I like all sorts of music, so the best way to simplify this page is to make it all about the best musician ever: Jimi Hendrix.
Photo taken by Jim Marshall, appeared in Guitar Heroes in 3.92
It's almost impossible to separate the private and professional life of one of the most innovative guitarists that ever was-his guitar was his livelihood and soul. Called the "Voodoo King of electric guitar," Hendrix's visionary style revolutionized the music of the time, (Carey).
He was born on November 27, 1942 in Seattle, Washington to Lucille Hendrix. She named him John Allen Hendrix. When Al Hendrix returned home from the army, he renamed his son James Marshall Hendrix. Lucille died of pneumonia when Jimi was six and his younger brother, Leon, was one. Although Jimi had always been shy, introverted, and quiet, he withdrew even more during this time of his life. His neighbors called him "the little old man". Hendrix attributed his personality in early childhood to his father's strict, religious ways. Hendrix had athletic and artistic talents in addition being musically inclined. He was ambidextrous and could play the guitar with both hands and later played a right-handed guitar upside down with his left hand, (Carey).
Although he collected straight A's and B's in high school, he was expelled in his third year of Garfield High School in Seattle for holding hands with a white girl during class. His teacher asked him what he meant, treating a white woman like that Hendrix responded, "What are you, jealous?" A few days later, he was excused for "habitual tardiness and excessive numbers of illegal absences," (Carey).
After being expelled, Hendrix joined the army as a paratrooper, but on his 26th jump, he broke his ankle and was discharged. It was in the army where he met Billy Cox, who would later join Hendrix in the Band of Gypsies, (Carey).
After being discharged from the army, he began travelling with an R&B band, and musicians such as Little Richard, Ike and Tina Turner and the Isley Brothers. On September 24, 1966 Chas Chander, the bassist for the Animals, took Hendrix to London to start his career. When he arrived, he called his father and said, "It's me, dad. I'm in England. I've met some people and they're going to make me a big star. We changed my name to J-I-M-I." Along with bassist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell, the group, The Experience, was formed, (McDermott.)
Hendrix became a successful musician in Europe before the U.S with the release of "Hey Joe". His music was mainly influenced by the blues, he said, but he played them in such a different style, it was too dificult to characterize.
The Monterey Pop Festival was The Experience's first American concert. Hendrix's stage antics he began in Europe included "making love" to his guitar, (which he called his electric lady), smashing it and then burning it to "send it to heaven". These antics made The Experience a huge hit at the festival. After the concert, his manager put him on tour with the Monkees, an unfortunate move. The Monkees fans were not impressed with the flamboyant style of The Experience. After they were pulled from the tour, Hendrix tried to make it light by saying they were replaced by Mickey Mouse, (Carey).
Hendrix was one of the most reclusive musicians of his era, he's been described in contrasting terms. He was heavily into drugs; it was only a passtime. He wasn't sensitive to what other people thought of him; he cared a lot. Some who knew him agreed said he was a quiet, distrustful, introverted, sensitive man with deep thoughts and feelings, who cried easily. He spoke in riddles, was moody and believed he was posessed. He spent money as fast as it came and lived dangerously. He detested confrontations and was very spiritual and interested in Cherokee culture. He was rarely satisfied in the studio. He once said, "Handel and Bach and Muddy Waters, flamenco type of thing- if I could get that sound, I'd be happy," (Guitar Heroes).
On September 18. 1970, James Marshall Hendrix was pronounced dead at St. Mary's Abbot Hospital in Kensington, England. His official cause of death was "inhalation of vomit due to barbiturate intoxication," (Guitar Heroes). He choked on his vomit after taking six sleeping pills. There were questions about suicide, since he forwarned his death in lyrics like "If I don't see you no more in this world, I'll meet you in the next one, don't be late," (Voodoo Child slight return). This theory has been ridiculed by those closest to Hendrix, who say he was in a transition phase of his life, enjoying a heightened spirituality.
Jimi Hendrix left a legacy of music for generations to come. His influence transcends musical genre. He was ahead of his time and once sang, "I have lived here before in this world," (Up From the Skies). His music will always live on.
"It's funny the way most people love the dead. Once you have died, you are made for life. You have to die before they think you are worth anything. And I tell you, when I die, I'm going to have a jam session. (I'll) have them playing everything I did musically, everything I enjoyed most. The music will be played loud and it will be our music. I won't have any Beattle's songs, but I'll have a few of Eddie Cochran's things and a whole lot of blues. Roland Kirk will be there and I'll try to get Miles Davis along if he feels like making it. For that, it's almost worth dying, just for the funeral."-Jimi Hendrix, (McDermott)
All information in this paper is from:
Carey, Gary. 1975. Lenny, Janis & Jimi. New York Pocket Books.
McDermott, John, Eddie Kramer. 1992. Hendrix: Setting the Record Straight. New York Warner Bros.
Menn, Don. 3.92. Guitar Heroes: Jimi Hendrix. Guitar Player magazine, vol. 1.
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