Began playing violin at age 8, when his church took up a collection to buy the instrument and pay for lessons; switched to guitar as a teenager, after his stepsister, Lucille, gave him his first six-string
Started his recording career in 1955, releasing the chart-topping "Bo Diddley/I'm a Man" single on Chicago's Chess Records
Was the first African-American to perform on The Ed Sullivan Show, playing his signature "Bo Diddley" on November 20, 1955
An early innovator in rock music, he created his own sound effects when they weren't readily available and custom-built many of his guitars
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, one year after its creation
Entered the Blues Hall of Fame in 2004, the same year his 1956 single "Love Is Strange" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame