Jimi Hendrix

Artist Image: Jimi Hendrix
Attribution
Image Credit: A. Vente (67455081-15 pos.png Beeld en Geluidwiki - Gallery: Hoepla (cropped)), CC BY-SA 3.0 nl

Biography

James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942 – September 18, 1970) was an American musician, singer, and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most influential electric guitarists in the history of popular music, and one of the most celebrated musicians of the 20th century. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame describes him as "arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music". Born in Seattle, Washington, Hendrix began playing guitar at the age of 15. In 1961, he enlisted in the US Army; he was granted an honorable discharge the following year. Soon afterward, he moved to Clarksville, Tennessee, and began playing gigs on the chitlin' circuit, earning a place in the Isley Brothers' backing band and later with Little Richard, with whom he continued to work through mid-1965. He then played with Curtis Knight and the Squires before moving to England in late 1966 after being discovered by bassist Chas Chandler of the Animals. Within months, Hendrix had earned three UK top ten hits with the Jimi Hendrix Experience: "Hey Joe", "Purple Haze", and "The Wind Cries Mary". He achieved fame in the US after his performance at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, and in 1968 his third and final studio album, Electric Ladyland, reached number one in the US. The double LP was Hendrix's most commercially successful release and his first and only number one album. The world's highest-paid performer, he headlined the Woodstock Festival in 1969 and the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970 before his accidental death from barbiturate-related asphyxia on September 18, 1970, at the age of 27. Hendrix was inspired musically by American rock and roll and electric blues. He favored overdriven amplifiers with high volume and gain, and was instrumental in developing the previously undesirable technique of guitar amplifier feedback. He helped to popularize the use of a wah-wah pedal in mainstream rock, and was the first artist to use stereophonic phasing effects in music recordings. Holly George-Warren of Rolling Stone commented: "Hendrix pioneered the use of the instrument as an electronic sound source. Players before him had experimented with feedback and distortion, but Hendrix turned those effects and others into a controlled, fluid vocabulary every bit as personal as the blues with which he began." Hendrix was the recipient of several music awards during his lifetime and posthumously. In 1967, readers of Melody Maker voted him the Pop Musician of the Year and in 1968, Billboard named him the Artist of the Year and Rolling Stone declared him the Performer of the Year. Disc and Music Echo honored him with the World Top Musician of 1969 and in 1970, Guitar Player named him the Rock Guitarist of the Year. The Jimi Hendrix Experience was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005. Rolling Stone ranked the band's three studio albums, Are You Experienced, Axis: Bold as Love, and Electric Ladyland, among the 100 greatest albums of all time, and they ranked Hendrix as the greatest guitarist and the sixth greatest artist of all time.

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed 1966
Number of Albums 33
Record Label
Website www.jimihendrix.com
Wikipedia Jimi Hendrix on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Trivia

How long did Jimi Hendrix reign as a superstar?

fouryear

...In his brief fouryear reign as a superstar, Jimi Hendrix expanded the vocabulary of the electric rock guitar more than anyone before or since. Hendrix...
What did innovative amplification experiments produce?

astralquality feedback and roaring distortion

...h innovative amplification experiments that produced astralquality feedback and roaring distortion . When Hendrix became an international superstar in ...
When did Hendrix become an international superstar?

1967

...nd roaring distortion. When Hendrix became an international superstar in 1967 , it seemed as if he'd dropped out of a Martian spaceship, but in fact he...
Who did Hendrix work with as a backup guitarist in the early and mid '60s?

Little Richard, the Isley Brothers, and King Curtis

...nd mid'60s, he worked with such R&Bsoul greats as Little Richard, the Isley Brothers, and King Curtis as a backup guitarist. For the most part, his bo...
Who was straitjacketed by sideman roles that didn't allow him to develop as a soloist?

Hendrix

...st part, his bosses didn't appreciate his showstealing showmanship, and Hendrix was straitjacketed by sideman roles that didn't allow him to develop a...
Where did Hendrix go out on his own in the mid'60s?

New York

...The logical step was for Hendrix to go out on his own, which he did in New York in the mid'60s, playing with various musicians in local clubs, and joi...
Who spotted Hendrix in a New York club?

Chas Chandler

...t was in a New York club that Hendrix was spotted by Animals bassist Chas Chandler . The first lineup of the Animals was about to split, and Chandler, ...
What was the name of the group built around Jimi with Mitch Mitchell on drums and Noel Redding on bass?

Jimi Hendrix Experience

... Mitchell on drums and Noel Redding on bass that was dubbed the Jimi Hendrix Experience . The trio became stars with astonishing speed in the U.K., whe...
What was Jimi Hendrix's birth name?

