The Life of Jimi Hendrix

Birth Name:

Johnny Allen Hendrix

Date of Birth:

November 27, 1942

Seattle, Washington, USA

Date of Death:

September 18, 1970

London, England

Jimi Hendrix, the legendary American singer, songwriter, and guitarist, was born on November 27, 1942 in Seattle, Washington. Although given the name Johnny Allen Hendrix at birth, this was changed to James Marshall Hendrix when under the care of his father. From Washington state, to California, to British Columbia, Hendrix experienced many relocations during childhood. Hendrix grew up as a shy, sensitive boy, whom was deeply affected by the troubling family events of his childhood and by the conditions of poverty and neglect that he was raised in.

At the age 15, around the time his mother died, Hendrix obtained his first acoustic guitar from a friend of his father. In 1959, Hendrix's father bought him his first electric guitar, a white Supro Ozark. Hendrix learned to play by practicing constantly, watching others play, through tips from more experienced players, and by listening to records. Hendrix's influences included blues guitarists Muddy Waters, Albert King, Elmore James,and B.B. King, soul guitarists Curtis Mayfield and Steve Cropper, and the King of Rock 'n' Roll himself, Elvis Presley.

In 1966, Hendrix formed his band The Jimi Hendrix Experience with the help of manager Chas Chandler. The band consisted of Hendrix as guitarist and frontman, guitarist-turned-bassist Noel Redding, and drummer Mitch Mitchell. With the band, Hendrix recorded his three of his most successful albums, "Are You Experienced", "Axis: Bold as Love", and "Electric Ladyland". These albums included the famous songs 'Purple Haze', 'Foxy Lady', 'Fire', 'All Along the Watchtower' and 'Voodoo Chile'. By April of 1969, Hendrix had decided to break up the group after they fulfilled their existing engagements. Hendrix wetn on to experiment with a larger band lineup Gypsy Sun and Rainbows for his Woodstock concert in August 1969, but would revert back to the trio format with the Band of Gypsys. By 1970, Hendrix had disbanded the Band of Gypsys.

On September 18, 1970, Jimi Hendrix was found dead in the basement flat of the Samarkand Hotel at 22 Lansdowne Crescent in London, England. The cause of death according to the doctor that attended to him was asphyxiating (drowning) in his own vomit, which was almost entirely red wine. Hendrix died under circumstances which have never been fully explained.