Rockabilly Legend Bo Diddley: 1928-2008

Another legend passes...

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Bo Diddley, a founding father of rock 'n' roll whose distinctive "shave and a haircut, two bits" rhythm and innovative guitar effects inspired legions of other musicians, died Monday after months of ill health. He was 79.

He was called 'The Originator' — Bo Diddley, who with his signature rectangular guitar 'The Twang Machine' built the bridge from blues to rock and roll.

My dad taught me how to play the guitar, and some of the first songs I learned were Bo Diddley songs. I still enjoy breaking out my Fender Stratocaster and strumming away on 'Bo Diddley.'

My favorite Bo Diddley album...

Forget the silly cowboy costume on the front cover -- because this is a heck of a great album! Bo might have gotten saddled (no pun intended!) with a silly gimmick for the title and image of the set -- but the album's one of his best from the early Chess years, and features a rip-roaring batch of tracks that really cut it up in his classic scratchy guitar mode of the time! Lyrics are great -- nearly all originals by Bo himself, with that hip swinging, and hard-wailing approach that was always a lot of fun -- and cuts include "Gunslinger", "Diddling", "Cheyenne", "Cadillac", and "Doing The Craw-Daddy".