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BO DIDDLEY  ..........................

B.H.F. Exhibit Page

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BO DIDDLEY Birth Name: Ellas Bates Adopted Name: Ellas McDaniels  Born:  December 30, 1928 McComb, MS

Bo Diddley 1956 performing at the Apollo Theatre, Brooklyn, New York,

A deservedly early inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, plaudits bestowed upon Bo Diddley in recent years have included Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Rhythm & Blues Foundation and from the Recording Academy, a Pioneer in Entertainment Award from the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters and in May of last year an inaugural Icon Award from the performing rights organization BMI. That award is inscribed with the following few simple words that succinctly validate Bo Diddley's contribution to popular music: "In recognition of your unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers".

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!

For further information, please eMail: surfsinkorswim@yahoo.com

Bo Diddley Exhibit in The Blues Hall of Fame ®