Rock 'n' roll pioneer Bo Diddley has died from heart failure, aged 79. The legendary singer passed away on Monday at his home in Archer, Florida after a long battle with ill health, his spokeswoman Susan Clary has confirmed. The rocker, born Ellas Bates, suffered a heart attack last August , just three months after being struck down by a stroke during his tour of Iowa. The stroke affected his speech and he suffered from poor health until his death on Monday. Diddley began his rise to fame in the 1950s after being discovered by Checker Records. He scored his first big chart hit in 1955 when he reached number one on the U.S. R&B chart with his self titled track Bo Diddley. He went on to achieve international fame with songs including I'm a Man, You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover, Mona, Who Do You Love and Shave and a Haircut The star is often credited as a key figure in the transition from blues to rock 'n' roll and was best known for his homemade square guitar, dark glasses and black hat and his signature "shave and a haircut, two bits" rhythm. A contemporary of Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley and Little Richard, he influenced a whole generation of musicians with his innovative use of the electric guitar, including Buddy Holly, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and Bruce Springsteen. He was inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 and won a Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1999. His entry in the prestigious Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame reads: "This distinctive, African-based 5/4 rhythm pattern (which goes bomp-bomp-bomp bomp-bomp) was picked up by other artists and has been a distinctive and recurring element in rock 'n' roll through the decades." Diddley is survived by his children: Evelyn Kelly, Ellas A. McDaniel, Tammi D. McDaniel and Terri Lynn McDaniel. He also has 15 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren. A funeral service is expected to be held this weekend (07-08Jun08).
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