I was saddened to learn of the passing of rock n' roll pioneer Bo Diddley today. I wasn't aware that he had suffered a stroke several months ago while on tour. He died of heart failure. Born Ellis McDaniel, Didley lived until the age of 79.
I had the pleasure of seeing him perform in Ottawa back in October 1993. He played a gig at a club on Elgin Street called the New Live Penguin, a venue that was known generally for blues acts. I remember that it was October 1993 because a) the Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago White Sox were playing in the ALCS b) there was a federal election going on at the time and c) I was accompanied that evening by a beautiful woman named Estelle. Alas, she did not accompany me after that. Oh well, at least I saw Bo Diddley play.
To fans of my generation he was known for his cameos in movies like Trading Places and This Is Spinal Tap. But his career got a real boost when he appeared the Nike campaign Bo Knows promoting Bo Jackson. After all these great athletes said, "Bo knows,", Diddley says, "Bo don't know Diddley."
Monday, June 2, 2008
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