No one introduces Bo Diddley anymore, he is a rock & roll legend and his famous ‘Bo Diddley Beat’ is among the most influential and identifiable rhythms in rock history, which has inspired generations of musicians. In 2004, Diddley was listed at number 20 of the ‘100 Greatest Artists Of All Time’ and in 2011 he was ranked at number 27 ‘100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time’ by Rolling Stone. His tracks have been added to the Library Of Congress’s National Recording Registry list making him a definitive national treasure. Diddley was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, but he has received too many awards during his illustrious career to list them here, just let’s include a Lifetime Achievement Award from NARAS (1998) and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Rhythm & Blues Foundation (1996).
Bo Diddley started his career with two Chess Studios recordings, ‘Bo Diddley’ and ‘I’m a Man’, which became R&B hits in March 1955 and established him as one of the most exciting and original new talents in American music. ‘Bo Diddley’ landed on the R&B charts for 18 weeks, including two weeks at #1, whereas ‘I’m A Man’ charted for 11 weeks.
To commemorate the 60th anniversary of ‘Bo Diddley’ and ‘I’m a Man’, Hollis Brown, an edgy, roots-rock band, has partnered with the Bo Diddley Estate to release ‘Rain Dance’, a collaboration between the indie band and the rock legend, built around a previously unreleased Diddley guitar track, which was found in his vaults after his passing. Hollis Brown managed to impress Diddley’s estate reps with their adrenaline-fueled energy and loyalty to tradition, and were offered to finish the song,… and what indie band wouldn’t jump on such a terrific occasion?
They will premiere ‘Rain Dance’ during a Live Nation/Yahoo! Live Stream concert from House Of Blues in New Orleans on March 12th. According to the press release, this is an unique pairing which ‘honors the past of the first-generation Rock `n Roll pioneer, while paying Diddley’s genius forward to a new set of fans.’ They also say that ‘Hollis Brown lead singer/guitarist Mike Montali will perform ‘Rain Dance’ with Diddley’s signature red square guitar, backed by performance footage and graphics to complement the collaboration’.
Live Nation/Yahoo! Live Stream Concert is set for March 12th from in New Orleans.
For more info, please visit http://www.facebook.com/BoDiddleyOfficial and watch the story of ‘Rain Dance’ below.