Long Live Diddley

If you don't know Diddley, you should.

A legend of early rock 'n' roll, Bo Diddley's contributions to the musical form's creation were on a par with -- and perhaps greater than -- those of Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and Little Richard. So why wasn't his celebrity as great? Listening to his early songs, I get the sense that his guitar style and tone was so new, so raw that popular radio in 1955 didn't have a place for it. It took others to bring rock 'n' roll to a broader audience, but rock guitarists for the past 50 years have owed a debt to Diddley, from Buddy Holly to Bruce Springsteen.

I'll admit that I came late to the music, becoming a fan only after paying my dues into the jukebox at Wiggly Field in Weston, Wis. Amid the crappy 80s hair metal and crappier 90s country music, there were a few songs I knew I could rely on to keep me going on long nights of pitcher after pitcher of Leinie's Honey Weiss. Among those songs were three choice Diddley tunes: "Ooh Baby," "You Can't Judge a Book by the Cover," and, of course, "Roadrunner."

My equally drunken coworkers, and future bride, seemed to find me amusing enough as I goofed off by strutting my stuff and singing along to "Roadrunner" with its beep-beeps and rollicking guitar pattern.

Later, when my future bride became my bride, we played "Roadrunner" as our newlywed entrance song at the reception. A fine Grand March song, if ever there was one.

Sadly, the news came yesterday that Mr. Bo Diddley was dead at 79. But it's hardly possible to stay sad for long with such a legacy Diddley has left in his music. Play through any part of the terrific Chess Box collection's four dozen Diddley gems and feel that smile burn into your face, your foot start to tap, your head start to sway, your groove blooming, doo-wah-Diddleyfied.