A rock 'n' roll goodbye for Bo Diddley

Honors

Bo Diddley's funeral in Gainesville, Fla., rocked and rolled Saturday with as much energy as his music. For four hours, friends and relatives sang, danced and celebrated the life of the man who helped give birth to rock and roll with a signature beat that influenced Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, the Rolling Stones and many others. As relatives passed by the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer's casket, a band played his namesake song. Within moments, the crowd of several hundred began clapping and shouting, "Hey, Bo Diddley!" Diddley, 79, was born Ellas Bates and became Ellas McDaniel when he took the last name of a cousin who raised him. He died Monday at his home in nearby Archer. The funeral was followed by a concert featuring his touring band and other musicians.

It's just business

Monkey god gets a job

He's a revered Hindu monkey god. And now, he's the chairman of an Indian business school. Hanuman, the popular god known for his strength and valor, has been named official chairman of the recently opened Sardar Bhagat Singh College of Technology and Management in northern India, a school official said Saturday. The position comes with an incense-filled office, a desk and a laptop computer. Four chairs will be placed facing the empty seat reserved for the chairman and all visitors must enter the office barefoot, said Vivek Kangdi, the school's vice chairman. "It is our belief that any job that has the blessings of Lord Hanuman is bound to be a success," Kangdi said.

Alabama sues drummer

The drummer for the country group Alabama has been sued by fellow band members, who said he was overpaid $202,670. The lawsuit filed May 9 in the Circuit Court of DeKalb County, Ala., claims that in 2003, Mark Herndon was paid for his share of net merchandise sales during the band's "American Farewell Tour" before a final accounting was done. The final accounting, the suit claims, found "there were no net merchandise revenues as defined by the contract." The four members of Alabama — Teddy Gentry, Randy Owen, Jeff Cook and Herndon — have not performed together live since the farewell tour.

People

Heche divorce is official

Anne Heche's five-year marriage to Coleman Laffoon is officially over, but not without a price. A judge ruled Heche, 39, must pay $275,000 to Laffoon, 34, along with monthly child-support payments of $3,700 for the care of their son, Homer, 6, according to court documents released Friday. Heche also will have to pay 75 percent of Homer's private-school tuition.

Huckabee to the rescue

Former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee put the squeeze on a politician at the North Carolina Republican Party convention in Greensboro, but in a good way. The former Arkansas governor performed the Heimlich maneuver on Robert Pittenger, GOP candidate for lieutenant governor, at a lunch Saturday. Pittenger said he was laughing when he choked on some food. "I stood up and the governor came over and did the Heimlich and got the relief," Pittenger said. Phone messages left for Huckabee were not immediately returned.

Today in History

632: The prophet Muhammad died in Medina.

1864: Abraham Lincoln was nominated for another term as president by the National Union (Republican) Party.

1915: Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan resigned in a disagreement with President Wilson over U.S. handling of the Lusitania sinking.

1953: The Supreme Court ruled that restaurants in the District of Columbia could not refuse to serve blacks.

1967: 34 U.S. servicemen were killed when Israeli forces raided the Liberty, a Navy ship stationed in the Mediterranean. (Israel called the attack a tragic mistake.)

Today's Birthdays

Actor-comedian Jerry Stiller, 81. Singer Nancy Sinatra, 68. "Dilbert" creator Scott Adams, 51. Actor-director Keenen Ivory Wayans, 50. Actress Julianna Margulies, 41. Actor Dan Futterman, 41. Rapper Kanye West, 31.

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