Bo Diddley

Bo Diddley, born as Ellas Otha Bates on December 30, 1928, in McComb, Mississippi, was a pioneering American musician, singer, and songwriter. He is considered one of the most important shapers of rock and roll and blues, thanks to his distinctive rhythm known as "the Bo Diddley beat." His career began in the 1950s and influenced many later artists. His work played a central role in the dissemination of modern music and earned him a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. Bo Diddley passed away on June 2, 2008.