Bo Diddley

Emerging in the 1950’s, Bo Diddley guided the transition between blues and rock and roll, forever changing the landscape of American music.  Diddley’s original rhythms (including the ubiquitous Bo Diddley Beat), experimental guitar work, and explosive performances influenced a wide spectrum of artists including Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, Buddy Holly, Eric Clapton, and Tom Petty, among others.  Diddley, who passed away in 2008, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998, and, in 2004, placed 20^th on Rolling Stone Magazine’s list of “The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.”