaicajazzandblues.com/
Black Entertainment Network (BET) website: http://www.bet.com/
Update: November 18, 2005
The twice-postponed "Florida Keys For Katrina Relief" concert starring BO DIDDLEY and featuring
artists including Clarence Clemons, Frankie Ford, Mike Pinera, the Soul Providers and many Keys
and South Florida musicians, is now scheduled for Sunday January 8th at Founders Park in
Islamorada, FL.
Originally due to take place in October and then rescheduled for December 4th, the concert
had to be rescheduled again because of extensive flooding and damage to the Florida Keys
caused by Hurricane Wilma last month.
The benefit concert and associated one-day festival has been organized by a coalition of
Florida Keys businesses and civic organizations to raise funds to help Islamorada's sister
city, Ocean Springs, MS, a small coastal town that was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in August.
Much to the dismay of the organizers, it was decided that the proposed alternate date in
December did not afford sufficient time to reorganize the event while dealing with their
own storm damage issues.
It has been decided that the proposed concert and festival will now be a joint fund-raiser
for both Ocean Springs, MS and for those areas of the Florida Keys that were severely
impacted by Hurricane Wilma last month. Owing to the unusual circumstances surrounding the
proposed concert, a representative for The Weather Channel has expressed an interest in the
cable TV channel broadcasting the event either live or taped.
Florida Keys For Katrina Relief website: http://www.info.floridakeysforkatrinarelief.com/
Ocean Springs, MS website: http://www.oceansprings-ms.com/
Update: November 17, 2005
BO DIDDLEY's unique and lasting influence on rock music remains as strong as ever, as Will
Young's new single "Switch It On", with its exhilarating mix of fervent rhythms set to the
BO DIDDLEY beat, was released in the UK this week and looks set to climb towards the top of
the UK singles chart.
Will Young was the winner of the first series of the UK's "Pop Idol" reality TV series in
2002. The multi-platinum selling artist's current single joins a lengthy list of international
chart-topping hit songs that have utilised the world-famous BO DIDDLEY beat. These include
Elvis Presley's "His Latest Flame" (1961), Buddy Holly's "Bo Diddley" (1963), The Rolling
Stones' "Not Fade Away" (1964), Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders' "Game of Love" (1965),
Steppenwolf's "Magic Carpet Ride" (1968), Neil Sedaka's "Bad Blood" (1975), George Michael's
"Faith" (1987), U2's "Desire" (1988) and Craig McLachlan & Check 1-2's "Mona" (1990).
In other news, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band's homage to the BO DIDDLEY beat,
when the band performed a medley of the songs "Hey Bo Diddley" and "She's The One" at
the Concert for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH in September 1995, is
to be included on a new UK DVD release titled "Bruce Springsteen: Broadcasting Live",
due for release in the UK in December on Classic Rock Direct (DVD HIT1987).
Will Young official website: http://www.will-youngonline.com/
Classic Rock Direct website: http://www.classicrockproductionsonline.com/
Update: November 15, 2005
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Radio 2 show "Rockin' With Suzi Q", which features
a blend of the best American music from the rock & roll era of the 1950s and early 1960s, on
Thursday November 24th between 9.00pm-10.00pm GMT/UTC will recall the release 50 years ago
this month of BO DIDDLEY's third single "Pretty Thing"/"Bring It To Jerome" (Checker 827).
The show's weekly "Golden Anniversary" feature celebrates the 50th anniversary of a key
moment in rock & roll history.
Listeners around the world can listen on-line to the show streamed as RealMedia either
by visiting the BBC Radio 2 Suzi Quatro Home Page located at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/quatro and clicking the "Listen Live" link
or for an additional 7 days after the show has aired by clicking the "Listen Again To
This Show" link.
A UK Top 40 hit single for BO DIDDLEY in the fall of 1963, "Pretty Thing" has since been
performed and recorded by many other artists including the Animals, Canned Heat, Ronnie
Hawkins & The Hawks, Van Morrison, the Pretty Things (who derived their name from the
song), the Rolling Stones and the Who.
In April 2005, the release of BO DIDDLEY's debut single "Bo Diddley"/"I'm A Man"
(Checker 814) was previously the subject of the show's "Golden Anniversary" feature.
Suzi Quatro Home Page: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/quatro
Update: November 8, 2005
Fans living in the area of Norman, OK may be interested to know that ahead of BO DIDDLEY's
November 18th show at Norman's historic Sooner Theatre, the venue will be showing a free
screening of the 2003 Marc Levin directed film "The Blues: Godfathers and Sons" to help
inform audiences about the blues and its effect on American culture.
Everyone who attends the screening at 7.00pm next Wednesday (November 16th) will be
entered into a free draw to win a pair of tickets to the November 18th BO DIDDLEY concert.
"The Blues: Godfathers and Sons" explores the heyday of Chicago blues and Chess Records
and includes archive footage of Chess musicians including BO DIDDLEY, Willie Dixon,
Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson and Howlin' Wolf.
For more information, call 321-9600 or visit the Sooner Theatre website.
Sooner Theatre website: http://www.soonertheater.com/
Update: October 27, 2005
Owing to extensive flooding and damage to the Florida Keys caused by Hurricane Wilma, the "Florida
Keys For Katrina Relief" concert which was originally due to take place in Islamorada, FL
last Sunday (October 23rd) and then rescheduled for December 4th, has had to be rescheduled
again to a date to be determined.
The concert was due to headline BO DIDDLEY and feature Clarence Clemons, Frankie Ford,
Mike Pinera, the Soul Providers and many Keys and South Florida musicians.
The benefit concert and associated one-day festival had been organized by a coalition
of Florida Keys businesses and civic organizations to raise funds to help Islamorada's
sister city, Ocean Springs, MS, a small coastal town that was devastated by Hurricane
Katrina in August.
Much to the dismay of the organizers, it has now been decided that the proposed alternate
date of December 4th does not afford sufficient time to reorganize the event while dealing
with their own storm damage issues. The new date for the concert will depend on how quickly
Islamorada's Founder's Park site, municipal headquarters and building are able to recover
from extensive storm surge flooding.
It has also been decided that the proposed concert and festival will now be a joint fund-raiser
for both Ocean Springs, MS and for those areas of the Florida Keys that have been
severely impacted by Hurricane Wilma this week. Owing to the unusual circumstances
surrounding the proposed concert, a representative for The Weather Channel has expressed
an interest in the cable TV channel broadcasting the event either live or taped.
Our thoughts and prayers are with all those whose lives have been affected during
this particularly long and distressing hurricane season.
Mississippi Hurricane Recovery Fund website: http://www.mississippirecovery.com/
Mississippi Emergency Management Agency website: http://www.msema.org/index.htm
The Weather Channel website: http://www.weather.com/
Update: October 27, 2005
Friends of the Arts (FOTA) in Long Island, NY is currently auctioning off a signed
Gibson Les Paul Studio Cherry electric guitar. The guitar was signed by all the performers
at the 2005 Long Island Summer Festival, including BO DIDDLEY, George Benson,
Stanley Clarke, Ravi Coltrane, Donovan, Roberta Flack, Bela Fleck, Nanci Griffith,
Arlo Guthrie, John Hiatt, Michael McDonald, Jean Luc Ponty, Seal, Susan Tedeschi
plus Sam Clayton, Ken Gradney, Richie Hayward and Fred Tackett of the band Little Feat.
Photographs of the signed guitar and BO DIDDLEY and other artists autographing
the guitar, are currently displayed on the FOTA website, located at
http://www.fotapresents.org/WinFOTAGuitar.asp
The retail value of the unsigned guitar is $1,300. The minimum bid for the signed guitar
is $1,500. All bids must be received by FOTA by no later than the close of business on
Friday November 11th. The winner will be notified by Wednesday November 16th.
To bid, please e-mail your name, address, phone number and your bid to fotaguitar@aol.com
or send a letter to FOTA Guitar Auction, P.O. Box 702, Locust Valley, NY 11560, USA.
FOTA is a not for profit organization whose mission to enrich the cultural life on
Long Island, NY is achieved through the presentation of world-class artists and
captivating arts education programs for young people. All the proceeds from this
auction will benefit FOTA programs.
Friends of the Arts (FOTA) website: http://www.fotapresents.org/
Update: October 20, 2005
Fans living in the area of Norman, OK may be interested to know that the Norman Chamber of
Commerce's annual auction, to be held next Thursday evening (October 27th) between 6.00pm-9.00pm
at the Oklahoma Memorial Union Ballroom, includes a special opportunity to bid for
"A Downtown Evening".
Lot #15, "A Downtown Evening", consists of a pair of tickets to see BO DIDDLEY's
performance at Norman's historic Sooner Theatre on the evening of Friday November
18th, a $50 gift certificate to Coach's Restaurant and a night's stay at the
Montford Inn, all courtesy of Republic Bank & Trust.
Further details are available by contacting the Norman Chamber of Commerce.
Norman Chamber of Commerce website: http://www.normanok.org/
The Sooner Theatre website: http://www.soonertheater.com/
Bo's Birthday
Hey BO DIDDLEY fans,
One of the founding fathers of rock & roll, BO DIDDLEY celebrates his 77th birthday
on Friday December 30th and we encourage all his many fans around the world to sign the
BO DIDDLEY-The Originator website Guestbook with your birthday greetings and messages.
As we always do at this time of the year, we are making special arrangements for BO DIDDLEY
to view each and every one of your greetings. This is an opportunity for you to convey your
appreciation and best wishes to one of the undisputed legends of rock & roll and a true
original, on the occasion of his 77th birthday.
Please sign the Guestbook, located at
http://members.tripod.com/~Originator_2/guestbook.html
and show your support for The Originator - BO DIDDLEY.
Update: October 17, 2005
BO DIDDLEY has recently recorded with movie actor Steven Seagal in
Memphis, TN for a projected blues album, tentatively titled "Mojo
Priest". Other musicians at the sessions include Ruth Brown, James
Cotton, Honeyboy Edwards, Robert Lockwood, Jr., Louisiana Red, Bob
Margolin, Hubert Sumlin and Koko Taylor.
The recording sessions are also being filmed for a potential DVD
release.
Steven Seagal's movie credits include "Above The Law", "Under Siege",
"Executive Decision" and "Exit Wounds".
Whilst in Memphis, BO DIDDLEY also made a surprise guest appearance on-
stage during BB King's 80th birthday celebrations at BB King's Blues
Club on Beale Street, performing a short impromptu set in front of the
capacity crowd.
