Musician, singer Bo Diddley dead at 79

ARCHER, Fla., June 2 (UPI) -- U.S. rock 'n' roll icon Bo Diddley has died of heart failure at his home in Archer, Fla., a family spokeswoman said.

The famed guitarist and vocalist died Monday at the age of 79. He was surrounded by loved ones, a family representative told CNN.

The Mississippi native, who was born Ellas Bates McDaniel, was a contemporary of Chuck Berry, Fats Domino and Elvis Presley.

He was inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.

The Hall of Fame noted on its Web site: "Bo Diddley broke new ground in rock 'n' roll's formative years with his unique guitar work, indelible African rhythms, inventive songwriting and larger-than-life persona. He will forever be known for popularizing one of the foundational rhythms of rock 'n' roll: the Bo Diddley beat. He employed it in his namesake song, 'Bo Diddley,' as well as other primal rockers like 'Mona.'"

Diddley wrote numerous hit songs including "Who Do You Love?," "Road Runner," "Before You Accuse Me" and "I'm a Man."