Bo Diddley 1928 -2008

Bo Diddley was a true innovator and any fan of rock 'n' roll owes him much. Here at the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless we are grateful to him for his many years performing at Hopefest. He did so every year with little or no compensation. Bo came up from poverty and he crafted his unique and driving sound on the streets of Chicago, paying his dues on Maxwell Street and living hand to mouth for many years. Perhaps that is why he understood the urgency and importance of our work so well.

Bo was our Hopefest headliner for the better part of a decade and he helped to reach out to his peers every year to make sure the rest of the lineup was impressive. Chuck Berry, Johnny Winter, Koko Taylor, Otis Rush, Son Seals, Junior Wells, and many more all answered the call to help out when it came from Bo. Every year Bo would do a grueling publicity tour in support of the concert and his passion for helping people experiencing homelessness never wavered. He will be dearly missed.

Chicago Coalition for the Homeless website: http://www.chicagohomeless.org/

Chicago Coalition for the Homeless MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/chicagohomeless