Steven Seagal official website: http://www.stevenseagal.com/
BB King official website: http://www.bbking.com/
Update: September 21, 2005
BO DIDDLEY and the Debby Hastings Band are to perform at the annual United Negro College Fund
(UNCF) Masquerade Gala at the Mardi Gras Restaurant & Lounge, 824 South State Street (at Silas
Brown Road) in Jackson, MS on Friday October 28th at 7.00pm.
The UNCF is the nation's largest, oldest, most successful and most comprehensive minority
higher education assistance organization.
The UNCF provides operating funds and technology advancement services for 39 member
historically black colleges and universities, scholarships and internships for students at
about 900 institutions and faculty and administrative professional training.
Over 60 years, the UNCF has raised more than $2 billion to help a total of more than
350,000 students attend college and has distributed more funds to help minorities attend
school than any entity outside of the Government.
All proceeds from the UNCF Masquerade Gala will fund scholarships for deserving students
at Tougaloo College in Tougaloo, MS and Rust College in Holly Springs, MS.
Due to Hurricane Katrina, the need for scholarships has increased significantly.
Almost half of the families of Tougaloo College students lost homes, jobs and
the ability to assist their children with college expenses.
Tickets for the Gala are $75 for VIP seating and $50 for general admission. Tickets may be
purchased at the Mardi Gras Restaurant, the Office of Institutional Advancement at Tougaloo
College or Be-Bop Record Stores.
United Negro College Fund (UNCF) website: http://www.uncf.org/
Tougaloo College website: http://www.tougaloo.edu/
Rust College website: http://www.rustcollege.edu/
US Department of Education's Hurricane Help For Schools website: http://hurricanehelpforschools.gov/
Update: September 19, 2005
BO DIDDLEY is one of the musicians paid tribute to on a newly released various artists
compilation CD titled "Washington Area Music Timeline Concert Series, Vol. 1".
The popular blues roots rock band The Nighthawks' live recording from February 2004 of
the classic BO DIDDLEY song "Before You Accuse Me" is one of 17 tracks on the CD taken
from the Strathmore Arts Center and Washington Area Music Association (WAMA) recent
groundbreaking series of concerts celebrating the Washington DC area's music and musicians.
These special tribute concerts honored and celebrated Washington's rich, deep and
diverse musical history saluting music legends, rising stars, key moments, events,
institutions and venues from 1854 to the present, including BO DIDDLEY, Patsy
Cline, Duke Ellington, Roberta Flack and Marvin Gaye.
BO DIDDLEY moved to Washington DC in late 1959 and lived there during the 1960s.
In 1986, he was inducted into the WAMA Hall of Fame and in 2003 "The Washingtonian"
magazine included him in its Washington Music Hall of Fame.
Also included on this new tribute CD is a live recording from May 2004 by the female
vocal trio The Jewels who, as The Impalas, recorded a number of sessions with BO
DIDDLEY in his home studio in Washington DC in the early 1960s.
This "Washington Area Music Timeline Concert Series, Vol. 1" special live tribute
CD is now available to purchase from the CD Baby on-line record store webpage
located at http://cdbaby.com/cd/strathmore
The Nighthawks official website: http://www.thenighthawks.com/
Strathmore Arts Center website: http://www.strathmore.org/
Washington Area Music Association (WAMA) website: http://www.wamadc.com/wama/
CD Baby webpage: http://cdbaby.com/cd/strathmore
Update: August 30, 2005
John McEnroe, 4 times US Open and 3 times Wimbledon Men's Singles Champion, last night
swapped his tennis racket for a Les Paul guitar and joined BO DIDDLEY on-stage for a rocking
performance of "Who Do You Love" at yesterday's (Monday) opening ceremonies at the 2005 US
Open Tennis Championships in Flushing Meadows, NY.
Under the headline "John McEnroe Sings The Blues", the unusual musical pairing makes the news
today on the celebrity pages of the popular "HELLO!" UK magazine website, located at:
http://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/2005/08/30/usopen/
2005 US Open official website: http://www.usopen.org/
hellomagazine.com website: http://www.hellomagazine.com/
Update: August 23, 2005
Around 800 fans raised between $3,000 to $5,000 at BO DIDDLEY's benefit concert for the
Houchin Community Blood Bank at California State University, Bakersfield last Friday evening.
The money raised is being donated to the Bank's bone marrow registry. In addition to
the money, the concert was also a chance to raise awareness and to appeal to the fans in
the audience to be placed on the national registry. Thanks to fund-raisers such as
last Friday's concert, there is now no charge to be tested in Kern County, California
and you could save a life. If you reside in Kern County and would like to be placed
on the national bone marrow registry, please call the Houchin Community Blood Bank
toll free on 1-877-364-5844.
The Houchin Community Blood Bank is a non-profit service organization serving
the residents of Kern County.
Houchin Community Blood Bank website: http://www.hcbb.com/
Update: August 13, 2005
The August/September issue #27 of the UK's most popular blues magazine "Blues Matters!"
carries a special 50th anniversary tribute by Stephanie Thorburn to BO DIDDLEY titled "Signifying
Blues: BO DIDDLEY's 50th Anniversary in the Music Industry".
Issue #27 of "Blues Matters!" is now available. This issue of the magazine also features
articles on Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, Holly Golightly, Nick & Joe Moss, Iggy Pop, The White
Stripes and more.
You can obtain copies of "Blues Matters!" magazine direct from their website store, which
is located at: http://www.bluesmatters.com/catalog You can also contact info@bluesmatters.com
and/or 01656 743406 for a copy.
Thanks to the Assistant Manager/Editor of "Blues Matters!" magazine, we are able to bring
fans a transcript of Stephanie's article:
Signifying Blues: Bo Diddley's 50th Anniversary In The Music Industry.
By Stephanie Thorburn.
When Bo Diddley cut "Signifying Blues" in 1960, he was celebrating the language of the ghetto.
His upbringing had seen him move from Mississippi to the South Side of Chicago where Ellas McDaniel
spent a productive youth on the streets of the Windy City. Well equipped with a fundamental talent
and the rectitude of a religious upbringing, he first made contact with a Harmony acoustic guitar
on his 12th birthday, a gift from sister Lucille. This landmark followed a transition from the
violin, under the disciplinary eye of a certain Professor O.W. Frederick, who was no stranger
to enforcing traditional learning methods. By the time that Ellas had secured his debut
recording session in March 1955, he was performing for the expectations of Leonard and Phil
Chess and was delegated to their subsidiary Checker with high expectations of appealing to
an eager teen market. At this stage the
pseudonym "Bo Diddley" was crafted, a name taken from a one-stringed African guitar and hence
the "bad boy" was born. By 1959/60, Bo cut his teeth and articulated the spirit of his roots
onto "Signifying Blues" and "Say Man", a US Top 20 hit. From this point, the essence of
funk and rap began to emanate within the seeds of these novelty rap records, absurd in
their trade of street insults and folk wit; codes safely negotiated between Bo and side
kick Jerome Green, an integral part of his sound. Bo's concept of "signification" does
seem curiously akin in places to the phrase coined by Structuralist socio-linguists such
as Saussure, yet musically he revelled in bating the creation of completely new sound
associations, cross rhythms and whole genres previously unwritten or heard. Needless to say,
Bo Diddley is an iconoclastic originator of modern contemporary rock & roll, rhythm & blues, a
father to post modern funk, soul, hip hop and rap. He may have put together the "Super, Super
Blues Band" with Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, but remains worlds apart from his
contemporaries in possessing his own irrepressible and extrovert versatility.
Waking Up A Legend
2005 marks fifty years in the industry for Bo Diddley. With the assistance of his dedicated musicians, PR and logistical team, he recently toured the States, Australia and Europe in form of a tribute. It was a joy to be able to speak with Bo directly at his home in Florida some weeks after his exhilarating set at The Forum, Kentish Town in April. Armed with my quota of questions, I was in search of some reflections and a little of his acquired wisdom on early sessions, notable working relationships and this year's anniversary dates. I plied my brief carefully with the receiver in hand. Twelve midday being seven am in the States, I reasoned that the advice to 'phone at this time was based on a conscientious morning mentality. The legend took to the other end of the line pitched perfectly in tone, earthy but a little ominously worn. My suspicions were confirmed that this was indeed too
damned early for the maestro to be considering the Platonic logics of his life, music and the industry. You can't dampen the essence of a creative spirit and the next half hour was probably more a joy to behold for me than vice versa. With a loud yawn and in breath from Bo, I was now engaging with the impressionistic world of Mr. Diddley, "Fifty years and still a rock and roller, I have been lucky and I have been blessed!" quipped Bo. "I have learned a few things that's all.. I've seen three generations of music and am still here now. I've lasted fifty years and that's a hell of an achievement. It's the music that has kept me around... I have been blessed and something tells me that I've been doin' something right!" Yes indeed Bo.
Although the facts and contextual milieu of early tours and sessions are for Bo, "Over fifty years ago now, baby", his insights were still vivaciously illuminating. Apparently it has not always been innate for Ellas McDaniel to simply take up his guitar to travel outside the States. On his first UK tour in 1963 with The Stones, Everly Brothers and Little Richard he experienced a sense of strangeness away from home, the UK was a "new thing" and at first it seemed to him as though the audiences were not paying "any attention". Further could have been from the truth with increasing commercial success between 1963 and '64 surely warming Bo's heart a little, with four of his albums in the UK Top 20. Bo's initial perception of Chess was equally uneasy. His overriding memories of the classic session recording of double-sided smash hit "Bo Diddley"/"I'm a Man" were governed by his recollections
of an all-night vigil to, "Stay up and get it right, we finally figured it out... The record company was trying to get us to do something". That "something" involved the collective efforts of Billy Boy Arnold, Otis Spann and Jerome Green on harmonica, piano and maracas respectively; his self-titled recording in fact took some thirty-five takes to perfect. Bo's raw energy and hypnotic African/Latin fused, pounding rhythm & blues has yet to be surpassed for many critics and consumers alike. "Bo Diddley" became "A Man" and alternately the "Manish boy" as Muddy Waters expressed his affections for this infectious groove by recording his own version shortly after Bo. The "Originator's" charm and influence was spreading steadily throughout the industry. The double-sided single, "I'm a Man" takes its place next to the demonic imagery and machismo of "Got My Mojo Working" and the "Hoochie Coochie
Man" for artists from the Stones, who jammed on a version with Muddy, to every contemporary R&B act in search of the most authentic expression taken from this electric, although unconventional Chicago sound.