Johnny Allen Hendrix

... to Miles Davis, and Steve Vai to Jonny Lang. Jimi Hendrix, born Johnny Allen Hendrix at 10:15 a.m. on November 27, 1942, at Seattles King County Hosp...
What was the name of Jimi's father?

James Al Hendrix

...g County Hospital, was later renamed James Marshall by his father, James Al Hendrix . Young Jimmy (as he was referred to at the time) took an interest ...
Where was he born in 1942?

Seattles King County Hospital

... Johnny Allen Hendrix at 10:15 a.m. on November 27, 1942, at Seattles King County Hospital , was later renamed James Marshall by his father, James Al H...
What was Jimmy's first band called?

The Velvetones

...had purchased Jimmy a fivedollar, secondhand acoustic guitar from one of his friends. Shortly thereafter, Jimmy joined his first band, The Velvetones ....
How long did Hendrix's active career as a featured artist last?

four years

...Though his active career as a featured artist lasted a mere four years , Hendrix altered the course of popular music and became one of the most success...
What instrument did Hendrix use to compose songs?

electric guitar

...dically redefined the expressive potential and sonic palette of the electric guitar , he was the composer of a classic repertoire of songs ranging from...
Who was the drummer of The Who?

Mitch Mitchell

...g alongside two British musicians, bassist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell , he stunned Londons clubland with his instrumental virtuosity and e...
Whose recommendation led to the flight of Hendreix to California?

Paul McCartneys

...immediate successor, Axis: Bold as Love, followed that December. On Paul McCartneys recommendation, Hendrix was flown to California for a scenestealin...
When did Hendrix return to the United States?

1968

...than a year after his departure. Relocating back to the United States in 1968 , he enjoyed further acclaim with the sprawling, panoramic double album E...
What was the name of the festival that he attended in California?

Monterey Pop Festival

...ix was flown to California for a scenestealing appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival , which rendered him a sensation in his homeland less than a yea...
How long after his departure did he become a sensation in his homeland?

less than a year

...terey Pop Festival, which rendered him a sensation in his homeland less than a year after his departure. Relocating back to the United States in 1968,...
What was the name of the album he released in 1968?

Electric Ladyland

...enjoyed further acclaim with the sprawling, panoramic double album Electric Ladyland , but the second half of his career proved frustrating. Legal comp...
Who was reluctant to allow him to progress beyond the musical blueprint of his earliest successes?

his audiences

...ding royalties, necessitating constant touring to pay his bills; and his audiences were reluctant to allow him to progress beyond the musical blueprin...
Where was Jimi Hendrix born?

Seattle

...Guitar legend Jimi Hendrix is born in Seattle . Hendrix grew up playing guitar, imitating blues greats like Muddy Waters as well as early rockers. He j...
In what year did he join the army?

1959

...greats like Muddy Waters as well as early rockers. He joined the army in 1959 and became a paratrooper but was honorably discharged in 1961 after an i...
When was he discharged from the Army?

1961

...he army in 1959 and became a paratrooper but was honorably discharged in 1961 after an injury that exempted him from duty in Vietnam. In the early 196...
What British group heard him play in New York?

the Animals

...ed in coffeehouses, where bassist Bryan Chandler of the British group the Animals heard him. Chandler arranged to manage Hendrix and brought him to Lo...
How did Hey Joe rank on the British pop charts?

6

...dding and drummer Mitch Mitchell. The bands first single, Hey Joe, hit No. 6 on the British pop charts, and the band became an instant sensation. In 1...
Who was Jimi Hendrix's father?

Al Hendrix

...llen Hendrix in Seattle, Washington, on November 27, 1942, the son of Al Hendrix and Lucille Jeter. His fathera gifted jazz dancer who worked at a num...
What kind of dancer did Jimi's dad perform?

jazz

...er 27, 1942, the son of Al Hendrix and Lucille Jeter. His fathera gifted jazz dancer who worked at a number of jobs, including landscape gardeningbore...
Who was Hendric's brother?

Leon

...eningbore much of the responsibility of raising the boy and his brother, Leon , as did their grandmother and various family friends. This was due to th...
In what year did Al and Lucille Hendrix divorce?

1951

...son's name to James Marshall Hendrix in 1946. Al and Lucille divorced in 1951 ; Al Hendrix won custody of his sons and exercised as much discipline as ...
Who was Jimi's mother?

