Mick Jagger has paid tribute to late rock 'n' roll pioneer Bo Diddley, hailing him as one of the leading influences on his band The Rolling Stones.

Legendary singer Diddley passed away at his home in Archer, Florida on Monday after a long battle with ill health, according to his spokeswoman Susan Clary.

Diddley was credited as a key figure in the transition from blues music to rock 'n' roll and influenced a host of legendary acts including Buddy Holly, Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix.

And Jagger, who covered the late singer's hits Mona and Crackin' Up with The Rolling Stones, remembers the star as a "generous" man who used his musical experience to offer advice to up-and-coming bands.

He says, "He was a wonderful, original musician who was an enormous force in music and was a big influence on The Rolling Stones. He was very generous to us in our early years and we learned a lot from him."

Jagger also praises the late star as a one-off musician, adding, "We will never see his like again."

Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant also paid a fitting tribute to the legend, saying the singer's "voice and relentless, glorious anthems echo down through my years".

Diddley - born Ellas Bates - suffered a series of health worries before his death earlier this week; he had a heart attack last August, just three months before being struck down with a stroke while touring in Iowa.

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(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)