Bo Diddley

[senorsalvia]

Bo Diddley Live On The Plaza :!:    Last evening I attended an event for the homeless in Gainesville Fl...  It was billed as a time when the public at large could sleep out under the stars, see what it is like to be a homeless person.  There were soup lines set up.  Speeches given by local advocacy groups adressing the plight of the homeless... Many area bands donated their appearances...  Bo hit stage (he's a Gainesville resident) about 11:15.  The night was a comfortable 63 degrees, the stars blazing across a crystal clear sky....He took place centerstage, seated upon an office chair...  He held  that rectangular red and gold Gretsch and proceeded to wail...  While constantly battling feedback and a sorry sound system provided by the city, he had the crowd and senorsal bopping and swaying to those fuzz-toned / scratchy licks....  He talked openly to the crowd between song selections; his down to earth and open love pouring out to the audience....  Making mention of the fact that in AmeriKKKa, the most prosperous country on the globe, he always shook his head in bewilderment and guilty shame as he'd come back from a global performance in Europe, Africa, or somewhere, and then see hungry and hurting souls in this land....  He spoke of being on stage with Jimi/Janis/Muddy Waters/B.B King/Aretha, and all the other greats in the business; of how they would all remark on how amazed and blessed they all felt that their music had given them wealth and a chance to do what they love, as well as view the whole of the globe....   he shook his head and remarked, " this is not some backwater poor-ass country, and we need the folks to rise up as they did in the 60's" , "we need to once and for all end hunger and homelessness in the U.S. "  "tell your leaders, congessman, mayor. whoever you can get to listen"  Tell 'em it's gotta stop. or AmeriKKa will eventually drop"......   Then he cranked up that Gretsch and fuzz-twanged me to sleep under the stars........  THANKS BO...........  senorsal

[JRL]

yeah Bo is a good dude. I remeber being at the Gold Rush festival in 69, and the mornin after waking up and seeing Bo hangin out around one of the bonfires people started to keep the chill off.

Another thing, he was like many of the artists from that era, mostly black that got screwed out of their money. And beyond that, do you think all these bands that write songs with the "Bo Diddley" beat send him money every month?

He must be well into his 70s! Long live Elis McDaniels!!