Lady Bo - Mother of Rock N Roll

 

 

 

 

A brief history of Peggy Jones A.K.A Lady Bo

Written by

Fabi Reyna

 

Peggy Jones was born on July 19th, 1940 in New York City where she  grew up  and attended Manhattan’s High School for the Performing Arts. She trained in opera, tap dancing, and ballet. Her life and music took a new direction when she met Bo Diddley for the first time; Diddley was so shocked to see a young woman with a guitar that he initiated conversation, eventually inviting her to play with him in his dressing room after a show. Jones quickly became a session musician in Bo Diddley’s band before officially joining as a full time member. During this time, Diddley taught her how to play in his distinctive open tuning and she began to make bold use of effects which contributed greatly to her style. Jones and Diddley traded back and forth between rhythm and lead guitar so effortlessly that it often sounded like one player. Jones herself once said, “You couldn’t tell one guitar from the other unless you were there.” Together they created the sound that would define rhythm and blues guitar in the sixties. During her first stint with Diddley’s band she contributed guitar and vocals to recordings such as “Road Runner” and “Hey Bo Diddley.” She demonstrated her skill and animated style on the 1961 recording “Aztec,” which she played all of the guitars, but is often mistakenly attributed to Bo Diddley.

In addition to her work with Bo Diddley’s band, Jones had a rich solo career. She formed her own band, The Jewels (also known as The Family Jewel, Lady Bo and the Family Jewel, The Fabulous Jewels, Little Jewel and the Family Jewel, and Lady Bo and the BC Horns). Jones left Diddley’s band in 1961 to focus on her work with the Jewels which went on to become one of the most popular touring bands on the East Coast. During this time she also released singles with groups such as the Bop Chords and the Continentals and even briefly joined James Brown’s backing band. When Jones rejoined Bo Diddley in 1970 her entire band came with her and became his new backing band. At their first show back together the crowd was so excited to see them back on stage together that they chanted “Lady Bo”—thus creating Jones’s famous nickname.