I was driving today and was listening to Jimi Hendrix, on Sirus Satellite Radio. It amazes me how so many years later, this guitarist is still inspiring people to pickup a guitar and learn how to play it. His music is still relevant today, as it was back then, when it was being recorded by Eddie Kramer.
His legendary sound was created by pumping his amazing talent through a Fender Strat, Wa Wa Pedal, Fuzz Face Overdrive and into stacks for Marshall amplifiers. Many believe it was Hendrix who made those guitars and amplifiers as famous as they are.
So, I decided to spend a little time reflecting on one of the greatest guitarists the world will ever know.
Jimi Hendrix was born on November 27, 1942 in Seattle, Washington. Jimi didn’t have an easy childhood. Hiis parents divorced when he was 9 years old. In 1958, his mother died at which point he then stayed with his grandmother. Hendrix didn't graduate high school due to poor grades and frequent absences.
Jimi joined the army, because of getting into trouble with the law. Instead of spending two years in prison, he was given a choice to join the army. He was released from the military due to an injury.
As a child, Jimi started his interest in guitar. As many children do, he would use the broom and pretend it was his guitar. His father, Al, then found a one string ukulele and gave it to his son. In 1958, Al bought a five-dollar second hand acoustic guitar for Jimi. And that was the beginning of his career. It is an important fact that the man who would be thought of as a guitar God was entirely self taught.
He joined his first band, the Velvetones, which he was a member for only three months. The next summer, his father bought him his first electric guitar. After his release from the army, Jimi and army friend Billy Cox formed a band called The King Casuals. By 1964, when he moved to New York, he had played behind Sam Cooke, B.B. King, Little Richard, Jackie Wilson, Ike and Tina Turner, and Wilson Pickett. In New York he played the club circuit with King Curtis, the Isley Brothers, John Paul Hammond, and Curtis Knight. In 1965 Hendrix formed his own band, Jimmy James and the Blue Flames, to play Greenwich Village coffeehouses. Chas Chandler of the Animals took him to London in the autumn of 1966 and arranged for the creation of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, with Englishmen Noel Redding on bass and Mitch Mitchell on drums.
The Jimi Hendrix era began. His first single "Hey Joe" was so successful it was on the charts for ten weeks then was followed by an album called "Are You Experienced". The album was followed by "Axis: Bold as Love". In 1969, Redding left the group. Mitchell stayed for awhile but also left on August of the same year. Later that year Hendrix formed the Band of Gypsys, again with army friend Billy Cox and Buddy Miles. In 1970, he brought back Mitch Mitchell and together with Billy Cox, once again, The Jimi Hendrix Experience was formed. The group then, started recording several tracks but was unable to finish it due to his hectic schedule of tour.
On September 18, 1970, Hendrix was found dead in the basement flat of the Samarkand Hotel at 22 Lansdowne Crescent in London. It was not clear what the real cause of his death was.
Jimi Hedrix was ranked as number one by Rolling Stone. And because of his unique style, the combination of blues, jazz, fuzz and pioneered the technique of guitar feedback with overdriven amplifiers, Hendrix, no doubt, has been one of the most influential guitarists of all time.