Archetypes - Remembering Johnnie Johnson & "The Duchess"
On a more sombre note, as time moves forward, fewer and fewer founding protagonists of popular music remain with us. April this year saw two dear colleagues of Bo pass away - friend and legend
Johnnie Johnson and "Duchess" Norma-Jean Richardson, who took her place in Bo's band between 1962 and 1966. Johnnie, Bo recalls as not only a "great man and great musician", but a firm personal friend. The "Duchess" however was simply Bo's sidekick, "She did a lot of work and travelled all over with me". At the time that Norma-Jean played on Bo's albums "Bo Diddley and Company" (1962) and "Bo Diddley's Beach Party" (1963), it was almost unprecedented for a female guitarist to be hired by a major act. Norma-Jean's predecessor being the seminal Peggy Jones aka "Lady Bo". Bo Diddley's fearlessly avant-garde perception of the music he wished to create and the artists with whom he wished to jam, moved in no uncertain terms beyond any parochial beginnings. Bo was anxious to remind me of the fact that, "There are only four people left from my original band now: me, Gloria (Morgan), Jesse
(James Johnson) and Clifton James". Indeed a roll call on his official site, takes the eye through several formative bands represented as teams of "Hipsters" and "Bo-ettes". Undoubtedly, Bo Diddley's dreams and visions have always been strong, but he has shared his goals, preferring to form a firm creative family around him. The "blessing" of his work has seen him share the stage with Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Howlin' Wolf. These legends are all indeed co-stars within the complex plot of an animated career. Each performance for Bo has been valued equally over the passage of time and captured in his stage act, celebrating the birth of rock & roll beyond the new millennium.
50th Anniversary Tour - The Forum, Kentish Town
Bo's UK date was tantalisingly poised between further commitments on the European leg of his recent anniversary tour. He had but one date and a few hours to make his mark on an adoring audience. This certainly was a renaissance man performing his best shot, offering a guide through his illustrious repertoire with the help of his current band. Bo and sterling "M.C." Debby Hastings on bass and vocals did a fine job of introducing and delivering the goods, with Bo's increasingly loquacious tongue offering anecdotes and pearls of well-received wisdom. His signature rhythm was reproduced through "Hey Bo Diddley", "Bo Diddley", with the final alternate version being "The Story Of Bo Diddley". Originally "Hey Bo Diddley" was recorded in New York in 1957 with The Flamingos and Peggy Jones. The irony of the tale is that some say this is an adaptation from the nursery rhyme "Old MacDonald",
complete with a series of endearing machismo gestures and irreverent tongue-in-cheek humour. Most of Bo's songs are in fact humorous adaptations of traditional folk themes. "Who Do You Love" is of hoodoo origin, in the African-American vein of toasts and boasts. "Bo Diddley" is based on the lullaby "Mockingbird", other sources suggest that "Hey Bo Diddley" is from "Frog Went A-Courtin". Everyone present in the auditorium at The Forum simply absorbed the essence of Bo Diddley's idiosyncratic performance, his language is universal and won over the audience's heart, although I'm sure there could be a real risk of those trad. nursery rhymes turning into Bo anthems back at home; "I'm a man, I'm bad!" declare the kids...
Indeed, the "history of rock & roll" is one of Bo's favoured themes and he loves to name-drop through all the key exponents of the form from himself and Elvis, to Chuck and beyond. The emphasis of the night never stopped being on the "Originator's" own back catalogue though with, "You Can't Judge A Book", "Crackin' Up", "Say Boss Man" and "Road Runner" all delivered irresistibly. A clear show pinnacle had to be Bo's loud and strong rapping, "Do You Like My Stuff?" Well, not only did the audience appreciate Bo Diddley, but he seemed to be enjoying himself, so much so that he re-appeared after the final curtain to pound out his rhumba-based beat. Without a doubt, Bo is still as fresh as the street performers who influenced his "hambone" style; perhaps the only sting in the tail is that his life-force may have made him a significant influence to his peers, but to an extent an egalitarian
helping of wealth and fame may have eluded him, (although only just).
"Say Man, Back Again" - The New Diddley...
At seventy-six, Bo Diddley's achievements are clear enough and speak for themselves. Induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, Grammy Hall of Fame (1998), Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (1999). His material has been covered by a diverse assortment of likely and unlikely candidates from The Yardbirds, Jeff Beck and Hendrix to Iggy Pop. Bo's last significant solo album, "A Man Amongst Men" was simply one of his best recordings in twenty years, integrating Chicago blues, reggae and some storming rock & roll with a distinguished cast of collaborators. The past nine years have not yet seen him better this album and having witnessed Bo's recent classy live performance, I was keen to round off my interview by exploring the terrain of what might lay ahead... "Yes, I have been blessd... I can't really explain what it feels like to be Bo to you. It (music) always just looked like
something for me to do! And I ain't finished yet, I only just got started. I've been put through school for fifty years; I've still got twenty-thirty years to do somethin'. I'm planning on recording something new, when I have taken care of some personal stuff. There will be a new Diddley, wait and see. Do not forget, I will be back STRONG AND HEAVY!"
So, the definitive story of Bo Diddley may yet be a tale of the unexpected... From the man who gave us the tremolo unit, reverb, distortion and a taste for custom-built electric guitars, I can't wait to hear what the shape and sound of things to come will be in future as the "Originator" continues to excel on his trusty Gretsch. Indeed, the most up to date information on-line suggests that a new 21st century version, the Bo Diddley Gretsch Jupiter Thunderbird, now christened the "Billy (Gibbons) - Bo" guitar, could be just one creative endeavour in prospect.
Copyright Stephanie Thorburn 2005
Update: August 11, 2005
A special 50th anniversary interview and feature on the life and the career of BO
DIDDLEY is included in "Rolling Stone" magazine issue #981, dated Thursday August 25th,
which goes on sale tomorrow (Friday).
The feature is titled "BO DIDDLEY - The Life, the Soul and the Indestructible Beat".
In 2004, "Rolling Stone" named BO DIDDLEY as one of "The Immortals - The 50 Greatest
Artists of All-Time".
"Rolling Stone" magazine website: http://www.rollingstone.com/
Update: August 10, 2005
In a special collectors' edition published to celebrate its 100th issue, the popular UK music
and movie magazine "Uncut" has included BO DIDDLEY's 1958 debut album "Bo Diddley" (Chess LP-1431)
in its listing of "100 Music, Movie & TV Moments That Have Changed The World".
Over the past 12 months, "Uncut" magazine has asked industry experts along with music and movie
icons including Alice Cooper, Robert Downey Jr., Sir Paul McCartney, Moby, Lou Reed, Keith
Richards, Patti Smith, Michael Stipe and Brian Wilson to name their seminal moments from the
past 50 years; the 100 rock music songs and albums, films, TV programs and books that have
changed our world.
The "Bo Diddley" album includes such classic tracks as "Bo Diddley", "I'm A Man", "Bring It
To Jerome", "Hey Bo Diddley", "Diddley Daddy", "Diddy Wah Diddy", "Who Do You Love" and
"Pretty Thing".
In 2003, "Mojo" magazine in the UK included the LP in its guide to the "100 Greatest
Guitar Albums".
"Uncut" magazine website: http://www.uncut.net/
"Mojo" magazine website: http://www.mojo4music.com/
Update: August 9, 2005
The September/October issue of "HMV Choice", the HMV UK magazine of new specialist music,
will be including a special feature about the current Universal Catalog Marketing Chess label
relaunch. The comprehensive reissue campaign got under way in the UK yesterday (Monday).
The magazine, issue #31, will be available free in-store in all the HMV outlets in the
UK and Ireland from September. HMV is the UK and Ireland's leading specialist retailer of
music, DVD/video, computer games and related products.
The Universal Music Chess label relaunch will see the label join the top table treatment
afforded to other ground breaking black music labels such as Motown, Studio One and Stax.
Released yesterday, (Monday), was the BO DIDDLEY limited edition 50th anniversary collectors'
single "Bo Diddley"/"I'm A Man", now available in 2 formats: CD single: Chess/Universal 9830032
and 7" single: Chess/Universal 9830033.
Also released yesterday was the remastered CD version of his classic 1960 LP "Bo Diddley Is
A Gunslinger" (Chess/Universal 9861447), now available with a total of 15 tracks, including 5
bonus tracks: "Working Man", "Do What I Say", "Prisoner of Love", "Googlia Moo" and "Better
Watch Yourself".
Available from Monday August 29th will be a new 25 track various artists compilation
CD titled "Chess Originals" (Chess/Universal 9830156), with all the tracks being handpicked
by staff writers at the UK monthly rock music magazine "Mojo" as being ones that particularly
illustrate the roots of rock music and the influence that Chess artists had on
British musicians such as the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Van Morrison, the Rolling
Stones and many others. This collection includes a total of 6 tracks by BO DIDDLEY
covering the years 1955 to 1962: "Who Do You Love", "You Can't Judge A Book By The
Cover", "I'm A Man", "Pills", "Road Runner" and "I Can Tell", as well as tracks
by artists including Chuck Berry, Little Walter, Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson
and Howlin' Wolf.
Due for release in September is a new 2 CD various artists anthology titled
"Chess Pieces: The Very Best of Chess" (Chess/Universal 9831719). This initial set
of releases is due to be followed in the fall by the CD reissue of further original
Chess albums, including BO DIDDLEY's 1970 funk classic "The Black Gladiator".
HMV UK website: http://www.hmv.co.uk/
Update: July 30, 2005
Australian comedy writer Dom Romeo's interview with BO DIDDLEY which
took place in Sydney, Australia earlier in the year, is now available
for podcast download. Available from this month from the Sydney-based
Audio2u, the home of quality podcasts, the interview is episode #1 of
"Waxing Lyrical", a new series of audio interviews with musicians and
performers complete with musical sound bites.
Copy and paste the XML link: http://www.audio2u.com/xml/wl.xml into your podcast software in order to download all episodes of "Waxing Lyrical" as they become available. Alternatively, you can visit the Audio2u "Waxing Lyrical" webpage, located at http://www.audio2u.com/waxinglyrical.htm and manually download the podcasts via MP3.
