Robben Ford Discussion

telefunk1 · Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 10:31 am Post subject: R.I.P Bo Diddley

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/03/arts/music/03diddley.html?hp

Hope this link works - Bo passed away. Very sad.

frank0936 · Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 10:46 am Post subject: RIP Bo

I just saw that. I was afraid he wasn't going to be with us too much longer when he started having his health problems recently. I'm so glad I got to see him several years ago when he was still rocking!
Frank

JohnnyZ · Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 12:12 pm Post subject:

Not much of a fan, but I loved his tv commercial with Bo Jackson many years ago. I can still hear him jam out after saying "Bo don't know Diddley!"

roadwarriorfortheblues · Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 5:31 pm Post subject:

JZ, not much of a Bo Diddley fan? How so? I remember a great show at The Channel with Bo Diddley and Ron Wood. If I had any smarts I would've taken up the washboard that night. I love percussive guitar and Bo Diddley was the first Blues I heard like that.

Fortunately, I saw Bo Diddley a few more times in Florida. I think he was a mentor to a lot of guitar players in the Southeast and Texas. I enjoy his contribution to Hamilton Loomis' 2007 release, but there are a lot of other regional guitarists who sought him out. There was a great article published a few years ago in the St. Pete Times about Bo Diddley. I'll see if I can find a link.
_________________
Travelling by train of thought

roadwarriorfortheblues

This is a link to the article I was thinking of:

http://www.sptimes.com/2002/09/26/Floridian/diddley.shtml
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Travelling by train of thought

JohnnyZ · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 6:29 am Post subject:

frank0936 · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 7:16 am Post subject: Bo

He was definitely one of a kind. When I saw him live he was late getting started due to a faulty cable. B.B. King was following him. Bo played his whole set. The stage manager would catch his eye and point to his watch. Bo would nod and start another song! I thought they were going to have to drag him off the stage. He really loved to perform.
Frank

telefunk1 · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 8:05 am Post subject:

About 4 years ago a band I was with opened for Bo at a summer concert gig at an outdoor arena. We also served as his backup band for the gig. I was really excited about meeting him but he could have cared less. He was a very bitter soul and complained about everything, past and present. We just tried to do the best we could, be respectful and hit the note with him. Nothing worked right, wrong amp, wrong lights, etc. He worked with us about 10 minutes to see if we could handle the Bo Diddley beat and when he was satisfied he took off for the hotel room. The gig itself was bizarre. For about the first 45 minutes he cranked through his hits which was great, being on stage with this legend and seeing the crowd really appreciate him. Then he started using this old Roland floor synth thing and making all these "orchestral" sounds, as he called them. This went on for about 30 minutes and most of the crowd left, scratching their heads. I think we finished up with one last number, then he was gone.

One of the stranger gigs I have done, to say the least, but I learned a lot from the experience and will never forget it. I have a pic of the "rehearsal" and will post if I can find it (and get my kids to scan it in for me...)