Jimi Hendrix was born Johnny Allen Hendrix on November 27, 1942. On September 11,1946, James Marshall Hendrix became Jimi's official name. Jimi was discovered by Chas Chandler, bass player for The Animals. Chas became Jimi's manager, and shortly thereafter Jimi formed The Experience with Noel Redding on bass and Mitch Mitchell on drums. The group released their first single, Hey Joe, on December 13, 1966. In May of 1967, the group released their first album, Are you experienced?
A series of singles that
all gained top 10 rank, followed. 'Hey Joe', 'Purple Haze' and 'The Wind
Cries Mary ' made Jimi a star in England, setting the stage for his
Monterey appearance.
Jimi's
spectacular performance, which he ended by holding his burning guitar
above his head, at the Monterey Pop Festival, re-introduced him to a
wildly receptive American audience, and instantly made him an American
celebrity.
From then on his albums sold millions in America and his tours were sell-outs. That year, 1967, was his big year, with 4 singles and 2 albums in the British charts and two albums on the American charts.
However once established as an idol he was frustrated by blind audience reaction. He would smash his guitar to pieces because he felt he'd played so badly and find the crowd loving it all the more. His mood and sometimes violent temperament closed in on him with the loneliness of stardom and he became at times unapproachable to even his closest friends. During '68 he was jailed in Sweden for completely wrecking a hotel room but the records he produced during these years were decades ahead of his contemporary's work - 'Are You Experienced?' and 'Axis: Bold As Love' are still practically untouched by the passing of time.
In 1968 'Electric Ladyland', was released producing the hit 'All Along The Watchtower' and after his death 'Voodoo Chile' The album was not well received, but consists of four sides of simply amazing, technically brilliant guitar work and Jimi's startling, colorful, lyrics full of mystical imagery.
The Experience split up in 1969 and Jimi joined up with Billy Cox to play at Woodstock, where he played his politically tinted 'Star Spangled Banner' and one other tune before walking off the stage as it "wasn't coming together."
Jimi Hendrix died on September 18 1970.
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