The Facts About Jimi Hendrix

When trying to assemble a list of facts about Jimi Hendrix it becomes a chore to decide what can be left out. His short career was so packed with outrageous behavior, musical innovation and hot girlfriends, every moment was a milestone. So let us begin at the beginning. On November 7, 1942 Jimi Hendrix was born in Seattle. In 1957 Jimi bought a cheap acoustic guitar from a family friend and from then on spent all his time learning to play it. His favorite records were by B.B. King and Muddy Waters.

After a brief and undistinguished time in the army where he made friends with another musician named Billy Cox, Jimi moved to Clarksville, Tennessee where he formed a band. Right from the beginning the colorful Jimi Hendrix personality was seen by audiences with Hendrix learning to play the guitar with his teeth in imitation of other guitar players of that era. After having quite a hard time trying to make a living in New York, Jimi became part of the Isley Brothers band and began touring where he was eventually hired as a member of Little Richard's backing group.

Meanwhile Chas Chandler, the bassist with The Animals was looking to stop performing and become an entrepreneur. He had heard a song called "Hey Joe" and was determined to find an artist to record it. He listened to Jimi Hendrix play it and decided he had found his artist. Chandler helped Jimi move to London and found two English musicians, bass player Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell to form The Jimi Hendrix Experience. It was around this time that Jimi started to get noticed by famous British musicians like Cream, The Who, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.

"Hey Joe" became The Jimi Hendrix Experience's first single in 1966. They followed this with Hendrix compositions "Stone Free", "Purple Haze" and "The Wind Cries Mary". The irrepressible showman in Jimi Hendrix came out and set fire to his guitar during a stint as part of the farewell tour by The Walker Brothers in March 1967. In May the same year the Jimi Hendrix Experience released their first LP "Are You Experienced" which zoomed to the top of the charts but had to be content with number two spot behind The Beatles' "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band".

In June 1967 Jimi appeared at The Monterey Pop Festival to let loose for the first time on the music lovers of America. His over the top stage persona and flamboyant guitar style burned his image into the annals of hippiedom. The guitar-destroying hero had finally arrived. The next month Jimi met and fell in love with the wah-wah pedal when he saw Frank Zappa putting it through its paces.

Jimi Hendrix's second LP, "Axis Bold As Love" appeared in December 1967 and featured Jimi showing his dexterity with electronic musical effects including the wah-wah pedal. The next Jimi Hendrix LP, "Electric Ladyland" was released in 1968 and included "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" and a total revamp of a Bob Dylan song called "All Along The Watchtower". Due to the fact that Noel Redding was getting tired of playing bass Jimi handled much of the bass parts on the album himself.

Jimi headlined at the festival at Woodstock in 1969. His rendition of "Star Spangled Banner" finished two hours of technically uneven but inspired playing. In September, 1970 at the Isle Of Fehman Festival in Germany, Jimi Hendrix gave his final concert. Not long after, he appeared in a jam session at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club with Eric Burdon and his band, War.

On September 18, 1970, after drinking a copious amount of red wine and reportedly some sleeping pills, Jimi vomited during his sleep and choked. A true rock and roll death.

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