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Welcome To
Bo Diddley and the Debby Hastings
Band October 1st
2005 Mohegan Sun Wolf Den
Born Ellas Bates, December
30, 1928, in McComb, Mississippi. He started his musical career learning to
play the violin. He also played trombone in his church choir and latter
taught himself to play a guitar given to him by his sister. He was the leader
of a washboard band for 5 years and the rest is music history. Bo’s lyrics are more often than not humorous adaptations of old
folk music themes and and a way of joking about his personal life experences.
Many of the songs he sang this night had a positively reggae feel. I chuckled when I caught him laughing at himself while
he told his stories still brandishing that mischievious grin and a twinkle in
his eyes. Aged but still a strong performer
he sang and played his guitar with great feeling and gusto. He repeatedly
passed instructions to the bass player, and band leader Debby Hastings, a
tall blonde woman who looked on him with eyes full of respect and love. She
never strayed to far from his left shoulder and seemed to keep a close watch
on his every move. Still the perfectionist at one
point between songs he called to the “soundman” because he detected an almost unperceptable hum
coming from one the amplifiers. They tried to tell him it was coming from the
borrowed guitar someone from the audience loaned him for the performance
because as he put it “the damned airline lost my guitar and I’m pissed!” He
said “I’m old but I still know what’s what – it’s not coming from me!”
Apparently it was not - it was fixed without ever touching his gear. After the show we headed down to
his dressing room to chat and take a few pictures. A woman and her husband
were tring to get a newly released CD signed. Bo looked at it and said “this
is a great CD where’d you get it? They got me playin’ with Chubby Checker, I
haven’t played with him since the 60’s.” They said they had just bought it at
a well known music chain store in Worchester over the weekend. He said “I
never authorized this – they do this all the time – I gotta have this CD. Can
I have it?” They gave it to him without hesitation and he signed a set list
for them instead. When I handed him an 8 x 10 glossy
to sign he said “See they’re probably selling these all over the internet and
I don’t get a dime. When I ask they’ll say we only sold 5 or 6 and here’s two
right here!” He signed it anyway and yelled to a young girl who appeared to
be his grand daughter to check if that was his guitar. It was apparently
found during the show. The young girl said “I checked it three times already,
but I’ll check it again …” and left the room. The man knows what’s going
on! Band Leader and Bass Guitar: Debby Hastings, Keyboard: Margo
Lewis, Lead and Rhythm
Guitar: Frank Daley, Drums (to
be determined). Some of the titles in the set list
are my Best Guest. The set list provided was not used. Debra Jacobs Rating **** Baby With The Red Dress On Crackin’ Up I’ve Seen Em All I Aint Got No Gasoline Wake Up - Don’t Sleep To Long Come On Pretty Baby - Diddley Rap You Don’t
Love Me Run Monkey
Run Forgive Me Leave (You
Got Nothin’ That Excites Me) Hey Bo
Diddley
© DJX2 2005 |