Lucille Jeter

...Seattle, Washington, on November 27, 1942, the son of Al Hendrix and Lucille Jeter . His fathera gifted jazz dancer who worked at a number of jobs, inc...
How old was Jimi when he began to teach himself to play?

twelve

...drix wanted a guitar early on. At last Al got his son a guitar, and the twelve yearold Jimi began to teach himself to play. Jimi restrung the guitar up...
What instrument did Jimi Hendrix learn as a teenager?

guitar

...Jimi Hendrix learned to play guitar as a teenager and grew up to become a rock legend who excited audiences in the 1960s with his innovative electric ...
What was one of Jimi's most memorable performances at Woodstock in 1969?

The StarSpangled Banner

...rable performances was at Woodstock in 1969, where he performed The StarSpangled Banner . Hendrix died in 1970 from drugrelated complications, leaving ...
In what year did he die?

1970

...ock in 1969, where he performed The StarSpangled Banner. Hendrix died in 1970 from drugrelated complications, leaving his mark on the world of rock mu...
When was he born?

Seattle, Washington

...changed by his father to James Marshall) on November 27, 1942, in Seattle, Washington . He had a difficult childhood, sometimes living in the care of r...
When did his mother die?

1958

...seph. Hendrix would only see his mother sporadically before her death in 1958 . In many ways, music became a sanctuary for Hendrix. He was a fan of blu...
What was Jimi's real name?

James Marshall Hendrix

...n with his stage name. In 1946, his parents changed his name to James Marshall Hendrix as a tribute to his father Als late brother Leon Marshall. Famo...
In what year did his parents change his name to James Marshall?

1946

...ertainers, the Purple Haze songwriter wasnt born with his stage name. In 1946 , his parents changed his name to James Marshall Hendrix as a tribute to ...
Along with Little Richard, Little Richard and Curtis Knight, what famous musician played with him in Clarksville and Nashville?

The Isley Brothers

...amous musicians. In the early 1960s, while in Clarksville and Nashville, he played with legends The Isley Brothers , Little Richard, and Curtis Knight....
When was Jimi Hendrix born?

1942

...Jimi Hendrix ( 1942 1970) was a rock 'n' roll guitarist, singer, and songwriter known for his electric guitar skills and wild showmanship. His prolific ...
In what year did Hendrix perform at Woodstock Music Festival?

1969

...egendary performances took place on stage at Woodstock Music Festival in 1969 , where he debuted his electric rendition of The StarSpangled Banner. His...
How long did his career last?

four short years

...ctric rendition of The StarSpangled Banner. His career lasted only four short years . Hendrix died in 1970, but his status as a legendary rocker lives ...
Who inspired Hendrix to play the guitar?

Muddy Waters

...nd rock n roll records at an early age. Inspired by the blues artist Muddy Waters , Hendrix taught himself to play the guitar. He received his first el...
Who was Hendricix's first band?

Rocking Kings

...t of high school to focus on playing blues with his first group, the Rocking Kings . Military service: In 1961, Hendrix enlisted as a paratrooper in th...
In what army was he a paratrooper?

United States Army

...litary service: In 1961, Hendrix enlisted as a paratrooper in the United States Army where he formed a band called the King Kasuals with a few of his ...
What was the name of the festival that Hendreix headlined in 1969?

Woodstock

...a literal overnight sensation. In 1969 Hendrix headlined the legendary Woodstock festival. In 1970 the magnificent young musician died in his sleep. A...
Where did the couple settle in 1912?

Vancouver, B.C.,

...future bookings and disbanded. By 1912 the couple had settled into Vancouver, B.C., and the following year brought them their first child, Leon Marsha...
What was the name of the first child born to the couple?

Leon Marshall Hendrix

...er, B.C., and the following year brought them their first child, Leon Marshall Hendrix . Subsequent years brought additional offspring including James ...
Who developed a love of competitive dancing by the 1930s?

James Allen Hendrix

... Hendrix. Subsequent years brought additional offspring including James Allen Hendrix (19192002), who developed a love of competitive dancing by the 1...
Who describes him as arguably the greatest instrumentalist in rock music history?

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

...one of the most celebrated musicians of the 20th century. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame describes him as arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the...
When did he begin playing guitar?

15

.... Born in Seattle, Washington, Hendrix began playing guitar at the age of 15 . In 1961, he enlisted in the US Army, but was discharged the following ye...
What military service did Hendric join in 1961?

US Army

...drix began playing guitar at the age of 15. In 1961, he enlisted in the US Army , but was discharged the following year. He then played with Curtis Kni...
How many top ten hits did Jimi Hendreix have in the UK?

three

...ler of the Animals became his manager. Within months, Hendrix had earned three UK top ten hits with the Jimi Hendrix Experience: Hey Joe, Purple Haze,...
What was his cause of death?

barbiturate related asphyxia

...Festival in 1969 and the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970 before his accidental death in London from barbiturate related asphyxia on September 18, 1970....