Bo Diddley Bo Diddley Ellas McDaniel (born Ellas Otha Bates, December 30, 1928 – June 2, 2008), known as Bo Diddley, was an American singer, guitarist, songwriter and music producer who played a key role in the transition from the blues to rock and roll. He influenced many artists, including Elvis Presley, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and the Clash. His use of African rhythms and a signature beat, a simple five-accent hambone rhythm, is a cornerstone of hip hop, rock, and pop music. In recognition of his achievements, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and received
Rhythm and blues the 1970s, the term "rhythm and blues" was being used as a blanket term for soul, funk, and disco. Around the same time, mods band influenced by R&B. The Who played Motown hit "Heat Wave". In 70s Philadelphia International The O'Jays, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, Billy Paul and Hi Records Al Green, O. V. Wright, Ann Peebles got R&B hits. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, hip-hop started to capture the imagination of America's youth. R&B started to become homogenized, with a group of high-profile producers responsible for most R&B hits. It was hard for R&B artists