| Bo Diddley pays tribute to Duchess [message #231214] |
Thu, 12 May 2005 18:18 |
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Norma-Jean Richardson aka Duchess, fondly-remembered member of the Bo
Diddley band between the years 1962 and 1966, died on Saturday April
30th in Fontana, CA.
Bo Diddley was very saddened by the news that Duchess... his "Play
Sister"... had passed away:
"Norma-Jean was my first sidekick...," he said, "...we did everything
together. She was like family, which was why I told everyone she was my
sister. There was no one else like her and I will miss her very much. I
hadn't seen Duchess in so many years, but then she surprised me at a
show in California last July. I'm so glad we had the chance to spend
some time together again before she left this Earth".
Bo Diddley would like to thank the MusiCares organization
for assisting him in handling the funeral arrangements for Duchess and
encourages all his fans to support their wonderful charity. The tragic
health and financial hardships faced by too many members of the music
profession prompted the Recording Academy's establishment of the
MusiCares Foundation in 1989. For more information about the MusiCares
Foundation, please visit their webpage located at
http://www.grammy.com/musicares
Born Norma-Jean Wofford in Pittsburgh, PA, Bo Diddley taught her to
play and how to emulate his sound on the electric guitar. Contrary to
speculation during the time that she was a member of his band,
Norma-Jean and Bo Diddley were not related.
Given the stage name Duchess by Bo Diddley, she joined his band on
electric guitar and vocals just prior to the recording of the "Bo
Diddley & Company" LP in 1962 and appearing on the front cover of the
album sleeve.
The following year she played on the classic live "Bo Diddley's Beach
Party" LP, before undertaking Bo Diddley's debut UK tour in the fall of
1963, along with the Everly Brothers, Little Richard and the then
newly-formed Rolling Stones, followed by a second tour of the UK in the
fall of 1965.
Notable TV and movie appearances for Bo Diddley and Duchess included
the Clay Cole TV show and "The Big TNT Show" movie and two appearances
on the popular "Ready Steady Go!" UK TV music show.
Duchess was also immortalised in song at the time by Eric Burdon in the
Animals' recording "The Story of Bo Diddley":
He turned around to Duchess
And he said, "Hey Duchess...what do you think of these young guys
Doin' our material?"
She said, "I don't know. I only came across here
To see the Changin' of the Guards and all that jazz."
(Words and music: Eric Burdon/Ellas McDaniel)
This message from Norma-Jean's long-time friend Ritzy Lee of the
singing group The Del-Vikings:
"I am very saddened by this news, because in the 40 or more years that
I have known Norma-Jean, I have never seen or heard anything about her
or the life she lived that was not GOOD. She not only loved playing the
guitar, but loved as well the reception that she experienced from all
of the Bo Diddley fans around the world. And she expounded on that fact
many, many times to me during our various conversations over the years.
Norma-Jean Richardson was truly The Duchess of Rock and Roll".
David Blakey, Webmaster,
BO DIDDLEY-The Originator
http://members.tripod.com/~Originator_2/index.html
A Celebration of his unique contribution to Popular Music.
1955 to 2005 - Celebrating 50 Years In Music!
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