Clifton James, drummer-the man behind the Bo Diddley beat R.I.P.

If there’s a prime player behind the world famous Bo Diddley beat besides Mr. Diddley himself, it’s drummer Clifton James. Bo’s drummer of choice from 1954 through 1970, the two first hooked up in the early ‘50s when Diddley’s first group—which also featured guitarist Jody Williams, maraca master Jerome Green and additional members Roosevelt Jackson and Samuel Daniel—was playing the street corners of Chicago under the name Ellis McDaniel and the Hipsters. After inducting James and Billy Boy Arnold into their ranks, they began calling themselves the Langley Avenue Jive Cats in honor of the street on which both Roosevelt and Bo lived. While other members took their leaves during Bo’s meteoric rise to the top, James hung tough, contributing mightily to such classic Diddley albums as Go Bo Diddley, In The Spotlight and the totally ingenious Bo Diddley Is A Gunslinger, among many others, and working in the company of other legendary Diddley sessioneers and band members such as guitar queen Lady Bo, piano pounder Lafayette Leake and of course, the master of the acoustic bass, the great Willie Dixon himself. In between Diddley dates and tours, James also found time to wax discs with Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters and Sonny Boy Williamson II, to name just a few. He toured Europe behind Howlin’ Wolf in 1964 and was the highlight of the Chess “concept” albums Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry—Two Great Guitars and 1967’s Super Super Blues Band, which starred Diddley, Waters and Wolf.

During the late ‘60s James also held down the drum stool in the Chicago Blues All Stars, a Willie Dixon-led ensemble of just that, which also included guitarist Johnny Shines, pianist Sunnyland Slim and harmonica man Walter “Shakey” Horton. They toured the U.S., Europe and Canada during the blues revival, bringing the visceral intensity of Chicago’s finest to many a locale that had never before witnessed such crippling musical spectacle. It’s James’ drums you hear on Koko Taylor’s 1969 masterpiece of a debut LP, one of Chess’s last great Dixon-inspired productions.

Clifton James (Bo's Drummer) R.I.P.
" From Bo's webmaster, David Blakey -- We were greatly saddened to learn of the death of former BO DIDDLEY band drummer Clifton James in Chicago, IL on Thursday morning (February 16th). He was 69.
BO DIDDLEY's original drummer, Clifton began playing with the band in 1954 and continued throughout the 1950s and 1960s, playing on many of BO DIDDLEY's classic Chess recordings, including "Bo Diddley", "I'm A Man", "Diddley Daddy", "Pretty Thing", "Bring It To Jerome", "Diddy Wah Diddy", "Who Do You Love", "Cops & Robbers" and "Road Runner".
He was the drummer for BO DIDDLEY's landmark November 1955 appearance on the Ed Sullivan CBS Television show, which is now widely hailed as the earliest example of rock music on TV and for which Clifton received an award in Chicago last month, recognizing him as a rock music- television pioneer. He also appeared in BO DIDDLEY's highly acclaimed live performance in the 1966 AIP movie "The Big TNT Show" and in DA Pennebaker's 1970 "Sweet Toronto" concert film.
Throughout the 1960s, Clifton toured and recorded sessions with many of the Chess Records greats, including Willie Dixon, the Flamingos, Buddy Guy, the Moonglows, Koko Taylor, Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson and Howlin' Wolf, before touring with his own blues band in the 1970s.
In May 2002, Clifton was reunited on-stage with BO DIDDLEY and former band members Billy Boy Arnold and Jody Williams at that year's Chicago Blues Festival and in April last year he made another triumphant return to live performance at the New Orleans 2005 Ponderosa Stomp series of concerts, backing BO DIDDLEY's former guitarist LADY BO. He had been scheduled to perform once again with LADY BO, Billy Boy Arnold and Jody Williams at a BO DIDDLEY band reunion show at this year's upcoming Ponderosa Stomp event in May.
As an integral part of BO DIDDLEY's bands in the 1950s and 1960s, Clifton James' pioneering drumming skills, utilising complex cross- rhythms, helped create the original BO DIDDLEY sound and thereby shaped the beat of rock & roll. We send our sincere condolences to his family and friends at this very sad time."