Excerpts from this interview were previously aired on the Australian
Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) News Radio and Music News programs in
April, during BO DIDDLEY's successful 50th anniversary concert tour of
Australia.
A written transcript of the interview, in which BO DIDDLEY discusses rap music and the origins of rock & roll and his famous beat, is also available by visiting the BO DIDDLEY-The Originator website Forum, located at http://members.tripod.com/~Originator_2/guestbook.html and then by clicking on the "Enter My Forum" button.
Audio2u "Waxing Lyrical" webpage: http://www.audio2u.com/waxinglyrical.htm
Update: July 13, 2005
The Chess label is relaunched in the UK this summer by Universal Catalog Marketing with
a comprehensive reissue campaign that will see the label join the top table treatment
afforded to other ground breaking black music labels such as Motown, Studio One and Stax.
Available from Monday August 8th will be the special 50th Anniversary Collectors'
Edition reissues on CD and 7" vinyl of BO DIDDLEY's debut single "Bo Diddley"/"I'm A Man"
(Chess/Universal 9830032/33), plus the remastered version on CD of his 1960 LP "Bo
Diddley Is A Gunslinger" (Chess/Universal 9861447) with a total of 15 tracks
including 5 bonus tracks: "Working Man", "Do What I Say", "Prisoner of Love",
"Googlia Moo" and "Better Watch Yourself".
Also reissued are Chuck Berry's debut single "Maybellene"/"Wee Wee Hours"
(Chess/Universal 9830034/35), his 1957 debut album "After School Session"
(Chess/Universal 9861350) and his 1964 album "St. Louis to Liverpool" (Chess/Universal 9861352).
Also due for release in the UK on the same day is a new 25 track various artists
compilation CD titled "Chess Originals" (Chess/Universal 9830156), with all the tracks
being handpicked by staff writers at the UK monthly rock music magazine "Mojo" as being
ones that particularly illustrate the roots of rock music and the influence that
Chess artists had on British musicians such as the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Van Morrison,
the Rolling Stones and many others. This new collection includes a total of 6 tracks by
BO DIDDLEY covering the years 1955 to 1962: "Who Do You Love", "You Can't Judge A Book By
The Cover", "I'm A Man", "Pills", "Road Runner" and "I Can Tell", as well as tracks by artists
including Chuck Berry, Little Walter, Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson and Howlin' Wolf.
Also available from August 8th in the same series will be the various artists compilation
CDs "Chess Northern Soul" (Chess/Universal 9830153), "Chess Tearjerkers" (Chess/Universal
9830154) and "Chess Soul Sisters" (Chess/Universal 9830155).
These initial Chess releases are due to be followed in the fall by the CD reissue
of further original Chess albums including BO DIDDLEY's 1970 funk classic "The Black
Gladiator", along with various artist collections including "Chess Psychedelic Jazz
& Funky Grooves", "Chess Funk", "Chess Mod" and "Chess Doo Wop".
In celebration of the Chess label's remarkable impact and to celebrate next month's
Universal Music reissue campaign, the August issue of "Mojo" magazine also includes a
free 15-track CD titled "Chess Classics", which includes BO DIDDLEY's 1960 recording
of his song "Bo Diddley's A Gunslinger" along with tracks by artists including Chuck Berry,
Etta James, Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson and Howlin' Wolf. The magazine also
includes a recent interview with BO DIDDLEY along with a special 50th anniversary
feature in which 3 generations of musicians including Eric Burdon, Chuck D, Al Kooper
and Keith Richards celebrate BO DIDDLEY's genius by discussing and selecting their
favorite BO DIDDLEY tracks. "Mojo" magazine website:
http://www.mojo4music.com/.
Update: July 13, 2005
The new Gretsch G6199 "Billy-Bo" Jupiter Thunderbird Guitar is expected in the stores Tuesday, July 12th.
This new guitar, the latest in the Gretsch Professional Collection: Artist Signature Models, highlights BO DIDDLEY's
original futuristic design with Billy F Gibbons' added ingredients for a "steaming hot helping of
dirty rotten rock & roll!"
BO DIDDLEY and Billy F Gibbons, guitarist with rock band ZZ Top, recently joined forces and teamed with
Gretsch Guitars to create a 21st Century version of the elusive 1959 BO DIDDLEY-designed Gretsch Jupiter
Thunderbird that they have dubbed the "Billy-Bo" Guitar.
Built to BO DIDDLEY and Billy F Gibbons' own specifications and the result of a "science project gone wrong",
this black with a Firebird Red top semi-hollow body electric guitar is available in stores from this week.
This new Gretsch G6199 "Billy-Bo" Jupiter Thunderbird Guitar features a futuristic "stranger than
fiction" body design with a heavily chambered mahogany body and one-piece mahogany neck, a Rosewood
fingerboard with vintage mother-of-pearl neo-classic "thumbnail" inlays, 22 frets, an ultra-thin laminated
maple top, a Gretsch G-Cutout tailpiece, chrome-plated hardware, headstock and body bindings, a black
plexi pickguard, an adjustable truss rod, Grover Sta-Tite machine heads, TV Jones Power'Tron (neck)
and Power'Tron "Plus" (bridge) pick-ups, pinned Adjusto-matic bridge, Schaller straplocks, a 3-position
toggle pick-up switching, a custom de luxe hardshell case and "enough vibe to make space aliens dance the alligator!"
The new Gretsch G6199 "Billy-Bo" Jupiter Thunderbird Guitar now proudly takes its place alongside the
other BO DIDDLEY Gretsch Artist Signature Models:
Gretsch Professional Collection: Artist Signature Model - G6138 Bo Diddley:
For five decades, BO DIDDLEY has been turning heads with his great chops, incredible showmanship and
outrageous guitars. Now it's your turn! The G6138 is a faithful reproduction of the famous rectangle-shaped
guitar Gretsch built for BO DIDDLEY back in 1958.
Measuring 17-3/4" x 9-1/4" x 2" and made of alder and 5-ply maple, the eye catching Firebird red semi-hollow body
features two FilterTron pick-ups, a Tune-O-Matic bridge, Gretsch "G" tailpiece and plenty of gold hardware.
The 3-piece rock maple neck has an ebonized rosewood fingerboard with "dot" pearl inlays, a 1957
style headstock and a special BO DIDDLEY signature on the truss rod cover.
Update: July 12, 2005
BO DIDDLEY and the Debby Hastings Band will be performing at an exclusive concert and party hosted by HITS -
Horse Shows In The Sun on the evening of Friday September 16th to benefit Family of Woodstock, Inc., a not for
profit organization providing crisis intervention, information and support services to individuals and families
throughout Ulster County, NY.
The event is part of the equestrian Marshall & Sterling League National Finals being held from September 16th
thru 18th inc. at the HITS-on-the-Hudson show grounds, 454 Washington Avenue Extension in Saugerties, NY.
Family of Woodstock, Inc. was launched in 1970 when young people who attended the Woodstock rock music festival
remained in town and needed help rather than intervention from the police. What started as a rudimentary helping
hand has developed into the second oldest continuously operating 24-hour-a-day emergency switchboard in the United States.
Family of Woodstock, Inc.'s principle focus is crisis intervention, including emergency shelter and food,
services to teens, childcare and comprehensive services for people with substance abuse problems, domestic
violence issues, HIV/AIDS and people who are involved with the criminal justice system. The charity has more
than 100,000 contacts each year through its hotline, social services programs and three walk-in centers.
Approximately 180 people are on staff along with 200 volunteers to meet the community needs.
HITS produced its first series of horse shows - a three-week circuit in Gainesville, FL - in 1982. Today,
HITS produces five circuits - Ocala Winter Circuit in Florida; Indio Desert Circuit in California; Arizona
Winter Circuit in Tucson; HITS Culpeper in Virginia; and HITS-on-the Hudson in New York. Collectively, they
represent the largest group of equestrian events under a single management group in the United States.
Family of Woodstock, Inc. website: http://www.familyofwoodstockinc.org/
HITS - Horse Shows In The Sun website: http://www.hitsshows.com/
Update: June 8, 2005
The special limited edition 50th anniversary reissue of BO DIDDLEY's debut single
"Bo Diddley"/"I'm A Man" set for release by the Universal Music Group in the UK
on Monday June 20th will be available in 2 formats: 2-track CD (Chess 9830032) and 7"
vinyl (Chess 9830033).
The 50th anniversary reissue of Chuck Berry's debut single "Maybellene"/"Wee Wee
Hours" will also be available on both 7" vinyl (Chess 9830034) and 2-track CD (Chess
9830035) formats on the same day.
Both singles are described by Universal thus: "We present this historical 50th
anniversary limited edition single. Celebrating a pivotal moment in modern guitar
music that changed the lives of both the people who heard it, (The Beatles and The
Rolling Stones included), and the direction of music itself".
Update: June 4, 2005
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the release of BO DIDDLEY's debut single "Bo Diddley"/"I'm A
Man" (Checker 814), the 2 tracks are to be reissued in the UK on Monday June 20th by the
Universal Music Group on a special limited edition 2-track CD single, (Chess CD 9830032).
Also set for reissue by Universal in the UK on the same day is Chuck Berry's debut single
"Maybellene"/"Wee Wee Hours", (Chess CD 9830035).
Both CDs are described by Universal thus: "We present this historical 50th anniversary
limited edition single. Celebrating a pivotal moment in modern guitar music that changed
the lives of both the people who heard it, (The Beatles and The Rolling Stones included),
and the direction of music itself".
The original 2 singles were recently voted by visitors to the popular DigitalDreamDoor.com
website into the #1 and #2 positions respectively in their listing of the 100 Greatest
Rock Debut Singles. Both records are now widely hailed as being amongst the most influential
debut singles in history and the cornerstones of rock music.
In other BO DIDDLEY 50th anniversary news, the popular UK monthly rock music magazine "Mojo"
is set to include an interview with BO DIDDLEY along with a special 50th anniversary feature
in its August issue, available on news-stands on Wednesday July 6th, and the UK's most
popular blues magazine "Blues Matters!" will be carrying a special 50th anniversary
tribute to BO DIDDLEY in its August/September issue #27, which will be available around
Monday August 1st.
