Hendrix Jimi, born James Marshall Hendrix, *27 November 1942 Seattle (Washington), †18 September 1970 London, American rock guitarist, singer, composer, and songwriter. He taught himself to play the guitar by imitating legendary blues guitarists—E. James, Muddy Waters, and B.B. King. From 1961 to 1966, as a session musician, he collaborated with Little Richard, B.B. King, C. Knight, the Isley Brothers, and Ike and Tina Turner, among others. In 1966, he moved to England, where, together with D.N. Redding (bass guitar) and Joe Mitch Mitchell (drums), he formed the band The Jimi Hendrix Experience. His first singles – Hey Joe, Purple Haze – the album Are You Experienced?, and a series of enthusiastically received concerts in Europe and America (including a performance at the International Pop Festival in Monterey, Canada, in 1967) secured Hendrix a leading position in rock music. In 1969, after the band broke up, Hendrix experimented at the Electric Ladyland Studio he had founded in New York and performed occasionally (including at the 1969 Woodstock music festival, featuring his improvised rendition of the American national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner). In December 1969, together with Buddy Miles (drums) and Billy Cox (bass guitar), he formed the band Band of Gypsies. He died as a result of alcohol and sleeping pill abuse.
Hendrix recorded the following albums for Reprise Records Are You Experienced? (1967), Axis. Bold As Love (1967), Electric Ladyland (1969), and Cry of Love (1970), and for Capitol Records Band of Gypsies (1970). In addition to his original songs (among others Purple Haze, The Wind Cries Mary, Third Stone from the Sun, Foxy Lady, Voodoo Child, Up from the Skies, Castle Made of Sand, Little Wing), Hendrix also performed covers of other artists’ songs (e.g., Bob Dylan’s Like a Rolling Stone and All Along the Watchtower, or B.B. King’s Rock Me Baby). He was often criticised for his extravagant stage antics – crude gestures, acts of destruction during his performances (e.g., burning his guitar during the Monterey concert) – which went hand in hand with the innovative nature of his musical concept. His virtuoso, expressive guitar playing was characterized by unconventional ways of striking the strings, distorting sounds using electronic pickups, using feedback, and employing improvisation reminiscent of free jazz. Hendrix – one of the pioneers of modern rock – is also sometimes considered a forerunner of the jazz fusion style.
