Bo Diddley (December 30, 1928 - June 2, 2008) "The Originator," was an influential American
rock and roll singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is often cited as a key figure in the transition of
blues into rock and roll, by introducing more insistent, driving rhythms and a harder-edged guitar sound. He was born Otha Ellas Bates in McComb, Mississippi and later took the name Ellas McDaniel, after his adoptive mother, Gussie McDaniel. He adopted the stage name Bo Diddley, which is probably a southern black slang phrase meaning "nothing at all," as in "he ain't bo diddley.