Mojo magazine website: http://www.mojo4music.com/
Blues Matters! magazine website: http://www.bluesmatters.com/
Update: May 25, 2005
BO DIDDLEY's original girl guitar player, Lady Bo, along with her horn section the BC Horns,
will be performing this Memorial Day Weekend at the 16th Annual Boulder Creek Art, Wine &
Music Festival in Boulder Creek, CA. Lady Bo & the BC Horns will be taking to the stage on
Sunday afternoon (May 29th) at 5.00pm, for an hour-long show. Admission to the 3-day Festival
is free.
The power duo of Lady Bo and her husband/bassist Wally Malone also have the following
dates upcoming at the Rapscallion Seafood House & Bar, 1555 South Wells Avenue in Reno, NV:
Wednesday thru Saturday 1st-4th June (inclusive), Wednesday thru Saturday 6th-9th July
(inclusive), Wednesday thru Saturday 17th-20th August (inclusive) and Wednesday thru
Saturday 7th-10th September (inclusive), all shows beginning at 6.30pm (Wednesdays &
Thursdays) and at 7.00pm (Fridays & Saturdays). For further info call (775) 323-1211.
Lady Bo was one of the undoubted success stories of the 4th Annual Ponderosa Stomp
held in New Orleans, LA last month, her duet with soul singer Brenton Wood on the Sam
Cooke favorite "You Send Me" in particular being hailed as a "show-stopper" by the local
press and music fans variously describing her as "amazing" and as "an incredibly classy
lady". We'd like to take this opportunity to send our very best wishes and congratulations
to Lady Bo on the occasion of her upcoming 65th birthday on Tuesday July 19th.
Lady Bo - "Rock & Roll's First Lady of Guitar" - was born Peggy Jones in New York City.
In 1957, at the tender age of 17, Peggy joined BO DIDDLEY's band (replacing guitarist
Jody Williams) and becoming his original girl lead guitarist, arranger and protegee. She
recorded and appears on every original BO DIDDLEY Chess/Checker album from "Bo Diddley" in
1958 thru to "Bo Diddley Is A Gunslinger" in 1960, plus all the single releases from that
period, along with all the 75+ reissues and retitled compilations released by MCA/Universal
and on other labels around the world. She later performed on the newer material that BO DIDDLEY
recorded in the 1980s and 1990s and that was released on the Triple XXX label.
Lady Bo can be heard on vocals and electric guitar on such late 1950s/early 1960s BO
DIDDLEY classics as "Hey Bo Diddley", "Mona". "Say Man", "Story of Bo Diddley", "Crackin'
Up", "Say Man, Back Again", "Road Runner", "Cadillac", "Ride On Josephine", "Bo Diddley's
A Gunslinger", "Aztec", "Pills" and many others.
She later went on to play on the sessions for Les Cooper & The Soul Rockers' Top 30
instrumental hit "Wiggle Wobble" and on Eric Burdon & The Animals' worldwide smash
"San Franciscan Nights", as well as appearances with BO DIDDLEY on the Kenny Rogers
and the Donny & Marie Osmond TV shows in the 1970s and in the popular Warner Bros.
movie of 1987 "The Lost Boys".
Lady Bo has gone on in recent years to perform, both in solo performance and with her
rhythm section the Family Jewel and/or horn section the BC Horns, to appreciative audiences
right across North America and Europe; audiences that are eager to witness at first-hand
the show-stopping performances of "Rock & Roll's First Lady of Guitar" - Lady Bo.
Rapscallion Seafood House & Bar website: http://www.rapscallion.com/
Update: May 24, 2005
The popular UK music magazine "Q Classic" has included the 1997 BO DIDDLEY compilation CD "Bo
Diddley-His Best" (MCA/Chess CHD 9373) in its new Essential Blues Buyers' Guide to the 75
Blues Greats' Best Albums, published this month.
Amongst the classic tracks on the "Bo Diddley-His Best" CD, which covers his recording
career from the years 1955 to 1966, are "Bo Diddley", "I'm A Man", "Pretty Thing", "Bring
It To Jerome", "Who Do You Love", "Hey Bo Diddley", "Mona", "Before You Accuse Me", "Road
Runner" and "You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover".
This new listing was compiled by the staff writers at "Q" and "Mojo" music magazines
in the UK. This is the latest of several accolades to be awarded to the "Bo Diddley-His
Best" CD over recent years. Writing in "Vanity Fair" magazine in 2000, songwriter and
performer Elvis Costello listed it as one of his "500 Albums You Need - The Best Of The
Best". In 2003, "Blender" magazine listed it as one of its "500 CDs You Must Own Before
You Die!" and last year, to mark 50 years of rock & roll, the LAUNCH Music on Yahoo!
website listed it as one of its "Required Rock Albums".
Also making the list in this new "Q Classic" guide to the 75 Best Blues Albums are
the 1997 2 CD compilation set "The Chess 50th Anniversary Collection" (MCA/Chess CHD
2-9382), which includes 2 tracks by BO DIDDLEY: "I'm A Man" and "Road Runner" along
with classic recordings by artists such as Chuck Berry, Buddy Guy, John Lee Hooker,
Etta James, Little Walter, Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson and Howlin' Wolf, plus
the 5 CD compilation box set "Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues: A Musical Journey"
(Hip-O/Universal CD 39302), released in 2003, which includes BO DIDDLEY's classic
recording of "Who Do You Love" as well as tracks by artists such as Louis Armstrong,
WC Handy, Billie Holiday, Robert Johnson, BB King, Elvis Presley and Bonnie Raitt.
"Q" music magazine website: http://www.q4music.com/
"Mojo" music magazine website: http://www.mojo4music.com/
Update: May 20, 2005
There's a special opportunity for fans when BO DIDDLEY and the Debby
Hastings Band play New York's only floating music festival, the New
York City Blues Cruise on the evening of Wednesday August 24th.
The 2-hour scenic cruises around New York Harbor for this unique and
exciting musical experience depart from 42nd Street and the Hudson
River's Circle Line Pier 83 at 7.00pm and 9.30pm, rain or shine.
Although it is not possible to make any arrangements in advance and
depending on BO DIDDLEY's schedule, there is provision made for a meet
and greet session on-board ship after each performance.
Now in its 10th year, tickets for the Summer 2005 season of the NYC
Blues Cruise are now available. Each cruise is a scenic 2-hour tour
around lower Manhattan, passing beneath the Brooklyn Bridge and
floating by the Statue of Liberty, accompanied by live music performed
by America's top artists. For ticket information, call (212) 630-8888.
To hear a recorded message with the latest on the NYC Blues Cruise,
call (212) 560-BLUE.
Fans living elsewhere in North America will also get the opportunity to
see BO DIDDLEY live on-stage during this, his 50th anniversary tour,
with appearances currently lined-up at venues in California,
Connecticut, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina,
Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, Alberta, British
Columbia and Manitoba.
Please note that all dates and venues are subject to change and that you should check with the Forthcoming Appearances page of the BO DIDDLEY-The Originator website located at http://members.tripod.com/~Originator_2/dates.html for all the latest updates.
New York City Blues Cruise website: http://www.bluescruiseny.com/
Update: May 18, 2005
BO DIDDLEY and Billy F Gibbons, guitarist with the popular rock trio ZZ Top, have joined
forces and teamed with Gretsch Guitars to create a 21st century version of the elusive 1959
BO DIDDLEY-designed Gretsch Jupiter Thunderbird that they have dubbed the "Billy-Bo" Guitar.
This message from Billy F Gibbons of ZZ Top:
"Some time ago, Bo gave me the guitar as a gift. It was during the recent ZZ Top recordings
when the engineering crew and I snaked through the guitar vault searching for
that 'certain-something' guitar and there it was! We didn't risk subjecting such a rare
instrument to the rigors of the road so this new, reproduction model was recreated with
some BFG Mojo thrown in for good measure. It's now the main stage guitar with a groove."
The new Gretsch "Billy-Bo" Jupiter Thunderbird Guitar will highlight BO DIDDLEY's original
futuristic design with Billy F Gibbons' added ingredients for a steaming hot helping of dirty
rotten rock & roll!
The result of this "science project gone wrong" will feature a heavily chambered mahogany
body, one-piece mahogany neck, ultra-thin laminate maple top, TV Jones Power'Tron (neck)
and Power'Tron "Plus" (bridge) pick-ups, pinned Adjusto-matic bridge, Schaller Straplocks
and enough "vibe" to make space aliens dance the alligator!
First availability in stores is expected to be July.
ZZ Top had the honor of inducting BO DIDDLEY into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
A decade later, during a joint appearance in the UK by BO DIDDLEY and ZZ Top on the BBC
TV music show "Later With Jools Holland", in answer to several questions put to them
about their career such as what influences the band had had in their early years
and where the name ZZ Top came from, the band each time simply pointed across the studio
to BO DIDDLEY and replied "Him!"
During the band's 36-year long career, ZZ Top have enjoyed considerable Top 40 success
with songs such as "Tush", "Gimme All Your Lovin'", "Legs", "Sharp Dressed Man" and "Cheap
Sunglasses". ZZ Top will embark on an extensive 24-week tour of North America next month.
Gretsch Guitars "Billy-Bo" Guitar webpage: http://www.gretschguitars.com/news/billy-bo.html
ZZ Top official website: http://www.zztop.com/
Update: May 12, 2005
Norma-Jean Richardson aka Duchess, fondly-remembered member of the BO DIDDLEY band between
the years 1962 and 1966, died on Saturday April 30th in Fontana, CA.
BO DIDDLEY was very saddened by the news that Duchess ... his "Play Sister" ... had passed away.
"Norma-Jean was my first sidekick," he said, "...we did everything together. She was like
family, which was why I told everyone she was my sister. There was no one else like her and I
will miss her very much. I hadn't seen Duchess in so many years, but then she surprised me
at a show in California last July. I'm so glad we had the chance to spend some time together
again before she left this Earth".
BO DIDDLEY would like to thank the MusiCares organization for¬Żassisting him in handling
the funeral arrangements for Duchess and encourages all his fans to support their wonderful
charity. The tragic health and financial hardships faced by too many members of the music
profession prompted the Recording Academy's establishment of the MusiCares Foundation in 1989.
For more information about the MusiCares Foundation, please visit their
webpage located at http://www.grammy.com/musicares
Update: May 7, 2005
BO DIDDLEY will be performing this Sunday, (Mother's Day, May 8th), at the House of Blues,
329 N Dearborn in Chicago, IL at the inaugural "Jammin' The Blues" fundraiser for the Koko
Taylor Celebrity Aid Foundation. Other performers set to appear at the show include Otis
Clay, Melvia "Chick" Rodgers, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Slackdaddies Blues Band, Koko Taylor
and Nellie "Tiger" Travis.
