On November 27, 1942 a boy was born in Seattle, WA. His given name was Johnny Allen Hendrix. On September 11, 1946 his name was changed by his father, to James Marshall Hendrix. Nobody knew at the time that he would become one of the greatest guitar players of all time.
I remember browsing
through the record store one day and coming upon the strangest album cover
I had ever seen.
It was an album called Are You Experienced by a group called the Jimi Hendrix Experience. I had to take this home. Who was this guy? What kind of music was this? I bought the album that day, took it home and put it on my record player. Wow!! I had never heard anyone play a guitar like that in my life. I couldn't believe the sounds coming out of my speakers. Space ships, water falls, war, this was amazing!!Learning more about Jimi, I learned that he had played with Little Richard, The Isley Brothers and King Curtiss. He had been around. One time he was playing at a club in New York and the Animals bass player Chas Chandler seen his show. Chas asked him to come to England with him and put together a band. They held auditions for a bass player and drummer. When they had picked out Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell, then the Experience was complete.
I continued buying his records, even though my father wanted to kill me.....haha! Today I am busy collecting every Hendrix album I can on CD. Man I wish we would have had CD's in those days.
On September 18, 1970, in London, England, Jimi Hendrix was pronounced dead from a drug overdose and asphyxiation. What a loss. It was a very sad day for a lot of us. He was only 27 years old. Many people have discussed for years what Jimi might be doing now if he were still alive. Whatever it is, it would have to be great!
I've put a couple of links below to other Hendrix sites. I hope you enjoy them. There have been a lot of great guitar players arrive on the scene, but to me Jimi will always be number one.
Play on Brother!
Experience Hendrix
Interactive
Univibes... (an excellent site!)
