By: Brooke Johnpier
This is my last article for the semester (my first semester!).
James Marshall “Jimi” Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix, and then his parents changed his name to the former in honor of his ancestors) was an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Even though his mainstream career only spanned four years, he made an impact on the world, the rock and roll industry, and the art of the electric guitar. Hendrix is regarded as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has him listed as the greatest instrumentalist of all time.
Born on November 27, 1942, in Seattle, Washington, Hendrix started playing guitar at 15. He was inspired by rock and roll and the blues, and liked amplifiers that were too loud. He also liked to experiment with his music, by using electronics to create sounds that made him a pioneer in the field.
Common for the times, people who were troublemakers were given the choice by the police to join the armed services (mostly the Army) or go to jail. 99% of people chose the armed forces. Hendrix was one of these people, as he joined the army on May 31, 1961, instead of going to jail for riding in stolen cars. During his career in the army, he would complete his paratrooper training, earning him the Screaming Eagles patch, and an honorable discharge when his superiors noticed that he wasn’t interested in the military.
After leaving the army, Hendrix went to Tennessee, where he would start his first band. From there, people would notice Hendrix, and he would end up going on tour with multiple bands, the first being with the Isley Brothers. He grew sick of playing the same set every night, though, and quit the band.
Not long after, Hendrix would join Little Richard’s band, and would even go on to record a song with the singer. While on tour with Little Richard, he met singer Rosa Lee Brooks at a hotel. The two got to know each other, and that led to Hendrix playing on two of Brooks’ singles. Even though those singles didn’t do well, Hendrix remained friends with Brooks, and was always an avid supporter of her.
In July 1965, Hendrix made his first TV appearance on Nashville’s Channel 5, with Little Richard’s band. It’s the first known recording of Hendrix on live TV. Later that year, Hendrix and Little Richard would come to a head, clashing on outfits, showing up, and how Hendrix would perform on stage. The result was that Hendrix was kicked from the band.
After struggling to find himself, and doing small shows here and there, someone finally noticed Hendrix’s talents, and decided that it was time for him to have his own band that showcased his talents. This was when the Jimi Hendrix Experience came to light. During this time as well, Hendrix would meet Eric Clapton when he was with Cream, and Clapton saw him perform. Because of that, Clapton was never the same again.
The Jimi Hendrix Experience got their claim to fame in the UK, and then went touring all over Europe, having a residency in Munich, Germany. For the course of the next 3 years, the Jimi Hendrix Experience would become world renown, and of course, Jimi made his name known. So much so, that by 1969, he was the highest-paid rock musician.
1969 also held the infamous festival, Woodstock, of which Hendrix would perform at. His most notable performance at the festival was his rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner. On a personal level, I think that it’s one of the best performances of the national anthem ever, and Guitar World magazine agrees with me somewhat, naming it the best performance of all time.
Unfortunately, Hendrix was a chronic alcoholic and drug addict. Because of that, he sadly passed away on September 18, 1970. But that didn’t mean that his music was lost forever – quite the opposite, actually. After his death, his music gained popularity, and earned him numerous awards and titles posthumously.
Personally, my favorite Hendrix songs are “Purple Haze,” “Hey Joe,” “All Along The Watchtower,” “Voodoo Child,” “Foxy Lady,” and obviously “Star-Spangled Banner.”
If you haven’t listened to Hendrix yet, do so. He is definitely one of the most talented musicians to ever live, and I guarantee that you won’t regret turning him on.
Have a band/artist you want talked about? Email your suggestions to Brooke at johnpibl23@bonaventure.edu!
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