The mission of the non-profit Koko Taylor Celebrity Aid Foundation is to provide struggling
and impoverished members of the arts and entertainment industry with everything from career
counseling on topics such as insurance, health care and alcohol and drug problems, to help
with rent and medical bills. Sunday evening's benefit will specifically aid Chicago performers
Cicero Blake and Willie Kent.
Tickets for the 18+ show, which begins at 7.00pm on Sunday, are priced at $35 for general
admission and $50 for VIP (which includes reception). Tel: (312) 559-1212 or (312) 923-2000.
update: May 6, 2005
We were very saddened to receive the news that Norma-Jean
Richardson aka Duchess, fondly-remembered member of the BO DIDDLEY
band between the years 1962 and 1966, died at 4.00am local time this
morning (Saturday) in hospital in Fontana, CA.
Born Norma-Jean Wofford in Pittsburgh, PA, BO DIDDLEY taught her to
play and how to emulate his sound on the electric guitar. Contrary to
speculation during the time that she was a member of his band, Norma-
Jean and BO DIDDLEY were not related.
Given the stage name Duchess by BO DIDDLEY, she joined his band on
electric guitar and vocals just prior to the recording of the "Bo
Diddley & Company" LP in 1962 and appearing on the front cover of the
album sleeve.
The following year she played on the classic live "Bo Diddley's Beach
Party" LP, before undertaking BO DIDDLEY's debut UK tour in the fall of
1963, along with the Everly Brothers, Little Richard and the then
newly-formed Rolling Stones, followed by a second tour of the UK in the
fall of 1965.
Notable TV and movie appearances for BO DIDDLEY and Duchess included
the Clay Cole TV show and "The Big TNT Show" movie and two appearances
on the popular "Ready Steady Go!" UK TV music show.
Duchess was also immortalised in song at the time by Eric Burdon in the
Animals' recording "The Story of Bo Diddley":
He turned around the Duchess And he said, "Hey Duchess...what do you
think of these young guys Doin' our material?" She said, "I don't know.
I only came across here To see the Changin' of the Guards and all that
jazz."
(Words and music: Eric Burdon/Ellas McDaniel)
This message from Norma-Jean's long-time friend Ritzy Lee of the
singing group The Del-Vikings:
"I am very saddened by this news, because in the 40 or more years that
I have known Norma-Jean, I have never seen or heard anything about her
or the life she lived that was not GOOD. She not only loved playing the
guitar, but loved as well the reception that she experienced from all
of the BO DIDDLEY fans around the world. And she expounded on that fact
many, many times to me during our various conversations over the years.
Norma-Jean Richardson was truly The Duchess of Rock and Roll".
We send our sincere condolences to Norma-Jean's family and friends at
this very sad time.
update: April 19, 2005
Fans may be interested to know that there will be another opportunity to hear "The Chess Story"
radio documentary, first broadcast by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in the year 2000.
Narrated by Marshall Chess and with contributions from such British rock luminaries as Jeff
Beck, Jack Bruce, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison and Bill Wyman, the 4 half-hour programs document
the story and importance of the Chess record label in the development of electric blues
and rock & roll music and the influence that the label's artists including BO DIDDLEY,
Chuck Berry, Little Walter, Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, had on British musicians
in the rhythm & blues boom of the 1960s.
"6 Music Plays It Again - The Chess Story" will be broadcast on the BBC 6 Music DAB digital
radio service over the course of the 4 evenings of Tuesday April 26th, Wednesday April 27th,
Thursday April 28th and Monday May 2nd between 9.30pm-10.00pm BST (8.30pm-9.00pm GMT/UTC).
Listeners around the world can also listen on-line to the shows streamed as RealMedia via the
BBC Radio Player, either by visiting the BBC 6 Music "6 Music Plays It Again" webpage
located at http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/shows/inthearchive/ and clicking the "Listen Live"
link or for an additional 7 days after each show has aired by clicking the "Listen Again
To This Show" link.
BBC 6 Music "6 Music Plays It Again" webpage: http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/shows/inthearchive/
update: April 7, 2005
BO DIDDLEY is included in "Rolling Stone" magazine's updated listing of "The Immortals - The 100 Greatest
Artists of All-Time". The 100 artists chosen were voted for by a number of performers and movie and music luminaries
including BO DIDDLEY, Jackson Browne, Chuck D, Neil Diamond, Dr. John, The Edge, Art Garfunkel,
Billy Gibbons, Don Henley, Chrissie Hynde, Keith Richards, Smokey Robinson, Carlos Santana,
Bruce Springsteen, Stephen Stills, Quentin Tarantino, Pete Townshend and Jerry Wexler.
The list is included in a special issue of the magazine published tomorrow (Friday) to mark 50
years of rock & roll. In previous special issues of "Rolling Stone" published to mark rock & roll's
50th anniversary, the magazine named BO DIDDLEY as one of "The Immortals - The 50 Greatest
Artists of All-Time" and included his songs "Bo Diddley", "Who Do You Love" and "I'm A Man"
amongst its "500 Greatest Songs of All-Time".
"Rolling Stone" magazine website: http://www.rollingstone.com/
update: April 1, 2005
BO DIDDLEY's recent interview on the "Jay & The Doctor" breakfast show on the Australian Broadcasting
Corporation's (ABC) triple j music network is now available to download in MP3 format from the show's "Listen"
page, located at:
http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/jayandthedoctor/listen/default.htm.
The interview was originally broadcast in Australia on Wednesday morning (March 30th).
We are delighted to be able to announce that BO DIDDLEY and the Debby Hastings Band received a rapturous
welcome from the fans in Australia during their recent tour there. Writing in "The Age", Melbourne's
leading quality newspaper, Patrick Donovan reports today (Friday) that: "Last weekend, 76-year-old rock
guitar "originator" BO DIDDLEY defied sceptics who accused him of being a one-trick pony by playing a
genre-defying set of funk, soul, doo wop, psychedelic rock, country, rap - and his signature BO
DIDDLEY blues beat".
BO DIDDLEY and the Debby Hastings Band are shortly to take their 50th anniversary tour on to Europe,
with shows in England, Ireland, Finland, Czech Republic, Italy, The Netherlands, France, Croatia and
Slovenia, before returning to the US to perform coast to coast throughout the remainder of 2005. Fans
are invited to check with the Forthcoming Appearances page of the BO DIDDLEY-The Originator website
for details.
"Jay & The Doctor" breakfast show
"The Age" newspaper.
update: March 31, 2005
The winners of the 2004 International Songwriting Competition (ISC) have been announced.
The prestigious panel of judges, which included BO DIDDLEY, Clint Black, Sean "P Diddy" Combs,
Macy Gray, David Hidalgo, Taj Mahal and Branford Marsalis, judged submissions on the basis
of creativity, originality, lyrics, melody and composition in a number of different categories
including blues, instrumental, jazz, R&B/hip hop and rock.
We send our warmest congratulations to Virginia "Gin" Wigmore, aged 18, of Auckland,
New Zealand whose songs "Hallelujah" won the grand prize in the competition and "Angelfire"
in the teen category and to all of the winners in each of the other song categories.
The mission of the Nashville, TN-based annual songwriting contest is to provide the
opportunity for both aspiring and established songwriters to have their songs heard
in a professional international arena. To see the complete list of 2004 winners,
please visit the ISC website's winners' page,
located at http://www.songwritingcompetition.com/winners.htm and click on the song
titles to hear the winning songs. The judging panel for the 2005 competition
will be announced shortly.
International Songwriting Competition (ISC)
update: March 29, 2005
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Radio 2 show "Suzi Quatro: Rockin' With Suzi Q",
which features a blend of the best American music from the rock & roll era of the 1950s and
early 1960s, on Thursday April 7th between 9.00pm-10.00pm BST, (8.00pm-9.00pm GMT/UTC),
will recall the release 50 years ago of BO DIDDLEY's debut single "Bo Diddley"/"I'm A Man"
(Checker 814). The show's weekly "Golden Anniversary" feature celebrates the 50th anniversary
of a key moment in rock & roll history.
Listeners around the world can listen on-line to the show streamed as RealMedia either
by visiting the BBC Radio 2 "Suzi Quatro: Rockin' With Suzi Q" webpage located at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/quatro and clicking the "Listen Live" link or
for an additional 7 days after the show has aired by clicking the "Listen Again To
This Show" link.
In related news, visitors to the popular DigitalDreamDoor.com website have recently
nominated "Bo Diddley"/"I'm A Man" into Number 1 position in the website's "100 Greatest
Rock Debut Singles" music list. The singles that make up the list were chosen and ranked
based upon their initial and lasting popularity and their impact and influence on rock &
roll and its related genres.
In recent months, visitors to the DigitalDreamDoor.com website have nominated BO
DIDDLEY and his recordings in many other categories, including as one of the "100
Greatest Artists of Rock", one of the "100 Most Influential Rock & Roll Artists"
and as one of the "100 Greatest Rock Guitarists"; nominated his song "Bo Diddley"
as one of the "100 Greatest Rock Songs", one of the "100 Greatest R&B/Soul Songs"
and as one of the "100 Greatest Rock Guitar Riffs" and nominated his 1958 album "Bo
Diddley" and his 1960 album "Have Guitar-Will Travel" amongst the "100 Greatest Rock
Guitar Albums" and his 1960 album "Bo Diddley Is A Gunslinger" as one of the "100
Greatest Rock Albums of the 1960s".
BBC Radio 2 "Suzi Quatro: Rockin' With Suzi Q
DigitalDreamDoor.com
update: March 22, 2005
A reminder to fans living in Australia that BO DIDDLEY & the Debby Hastings Band are set
to perform twice on the Crossroads Stage over 2 consecutive days this Easter, (Good Friday
and Easter Saturday), at the 16th annual East Coast Blues & Roots Music Festival being held
at Red Devil Park in Byron Bay, New South Wales.
On Easter Sunday (27th), they will be appearing at the Prince of Wales nightclub in
Melbourne and on Wednesday March 30th, at the Enmore Theatre in Sydney.
To mark BO DIDDLEY's appearance at this weekend's music festival, Warners Music in
Australia have included his recording of his song "Who Do You Love" amongst the 38
tracks on the official album of the 2005 Festival, available this week on Warners
2CD-5046772192.
