Florida bid goodbye Saturday to legendary rock musician Bo Diddley with a funeral followed by a concert and a festival celebration.

According to the Gainesville Sun, the funeral for Diddley, whose real name was Ellas McDaniel took place in Gainesville, and included members of Diddley’s touring band, along with other guest musicians such as Eric Burdon of The Animals.

In the town of Archer, which was Diddley’s home for 20 years, the Yulee Diddley Days festival was renamed in the musician’s honour.

The funeral services, held by Pastor Willie King, were followed by a tribute concert featuring Diddley’s band and other musicians.

The rock and roll pioneer who changed the face of music and was an inspiration for many artists and bands such as the Rolling Stones, the Kinks, Jimi Hendrix, the Who, the Doors, Eric Clapton, Bruce Springsteen, U2, who covered several of his songs.

Diddley had been ill for many months and eventually died of heart failure at the age of 79 at his home in Archer, Florida.

“One of the founding fathers of rock ‘n’ roll has left the building he helped construct,” a statement from his management agency reverentially said.

In 1987, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and ten years later, he received a lifetime achievement award at the Grammy Awards.

He is survived by four children, fifteen grandchildren, fifteen great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren.