Father Of Rock Bo Diddley Dies Aged 79

ROCK 'n' roll pioneer Bo Diddley, who banged out hit songs powered by the relentless "Bo Diddley beat" that influenced rockers from Buddy Holly to U2, has died at the age of 79.
Diddley died of heart failure at his home in Archer, Florida, his management agency, Talent Consultants International, said in a statement.
"One of the founding fathers of rock 'n' roll has left the building he helped construct," the statement said.
Diddley suffered a stroke during a concert in Iowa in May 2007.
In August 2007 he had a heart attack in Florida.
In a career spanning more than five decades, Diddley composed a substantial body of rock classics, including Who Do You Love, Bo Diddley, Bo Diddley's a Gunslinger, Before You Accuse Me, I'm a Man, Pretty Thing and Mona.
He cranked them out on a signature rectangular guitar, setting many of them to rumba-like rhythm of his Bo Diddley beat that gave rock 'n' roll a powerful rhythmic foundation.
Along with such contemporaries as Chuck Berry and Little Richard, he was among a pioneering group of black recording artists who crossed the American racial divide with music that appealed to white audiences and was emulated by white performers.
Although Diddley recorded relatively few chart-topping hits, his seminal role in the formative years of rock music was recognised by his induction into the Rock `n' Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 and with a Grammy lifetime achievement award in 1998.
Diddley's unique guitar playing and rhythm influenced generations of rockers from Elvis Presley to Bon Jovi.
Keith Richards and Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones and Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi made guest appearances on his records and Diddley played with the likes of The Clash and The Grateful Dead.
Arguably the greatest mainstream success of a song with the Bo Diddley beat was Buddy Holly's Not Fade Away, recorded in the 1950s and which saw renewed success when it was covered by the Rolling Stones in the 1960s.
In an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald in March 2007, Diddley insisted he was the real father of rock, saying: "Little Richard came two or three years later, along with Elvis Presley. In other words, I was the first dude out there."
Diddley had harsh words for the direction black music had taken in recent years, telling Reuters that "gangsta" rap made his blood boil.
"I hate it. I call it rap-crap," Diddley said in a 1996 interview. "I can't seem to get my records played but they'll play all this garbage."
His agency said public and private services were planned for this weekend.

Source : http://www.news.com.au/