BO DIDDLEY is also scheduled to be interviewed by Jordie Kilby, host of the "Roots 'n All"
radio program heard over the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's (ABC) "triple j" national
music network, beginning at 11.00pm local time (noon GMT/UTC) this Thursday (24th). "Roots 'n
All" is a weekly 2-hour program broadcast from Sydney, featuring the best in blues, folk,
jazz, country, soul, reggae and world music.
The "Roots 'n All" shows are also available to listeners around the world on-line either
via live simulcast audio stream or audio on demand streaming, using the free versions
of RealPlayer or Windows media, by visiting the ABC's "Roots 'n All" radio program
webpage, located at: http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/roots/default.htm The shows remain
on-line for one week after broadcast.
Fans living in the Sunshine Coast district of Queensland may also be interested to
know that the following day, (Good Friday), a number of performers at this weekend's
music festival are lined-up to be interviewed by Gerry Blain, the host of the popular
weekly "Chillblain's Port & Cornflakes" blues show, broadcast between 6.00am-9.00am
local time on Noosa Community Radio 4NSA 101.3FM in Tewantin, Queensland.
Please note that all the interview dates and times listed above are subject to change.
2005 East Coast Blues & Roots Music Festival
Noosa Community Radio
update: March 19, 2005
BO DIDDLEY's landmark November 1955 appearance on Ed Sullivan's "Toast Of The Town" CBS-TV
show is included in a new movie titled "Rock Is Fifty!", a newly-created compilation of
pioneering early rock performances from "The Ed Sullivan Show" from the years 1955-1960.
Produced by Andrew Solt and Martin Lewis for Sofa Entertainment, the movie also features "The
Ed Sullivan Show" debuts of Bill Haley & His Comets, Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley.
&nb
This movie will be screened daily (except Mondays) at the New York Museum of TV & Radio,
25 West 52nd St. in New York, NY from Wednesday March 23rd to Sunday April 24th inc. at
1.30pm and also daily (except Mondays & Tuesdays) at the Los Angeles Museum of TV & Radio,
465 North Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, CA from Wednesday March 30th to Sunday April 24th
inc. at 12.30pm.
&nb
Additionally, a gallery exhibit of posters, artifacts and photographs titled " Rock
Is Fifty! A Celebration of an Era from The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame & Museum" is being
staged between Wednesday March 30th and Sunday July 10th inc. at the Los Angeles Museum
of TV & Radio.
&nb
In the year 2000, BO DIDDLEY's performance of his song "Bo Diddley" on Ed Sullivan's
"Toast Of The Town" TV show was included in VH1's listing of the "100 Greatest Rock
& Roll Moments On TV".
Museum of TV & Radio website.
update: March 15, 2005
In joint celebration of rock & roll's 50th anniversary and the 20th birthday of the Rock
& Roll Hall of Fame, BO DIDDLEY and his bass player Debby Hastings joined forces on-stage
with Eric Clapton, Robbie Robertson and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Orchestra led by
Paul Shaffer to play a rousing version of "Bo Diddley" at last night's (Monday) 2005 Rock
& Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York, NY.
The 2005 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame "Performer" Inductees were Buddy Guy, the O'Jays,
the Pretenders, Percy Sledge and U2. The Inductees in the "Lifetime Achievement in the
Non-Performer" category were Frank Barsalona and Seymour Stein.
The evening was taped by VH1, which will broadcast a 2-hour highlights special this
Saturday (19th) beginning at 9.00pm ET/PT.
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame & Museum website.
VH1 website.
update: March 14, 2005
To mark both the 50th anniversary of BO DIDDLEY's debut recording session this month plus
BO DIDDLEY's good friend Ronnie Hawkins' recent 70th birthday, DJ Al "Cool Daddy" Smith in
Brompton, Ontario, Canada has put together a special tribute edition of his popular
monthly program for the Rock-it Radio rockin' oldies Internet broadcaster.
This special tribute program, which includes a number of rarely-broadcast BO DIDDLEY tracks
including "Bo's Bounce", "Traveling West", "Signifying Blues" and "Limber", will be available
to listeners for approximately the next 10 days only, by visiting the Archives Page of the
Rock-it Radio website, located at http://www.palmsradio.com/rockittext.htm
This program is Rock-it Radio Show #1235, Al "Cool Daddy" Smith's tribute to BO DIDDLEY,
Ronnie Hawkins and early Canadian rock & roll, and is available to listeners around the world
24/7 via the RealPlayer audio player available for free download from RealNetworks.com and
by clicking on the Rock-it Radio Show #1235 link on the Rock-it Radio Archives Page.
Rock-it Radio rockin' oldies website.
Rock-it Radio website Archives Page.
RealNetworks.com website.
update: March 5, 2005
As we previously reported, BO DIDDLEY and an all-star band are set to
headline the gala opening of the premiere exhibit "That Great Gretsch
Sound" being held at the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, 200 Martin Luther
King Jr. Blvd. in Macon, GA next Thursday (March 10th).
The exhibit, which opened in January, features select historic and
current Gretsch models of instruments used by musicians including Chet
Atkins, George Harrison, Brian Setzer and Charlie Watts.
Next week's gala opening night will launch a two-year Founders'
Celebration in honor of Gretsch founder Friedrich Gretsch, his son Fred
Gretsch Sr. and grandson Fred Gretsch Jr. and includes a ribbon
cutting, a reception and concert headlined by BO DIDDLEY, featuring
special guest appearances by Randy Bachman on guitar, Vinnie Colaiuta
on drums and Chuck Leavell on keyboards.
Tickets for this gala opening, which begins at 7.00pm next Thursday
evening, cost $100 for guests and $75 for Georgia Music Hall of Fame
members. For ticket information, call 478-750-8555 ext. 101. Honored
guests are set to include the Director of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
& Museum and the Head of Fender Guitars.
In 1955, BO DIDDLEY made his first recordings on a Gretsch Firebird
electric guitar. A couple of years later, Gretsch made him a guitar in
the shape of an arrow, the first of many custom-built guitars they were
to go on to make for him. In 1958 came his famous "Big B" rectangle-
shaped guitar, followed by a matching pair of Gretsch rocket-tail
shaped guitars in 1962.
Georgia-based Gretsch Guitars currently manufacture the popular G6138
Bo Diddley Artist Signature Model in their Professional Collection
along with the G5810 Bo Diddley and G5850 Mini Diddley Artist Signature
Models in their Electromatic Collection.
Georgia Music Hall of Fame website:
http://www.gamusichall.com/
Gretsch Musical Instruments website:
http://www.gretsch.com/
update: Feb. 23, 2005
For those of you who were unable to join last week's very successful Soul-Patrol.com
website live on-line chat with BO DIDDLEY, we have now edited the transcript of the
90-minute session to give you a brief summary of some of the comments and questions
that were put to him by his fans and admirers.
An edited transcript of the BO DIDDLEY Soul-Patrol on-line chat session is now
available within the BO DIDDLEY-The Originator website's Forum at
http://members.tripod.com/~Originator_2/guestbook.html and then by clicking
on the "Enter My Forum" button.
Special thanks to Soul-Patrol.com CEO Bob Davis, Soul-Patrol.Net Radio presenter and
chat room host Nightrain, Wolfgang Guhl and the many fans across the US and around the
world who made last week's chat session such a success.
Next up in the Soul-Patrol Chat Room will be the popular Chicago soul group the Chi-Lites,
coming up this Thursday (February 24th), beginning at 10.00pm EST.
update: Feb. 21, 2005
As we have previously informed you, a number of broadcast and on-line
music programs around the world are planning special shows and features
during the months of February and March to mark the 50th anniversary of
BO DIDDLEY's debut recording session.
One of these specials is billed as a 2-hour "BO DIDDLEY Blast-O-Rama: 2
hours of BO DIDDLEY classics and covers in homage to the Originator".
In addition to BO DIDDLEY, the playlist includes bands such as the
Animals, Beavers, Downliners Sect, Hard Feelings, Jack Horner & The
Plums, Juveniles, Pretty Things, Rovin' Flames, Shadows of Knight,
Sonics and Thee Milkshakes.
Originally aired earlier this month, this special is now due to be
rebroadcast by popular demand on the "Rock & Roll Radio" program over
radio station WUSC 90.5 FM on Wednesday March 2nd between 8.00pm-10.00
pm EST (1.00am-3.00am GMT/UTC Thursday March 3rd).
WUSC 90.5 FM free-form alternative station is the student-run station
of the University of South Carolina, Columbia Campus and is available
to listeners around the world via audio stream webcast by visiting the
station's website and clicking on the "Listen" link.
WUSC 90.5 FM website: http://wusc.sc.edu
"Rock & Roll Radio" program website:
http://rnrradio.com/
update: Feb. 17, 2005
Our thanks to all the many fans around the world who helped to make BO
DIDDLEY's Soul-Patrol on-line chat session yesterday evening such a
resounding success. A special note of thanks to his many fans in
Europe, for whom it was the early hours of Thursday morning.
This message from Soul-Patrol.com CEO Bob Davis:
It was an AWESOME chat session, providing for us a valuble history
lesson! Here are some of the topics that Bo took us to school on ...
Culture banditry, origins of rock & roll, Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry,
history of Chess Records, P-Funk/Bernie Worrell, Jimi Hendrix, Muddy
Waters, Ed Sullivan, Bo's new projects, hypocrisy of record companies,
Sun Ra, Harvey Fuqua & the Moonglows, Marvin Gaye, Sylvia Robinson, the
rock & roll industry, his recent performance at BB King's in NYC and
more.
Bo came about 1/2 hr early and hung out with us in the Soul-Patrol Chat
Room for 1.5 hrs answering questions, providing commentary and talking
sh*t.
It was truly one of the best times that I have spent on the Internet.
Frank Massini of Danny & the Juniors ("At The Hop") joined in as a
special surprise guest! The session was further enhanced by what seems to be developing into a
regular crew of about
15 - 20 chatters from across the country and around the world,
including a young lady from
Munich, Germany who turned us on to her AWESOME Chuck Berry website
@ http://www.chuckberry.de.
Also having Bo Diddley's music being streamed into the Chat Room during
the session was helpful for those who either had a limited knowledge
about Bo Diddley or had forgotten about his music. It helped to spur
questions from chatters and it generated commentary from Bo himself
with respect to certain songs.
