JACKSONVILLE, Florida (AP) — Bo Diddley, a founding father of rock 'n' roll whose distinctive "shave and a haircut, two bits" rhythm and innovative guitar effects inspired legions of other musicians, died Monday after months of ill health.

Diddley died of heart failure at his home in Archer, Florida, spokeswoman Susan Clary said. He had suffered a heart attack in August, three months after suffering a stroke while touring in Iowa.

Doctors said the stroke affected his ability to speak, and he had returned to Florida to continue rehabilitation.

The legendary singer and performer, known for his homemade square guitar, dark glasses and black hat, was an inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, had a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, and received a lifetime achievement award in 1999 at the Grammy Awards..

Diddley appreciated the honours he received, "but it didn't put no figures in my checkbook."

"If you ain't got no money, ain't nobody calls you honey," he quipped.

Other times, he gave somewhat differing stories on where he got the name. Some experts believe a possible source for the name is a one-string instrument used in traditional blues music called a diddley bow.

His first single, "Bo Diddley," introduced record buyers in 1955 to his signature rhythm: bomp ba-bomp bomp, bomp bomp, often summarised as "shave and a haircut, two bits."

The B side, "I'm a Man," with its slightly humorous take on macho pride, also became a rock standard. Howard Kramer, assistant curator of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, said in 2006 that Diddley's Chess recordings "stand among the best singular recordings of the 20th century."

Diddley's other major songs included, "Say Man," "You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover," "Shave and a Haircut", "Uncle John", "Who Do You Love?" and "The Mule".

Buddy Holly borrowed the bomp ba-bomp bomp, bomp bomp rhythm for his song "Not Fade Away". Diddley's influence was felt on both sides of the Atlantic.

The Rolling Stones' bluesy remake of that Holly song gave them their first chart single in the United States, in 1964. The following year, another British band, the Yardbirds, had a Top 20 hit in the US with their version of "I'm a Man". Diddley was also one of the pioneers of the electric guitar, adding reverb and tremelo effects. He even rigged some of his guitars himself.

Many other artists, copied aspects of Diddley's style. Growing up, Diddley said he had no musical idols, and he was not entirely pleased that others drew on his innovations.

Diddley, like other artists of his generations, was paid a flat fee for his recordings and said he received no royalty payments on record sales. He also said he was never paid for many of his performances. He often said: "A dude with a pencil is worse than a cat with a machine gun."

Diddley won attention from a new generation in the 80s with an unforgettable appearance in the Dan Ackroyd and Eddie Murphy buddy pic, "Trading Places" where he played a tough, grizzled and uncompromising pawn broker.

He also took part in the "Bo Knows" ad campaign for Nike in 1989, built around football and baseball star Bo Jackson. Commenting on Jackson's guitar skills, Diddley turned to the camera and deadpanned: "He don't know Diddley!"

"I never could figure out what it had to do with shoes, but it worked," Diddley said. "I got into a lot of new front rooms on the tube."

Born as Ellas Bates on December 30, 1928, in McComb, Mississippi, Diddley was later adopted by his mother's cousin and took on the name Ellis McDaniel, which his wife always called him.