Jimi Hendrix: Life and Legacy Though Hendrix’s music career, along with his life was short lived, his legacy of being one of the greatest, if not the greatest guitar players of all time lives on along with his music. Jimi was born in Seattle, Washington on November 27, 1942. His parents were Lucile and Al Hendrix. He was born Johnny Allen Hendrix, but his father changed his name to James Marshall for unknown reasons. (Biography.com, n.d.) Jimi showed an interest in music from a young age, and his brother recounts a story of when they were both young and Jimi took apart the family radio, when asked why he said he was trying to find the music inside. (Hendrix, n.d.) As a matter of fact, his father noticed his interest in …show more content…
Hendrix’s playing impressed Chandler and in 1966 Chandler made a deal with him and sent him to London to form The Jimi Hendrix Experience. (Rollingstone.com, n.d.) The Jimi Hendrix experience almost immediately gained fame in the UK, and in 1967 they released their very first single “Hey Joe” which was an instant hit and ranked number 6 on the UK charts. Soon after, the band released their debut album “Are You Experienced?” which gained them even more fame. (pbs.org, n.d.)While Hendrix was extremely successful in UK he didn’t make a splash in the US until 1967 when he played at the Monterey Pop Festival, which ended in Jimi Hendrix setting his guitar on fire, an iconic incident that is still talked about …show more content…
(Rollingstone.com, n.d.) However this did not discourage Jimi as he headlined the Woodstock Festival in august of 1969 where he debuted his guitar version of Star Spangled Banner, this was one of the best demonstrations of his talent as a musician. (Biography.com, n.d.) That same year Hendrix started another band, named Band of Gypsys, with his old army buddy, Billy Cox. However this band did not really take off like Hendrix’s last band, and they only produced one album. (Rollingstone.com, n.d.) On September 18, 1970 Jimi Hendrix died from drug related complications at the age of only 27. (Biography.com, n.d.) Jimi Hendrix was a very talented and gifted musician who was in it not for the fame but for the passion of music, he has influenced countless musicians and left a mark on rock history that will never be