"HalfandHalf" (Greer Brooks Muldoon) also joined us for the first time
and told us about the
weekly series of Black Music History Trivia Chat sessions that she will
be hosting starting in
March in the Soul-Patrol Chat Room. She will be awarding CD's as prizes
for the winners. (Stay tuned for details)
For me personally it's wonderful to see such great discussion taking
place as a result of the
convergence of so many different types of music fans. My view is that
these types of conversations/dialogue are a part of what is sorely
lacking on the current Internet scene. Too
much of the conversation these days is either "one way" or "I only want
to talk about one
artist/style". This has led to a rather insular, narrow & elitist view
of the music and the culture, that needs to have a much wider and
accurate perspective. Our concept is to cover ALL
of the artists/styles in black music (past, present and future). My
objective is to try to
utilize chat/Internet radio technology and change this current trend.
My view is that black music is far too splintered as it is...
Anyhow... My thanks to Bo Diddley and his crew (Scott Free and David
Blakey) for their assistance.
update: Feb. 14, 2005
Fans living in the Pacific Northwest region of the US may be interested to know that
as part of his special 50th anniversary tour, BO DIDDLEY is to headline the 6th
annual one-day American Music At The Mill concert to be held in the town of Packwood,
WA on Saturday June 25th.
It has been announced that all proceeds from ticket sales for the show, which showcases
rock & roll, bluegrass and country & western music, will go to gifts and supplies for the
families of Stryker Brigade troops currently serving in Iraq. Fort Lewis Garrison,
which is situated near the town of Packwood in Washington State, is home to three of
the US Army's new rapid deploy Stryker Brigade Combat Teams.
The show will be preceded by a patriotic opening ceremony that will include the First
Corps Command Color Guard from Fort Lewis presenting the Colors and a choir rendition
of the National Anthem.
Further information about the concert can be obtained from the Destination Packwood Association
website, located at
http://www.destinationpackwood.com/
update: Feb. 7, 2005
To mark US Black History Month 2005, the popular Soul-Patrol.com website is to host a special
on-line chat session with BO DIDDLEY beginning at 10.00pm EST next Wednesday (February 16th),
(03.00am GMT/UTC on Thursday February 17th).
Fans and their families around the world wishing to take up this very special opportunity
to chat live and on-line with BO DIDDLEY about music, history, culture and more should visit
the Soul-Patrol Chat Room, located at http://www.soul-patrol.com/chat/ shortly before
10.00pm EST next Wednesday February 16th (03.00am GMT/UTC on Thursday February 17th)
and submit a valid e-mail address and their Zip code to enter the Chat Room.
Soul-Patrol.Net Radio will also be broadcasting the music of BO DIDDLEY directly
into the Chat Room for the duration of this chat session.
In order to enjoy the full Soul-Patrol Chat Room experience you will need to have the
Macromedia Flash Player and RealPlayer installed. Both are free downloads and are available
from http://www.macromedia.com/ and http://www.real.com/ respectively.
Soul-Patrol is a series of Internet resources focused on soul, funk, jazz and blues music
and culture of the 1950s thru 1980s.
Do not miss this special opportunity to chat on-line with BO DIDDLEY on Wednesday February
16th, beginning at 10.00pm EST.
Soul-Patrol website:
www.soul-patrol.com/
Soul-Patrol Chat Room:
www.soul-patrol.com/chat
Bo's Bio
-David Blakey
Ever heard "I Want Candy" or "Not Fade Away" or
"Willie & The Hand Jive", Shirley & Company's "Shame,
Shame, Shame" or U2's "Desire" or George Michael's
"Faith"? If you have, then you've heard the "Bo
Diddley beat"; the most famous beat in the world!
One of the founding fathers of rock & roll, Bo
Diddley's innovative pounding and hypnotic
Latin-tinged beat, his vast array of electric
custom-built guitars, his use of reverb, tremelo and
distortion to make his guitars talk, mumble and roar,
his use of female musicians, his wild stage shows and
his on-record and on-stage rapping, pre-date all
others.
Bo Diddley was born Ellas Bates on Sunday December
30th 1928 on a small farm near the town of McComb,
Mississippi, USA, in rural Pike County, close to the
Louisiana border, the only child of Ethel Wilson and
Eugene Bates. He had 3 half-brothers and a
half-sister.
He was adopted by his mother's cousin, Mrs. Gussie
McDaniel, along with his cousins Willis, Lucille and
Freddie, and adopted the name Ellas McDaniel. In the
mid-1930's the family moved to the south side of
Chicago. Soon after, he began to take violin lessons
from Professor O.W. Frederick at the Ebenezer
Missionary Baptist Church. He studied the violin for
twelve years, composing 2 concertos for the
instrument.
For Christmas in 1940, his sister Lucille bought him
his first guitar, a cheap Harmony acoustic. It was at
this time that he acquired the nickname "Bo Diddley"
("...Bo Diddley is me; to tell ya the truth, I don't
know what it (the name) really is...") from his fellow
pupils at the Foster Vocational High School in
Chicago.
The newly-named Bo Diddley had long been fascinated by
the rhythms that he heard coming from the sanctified
churches. A frustrated drummer, he tried to translate
the sounds that he heard into his own style. Gradually
he began to duplicate what he did with his violin bow
by rapidly flicking his pick across his guitar
strings. "I play the guitar as if I'm playing the
drums....I play drum licks on the guitar." He
continued to practice the guitar through his early
teens.
Shortly before leaving school he formed his first
group, a trio named The Hipsters, later known as The
Langley Avenue Jive Cats, after the Chicago street
where he lived. Upon graduation he pursued a variety
of low paid occupations including truck driving,
building site work and boxing, playing locally with
his group to supplement his income. In 1950 maracas
player Jerome Green joined the group, followed a year
later by harmonica player Billy Boy Arnold.
After more than a decade of playing on street corners
and in clubs around Chicago, Bo Diddley finally got
the chance to cut a demo of 2 songs that he had
written; "Uncle John" and "I'm A Man". After various
rejections from local record labels, (most notably
Vee-Jay), in the spring of 1955 he took the recordings
to brothers Leonard and Phil Chess, owners of Chess
Records, with studios located at 4750-2 South Cottage
Grove Avenue in Chicago. They suggested that he
changed the title and the lyrics of "Uncle John" to
more reflect his own unique personality.
The 2 songs were re-recorded at Bill Putnam's
Universal Recording Studio at 111 East Ontario in
Chicago on Wednesday March 2nd 1955 and released as a
double A-side disc "Bo Diddley"/"I'm A Man" on the
Chess Records subsidiary label Checker Records. It
went straight to the top of the rhythm 'n' blues
charts, establishing Bo Diddley as one of the most
exciting and original new talents in American music.
It is later hailed as one of the most influential
debut singles in history and one of the cornerstones
of rock music.
Inspired by musicians such as Louis Jordan, John Lee
Hooker, Nat "King" Cole and Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley
was now set to help shape and define the sound and
presentation of rock music for all-time. From Elvis
Presley to George Thorogood, from The Rolling Stones
to ZZ Top, from The Doors to The Clash, from Buddy
Holly to Prince and from The Everly Brothers to Run
DMC, all acknowledged the unique influences of Bo
Diddley upon their different styles of music.
Now in his mid-70s, Bo Diddley is still very much
active in the recording studio and in the clubs and
concert halls around the world. He performed a rousing
version of his classic song "Who Do You Love" with
George Thorogood & The Destroyers in front of a TV
audience of millions at the Live Aid Concert in
Philadelphia in 1985. A couple of years later he was
deservedly an early inductee into the Rock 'n' Roll
Hall of Fame. In 1996 he received a Lifetime
Achievement Award from the Rhythm 'n' Blues Foundation
and in 1999 he received another Lifetime Achievement
Award, this time from The Recording Academy at that
year's annual Grammy Awards Ceremony. At the turn of
the century, his 1955 debut recording of his song "Bo
Diddley" was nominated as one of the 365 songs of the
century, named as one of the Rock & Roll Hall of
Fame's 500 songs that shaped rock & roll and inducted
into the Grammy Hall of Fame as a recording of lasting
qualitative or historical significance, whilst his
1955 recording of his song "I'm A Man" was included in
NPR's list of the 300 most important American musical
works of the 20th Century.
In recent years, yet further honors have been
justifiably awarded to him when he was inducted into
The Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame, The North
Florida Music Association Hall of Fame, presented with
a Pioneer In Entertainment Award by The National
Association of Black Owned Broadcasters and in 2002,
along with Chuck Berry and Little Richard, received an
inaugural BMI Icon Award in recognition of his unique
and indelible influence on generations of music
makers.
A couple of years later, in 2004, he was inducted into
the Blues Foundation's Blues Hall of Fame and Mickey &
Sylvia's 1956 recording of his song "Love Is Strange"
inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame as a recording
of lasting qualitative or historical significance.
That same year, in special issues marking 50 years of
rock & roll, Rolling Stone magazine named him as one
of The Immortals - the 50 greatest artists of all-time
and named his songs "Bo Diddley", "Who Do You Love"
and "I'm A Man" amongst its 500 greatest songs of
all-time.
Currently (2005) on a world-wide tour celebrating his
50th anniversary in music, in the words of one of his
many famous eponymous songs, "Bo Diddley Put The Rock
in Rock & Roll" and remember ... Bo Knows!
Recommended Listening:
"Bo Diddley - His Best" (MCA/Chess) Released in 1997
as part of the Chess 50th Anniversary Collection, this
20 track CD includes nearly all his classic songs.
Worth Seeking Out:
"Bo Diddley's Beach Party" (Checker) Recorded in
Myrtle Beach, SC over the 4th of July holiday weekend
in 1963 and not yet widely available on CD, this album
is one of the earliest rock music live remote
recordings and certainly one of the most exciting and
atmospheric.
Fan Club/Website:
http://members.tripod.com/~Originator_2/index.html The
BO DIDDLEY-The Originator authorized website,a
Celebration of Bo Diddley's unique contribution to
Popular Music and the most detailed and accurate
source of information about Bo Diddley on the web.
1955 to 2005 - Celebrating 50 Years In Music!
David Blakey, Webmaster
BO DIDDLEY-The Originator
http://members.tripod.com/~Originator_2/index.html
A Celebration of his unique contribution to Popular Music,
1955 to 2005 - Celebrating 50 Years In Music!
© 2005 David Blakey
A Rockabilly Hall of Fame® Presentation