Purple Haze Jimi Hendrix James Marshall Hendrix –B. 11/27/42 D. 9/18/70 One of the most influential electric guitarists of all time Left-handed, learned to play a right handed Fender Stratocaster strung upside-down –Taught himself to play listening to blues guitarists like Muddy Waters, T- Bone Walker, BB King and rock guitarists like Chuck Berry and Eddie Cochran Influenced nearly all rock guitarists that came after him

He unleashed noise w/ his classic, hard-rock riffs (Purple Haze, Foxy Lady, Crosstown Traffic) created tender ballads (The Wind Cries Mary, Little Wing, Angel) and haunting blues recordings (Red House & Voodoo Chile) His musical vision had a profound effect on all rock performances after him –Theatric performing style, playing the guitar behind his back or picking w/ his teeth Even unlikely pop stars like Michael Jackson or Prince tried to emulate his stlye

1959 – enlisted in the US Army –Discharged in 1961 after injuring himself during parachuting 1964 – moved to New York and worked as a pick-up guitarist –Worked as back up for Sam Cooke, BB King, Jackie Wilson, Ike & Tina Turner and Little Richard 1965 – after being let go by Little Richard (supposedly for getting too much attention) Hendrix formed his own band: Jimmy James and the Blue Flames –Soon discovered by Chas Chandler of The Animals, when the band stopped in NY 1966 – Chandler takes Hendrix to London & helped him set up The Jimi Hendrix Experience –Noel Redding would play bass and Mitch Mitchell played drums

Are You Experienced? Early 1967 – the band releases its first single, Hey Joe (#6 UK, 1967) It was followed shortly by Purple Haze and the 2x platinum debut album Are You Experienced –Other songs from the album: The Wind Cries Mary, Fire, Foxy Lady & Are You Experienced? Hendrix fast became the rage of the London rock scene, even surpassing Eric Clapton in popularity –Even so, he still hadn’t had a record released in the US June 1967 – Paul McCartney convinces Hendrix to play the Monterey Pop Festival –Historic show where he set his guitar on fire

U.S. Emergence After Monterey, his fame spreads across the US quickly Next 2 albums are huge hits: Axis: Bold As Love (#3, 1968) & Electric Ladyland (#1, 1968) Early 1968 – renounced his lavish stage act and simply performs his music 1969 – Redding leaves the group to form a new group, Fat Matress Mitchell stays on w/ Hendrix but by August, The Experience is no more

Aug 1969 – Hendrix closes out Woodstock with a pick-up band –One of the most famous performances in history, but only 40,000 were in attendance by Sunday morning Aug the Isle of Wight festival 9/17/70 – found dead in his London apartment –Cause of death was inhalation of vomit following barbiturate (sleeping pill) intoxication –3 weeks later, Janis Joplin is found dead & 10 months later, Jim Morrison dies

1992 – inducted into the RRHoF 1992 – awarded Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award 1994 – awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame 2003 – Rolling Stone named him the “Greatest Guitarist of All Time” Guitar World magazine readers voted 6 of his solos in the Top 100 Guitar Solos of All Time (3 in Top 25) Vh1 named Hendrix #3 hard rock artist of all time, behind Black Sabbath & Led Zeppelin #6 on Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Artists in Rock and Roll