Jimi Hendrix - Born 11/27/42 - Deceased 9/18/70
I've blogged about my love for '70s funk bands and their bass guitarists for a few years. The other type of guitarist I like are terrific rock guitarists.
Eric Clapton. Jimmy Page. Jeff Beck. Carlos Santana. Joe Perry. Duane Allman. Ernie Isley. Yes, Prince. Oh, the list goes on and on. I know I've left out a ton. But the one I listen to, to this day is Jimi Hendrix.
My youngest uncle who lived in the family home while going to college, introduced me to the music of this master. I recall being 8 years old, sitting on uncle's bedroom floor and listening to the needle drop on vinyl and commence to play Purple Haze, The Wind Cries Mary and Foxy Lady. And my personal favorite: All Along the Watchtower. I was transfixed. My initiation into "The Experience" had begun. Uncle graduated and eventually moved away but Jimi's talent lingered.
Hendrix's style was unique to say the least. I like that reverberating sound he got from playing directly in front of the speakers. His breakout, breakthrough came at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival. He and his group were the talk of the event. At Woodstock, he stole the show with his rendition of the Star Spangled Banner. Dying young like Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison was part of his continued mystique.
Hendrix was celebrated in a rather overlooked film in 2013: Jimi: All Is By My Side. It didn't do well due to not being able to acquire the rights to his music. Bummer because singer Andre 3000 of Outkast was STUPENDOUS as Jimi. Andre caught the essence of the guitarist. It's a shame the film bombed. It would have released Andre into acting more and boosted Hendrix even more. But thems the breaks.
Today is the anniversary of Jimi's death. This day in 1970, he passed. Go listen to some of his music to honor a riveting talent. .
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimi_Hendrix
All Along the Watchtower: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLV4_xaYynY
https://blackamericaweb.com/2017/09/18/little-known-black-history-fact-jimi-hendrix/
info courtesy of blackamericaweb
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