Many sounds and rhythms are associated with pop and rock 'n' roll music, but very few are actually named after a performer or artist. One distinct namesake style is the "Bo Diddley beat," which can be heard in Diddley's track "Who Do You Love?" You may not recognize the term, but you almost certainly know this beat if you've listened to a radio at all during your life.
Bo Diddley was born Ellas Otha Bates in McComb, Miss., on Dec. 30, 1928, and later took on the last name of his mother's cousin, Gussie McDaniel, who raised him. He adopted his well-known stage name as an adult. He is widely considered one of the founding fathers of rock. Many artists refer to him as "The Originator" not only because of his beat, but also because he helped transition traditional blues music to rock.
Many artists have employed the Bo Diddley beat, including Elvis Presley in "(Marie's the Name) His Latest Fame," and Johnny Otis in "Willie and The Hand Jive." Even Guns N' Roses used the beat in "Mr. Brownstone." Musicians from The Smiths to The White Stripes and hundreds in between have used the sound.
The Bo Diddley beat is a rhythm, and many of the songs that feature it do not have chord changes. The entire song is based in that unique rhythm. That basic rhythm whips up a certain excitement—which groups such as Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers employed in their live shows.
The beat found in "Who Do You Love?" is one of rock music's cornerstones. Its influences are so deeply entrenched that many musicians will pick up a guitar and gravitate toward that same beat. That rhythm can be traced back to Africa, but the Bo Diddley beat came from Mississippi.
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