Long Live Bo Diddley!
Tuesday, June 3, 2008

"Elvis was a royal too
But his throne was hand-me-down
Because Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley
Already wore that crown" -- New Heathens, "Columbus Day."


Long live Bo Diddley!

Sad news: we lost Bo Diddley yesterday. I shook the man's huge hands one night after he played a show in my hometown of Missoula, MT in 2001. I couldn't make the show, because I had one of my own, but found out from friends that Mr. Diddley was having a post-show dinner at my hometown's fanciest restaurant. He sent his soup back to the kitchen three times because it didn't suit his Diddley-palate. In between servings I shook his hand. He was very gracious.

Saw him play at BB King's in NYC a few years later. He did the show sitting on a chair, but got up on the last tune ("Who Do You Love") to shake his knees like a wide receiver who just scored a touchdown.

Played a solo show at Niagra last night opening up for Joe Cassady. Before my first tune I yowled a few Hey Bo Diddleys. Then I after I'd barnstormed through two thirds of my last song, Proud Highway, I went into an impromptu Bo Diddley medley Bo Diddley's A Gunslinger, Cadillac, Mona, Who Do You Love and Hey Bo Diddley.

Thanks Bo.


Me & The Mustache opening for Joe Cassady at Niagra

Checked out Shayni Rae's Truck Stop at National Underground, my favorite Monday night hang.

Then blasted out to Hank's Saloon in Brooklyn for Kuntry Karaoke with Boo & Elena of the Demolition String Band (who you may have read about in the Village Voice's latest cover story on the New York Country Scene Don't get me started. Think it's hard to find country in the nation's biggest metropolis? Wrongo! It's nearly impossible to escape.)

I sang Mary Mary, the Monkees tune, with Boo & Elena, just like I did at a couple of their Monkees tributes in the past year.

And, for good measure, we reprised "Who Do You Love."

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