· This month brings a slightly leftfield addition to Ace’s songwriter series in the formidable form of the erstwhile Ellas McDaniel – former resident of of McComb, Mississippi and better known to his thousands of fans as the great Bo Diddley. · Although Bo’s far better known for his signature ‘shave and a haircut-six bits’ rhythm and 20 years of his own fabulous Checker albums and singles, he was also a songwriter of some distinction – not just for himself but also for others. “Bo Diddley Is A…Songwriter” brings together 24 titles from the E McDaniel catalogue, performed by a variety of acts that range from 50s rock’n’roll legends (Buddy Holly, the Everly Brothers, Ronnie Hawkins, Mickey & Sylvia) to 60s R&B and garage bands (the Animals, Johnny Kidd & the Pirates, Pretty Things) to later 70s and 80s cult heroes such as the New York Dolls and Los Lobos. Between them and their chosen repertoire, they show there was much more to Bo beyond those mesmerising guitar riffs and outof- this world rhythm patterns. · The CD also features a rare appearance from Iggy Pop’s first band – theIguanas – performing ‘(Mona) I Need You Baby’. · As with other volumes in this series, the repertoire is carefully chosen to reflect all aspects of Bo’s songwriting ability, from ballads (‘Dearest’, ‘I’m Sorry’) to blues (‘Before You Accuse Me’, ‘She’s Fine She’s Mine’) to pop (‘Love Is Strange’) to the shaveand- a-haircut shakers that he’s perhaps known for (‘Who Do You Love’, ‘Bo Diddley’ etc). · Copious track-by-track annotation, and the inevitable wealth of illustrations make this a must for everyone remotely interested in the work of one of the true legends of the rock’n’roll era.