Jimi Hendrix is thought of as one of the most influential and important musicians of his era. Said to have been the best electric guitar player of all time, his memory continues on through other musicians today. He won many awards in his short lifetime, and continues to win them posthumously.

Jimi Hendrix

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace."

Jimi Hendrix is thought of as one of the most influential and important musicians of his era. Said to have been the best electric guitar player of all time, his memory continues on through other musicians today. He won many awards in his short lifetime, and continues to win them posthumously.

Hardships

Hendrix was born in November of 1942. His mother gave him his original name, Johnny Allen Hendrix. His father was stationed 2000 miles away. Hendrix was cared for by family friends until his father returned. Upon his return his name was changed to James Marshall Hendrix in honor of his deceased uncle.

Two brothers and two sisters meant that Jimi Hendrix was lost in the shuffle. After WWII his father struggled to find a job. Three of his siblings were disabled, and later ended up being adopted by other families. At the age of 9 Jimi Hendrix's parents divorced and he was placed in the care of his grandmother shortly after when his mother died of cirrhosis of the liver.

First Guitar

Bruised from his difficult childhood, Jimi Hendrix was sensitive and shy. At 15 he was given a $5 acoustic guitar from a family friend. He taught himself to play. At 16 he purchased his first electric guitar, a white Supro Ozark. Not having an amplifier didn't stop him from learning. He looked to musical greats such as B.B King and Muddy Waters for inspiration.

Slow Start

His first gig was in the basement of a synagogue with an unnamed band. Between sets he was let go because of his wild playing and antics, the trademark he became known for. He later found a flashy band, the Velvetones, where he could play as he liked. He later ended up with another band, the Rocking Kings. The bass player, Billy Cox, became fast friends with Jimi Hendrix. They later started to call themselves The Casuals, then the King Kasuals after a move to Tennessee. Hendrix eventually became bored with the 'Chitlin Circuit' as he called it, and moved to New York. While in New York he found himself a part of the Isley Brothers backup band. When the first single didn't do well in 1964, he left and started to tour with Little Richard. During this time he had an appearance on Night Train. He ended up going back to the Isley Brothers after clashing with Little Richard.

Whirlwind

It wasn't long after this that Jimi Hendrix was all over the place. He released a single with Curtis Knight entitled How Would You Feel backed with Welcome Home. From there he signed a record contract with Ed Chalpin. He was only given 1% royalties.. Although he was still under contract, he did not stay long.

While performing with Curtis Knight he went on to record with King Curtis. He recorded the two part single Help Me (Get the Feeling). He also recorded with a saxophone player, Lonnie Youngblood. From there they recorded Go Go Shoes/Go Go Place as well as Soul Food (That's What I Like).

The Jimi Hendrix Experience

In 1966 Keith Richards and his then girlfriend Linda Keith became acquainted with Jimi Hendrix. They introduced him to Chas Chandler who took him to London, signed him and helped him to form a band. The Jimi Hendrix Experience was quickly formed and his career officially took off. Their first album, Are You Experienced produced three singles, Hey Joe, Stone Free and Purple Haze were all hits in the UK, as well as Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. America had still not become fans.

With the help of Paul McCartney they were able to get coverage by recommending them to Monterey International Pop Festival. It did not take long for him to become frustrated with the US media. They focused on his on stage antics and only his popular songs.

In 1967 the second album was released. Axis: Bold as Love was his first album with a stereo release. In 1968 the third album, Electric Ladyland was released. This was a double album and was the last album that was released by The Jimi Hendrix Experience. The very last concert by the Experience took place in June of 1969 at Denver's Mile High Stadium.

Woodstock

Because of bad weather and logistical problems, Jimi Hendrix was unable to come out until Monday morning. When they were introduced as The Jimi Hendrix Experience he quickly corrected it to Gypsy Sun and Rainbows, their new name. From there they played for two hours. The longest set he had ever played. Gypsy Sun and Rainbows did not last long and only had two other performances.

His last album, entitled Band of Gypsys was live and performed over two days with four concerts. He had produced the album himself. They then went on two tours and opened up Electric Lady Studios.

Passing

In September of 1970 Jimi Hendrix passed away. It was said that he had taken 9 very strong and potent sleeping pills. They belonged to his then girlfriend. The recommended dosage was half of a tablet. The reports state that he asphyxiated.

Since his passing, posthumous albums were released. These included Cry of Love, Rainbow Bridge, War Heroes and Loose Ends. These albums are just as popular with free mp3 downloads as the albums he released while alive.

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