Jimi Hendrix (Experience)

Jimi Hendrix, born in Seattle, was one of the greatest and most influential guitar players of all time.  He was left-handed and played a right handed Fender Strat that was re-strung.  The Strat was not built to be re-stung, giving Jimi a unique sound with his guitar. Jimi was born with the name Johnny Hendrix, and once his father returned from the Army changed it to James Hendrix, which as we all know he would go by Jimi.  His mother died when he was 15, which is around the time he began to play the guitar.  He was a fan of Rock n Roll and the Blues.  He got into some trouble as a child and to avoid a jail sentence he joined the Army.  Jimi didn't last long, but he did meet long time friend Billy Cox and they formed a band together called The King Kasulas.  His band didn't really take off and he came a member of back up bands for popular R&B groups such as The Isley Brothers and Little Richard.  He became slightly popular in the mid 60's from performing in his backup bands, and his new band Jimmy James and The Blue Flames.  In 1966 Hendrix packed his bags and headed out for England, where he would become a huge star.  Once in England, Hendrix and his manager held auditions for a new band.  Noel Reeding earned the spot for bass.  He never played bass before, but Hendrix liked his style.  The other member that made the cut was local drummer Mitch Mitchell.  With these two men backing up Jimi, the Jimi Hendrix Experience was born.  They were loud,  wore psychedelic clothes and along with another power trio, Cream, were one the most popular acts in London.  Jimi was amazing on guitar, playing both rhythm and lead using new techniques such as feedback and his wah-wah effect.  The band was not popular at all in the United States however, not unti the infamous Monterey International Pop Festival.  The only reason Hendrix was invited was because Paul McCartney, who was a fan of Hendrix recommend to book him for the show.  Jimi became popular over night, most notably by the his stage behavior, playing his guitar with his teeth, and setting his guitar on fire.  The band would release two more albums after this point and eventually broke up.  Reeding was the first one to go, he was frustrated with Jimi and was tired of playing Bass, and wanted to play electric guitar.  He recruited his old Army buddy to fill in at bass, and called the new band Gypsy Sun and Rainbows.  He hit his peak in the U.S. shortly after this with his new band name playing at the popular 1969 Woodstock Festival.  The band played a two hour set, with the most notable track being Hendrix playing The Star Spangled Banner. This band did not last much longer after Woodstock, and Jimi formed a new band named Band of Gypsys. During his final year he created a record studio, titled Electric Lady Studios, and would do one more tour.  Then on a mid September day, one of the many tragedies took place in Rock n Roll, Jimi Hendrix was found dead in a hotel room in London.  There is some controversy in which how he died, but the autopsy states that he drowned in his own vomit.  September 18, 1970, perhaps the greatest guitar player of all-time, Jimi Hendrix, had been pronounced dead.  Jimi only officially released three studio albums and a live album.  There have been plenty of compilation, demo, and bootleg recording of Jimi.  Most of these are out of print and hard to come by.  Hendrix defiantly has one of the biggest catalogs for only recording three studio albums.  Though he passed over thirty years ago, I can still hear Jimi, can you?

     Are you experienced  - 1967       Axis: Bold as love - 1967       Electric lady land - 1968

Band of Gypsys - 1970       Blues - 1994       The best of Jimi Hendrix - 1997

       BBC Sessions - 1998       Live at the Fillmore East - 1999       Live at Woodstock - 1999

  Blue wild angel - 2002       Live at Berkley - 2003       Live at Monterey - 2007

Ideal Compilation - SG

Scott's Music Library