Jimi Hendrix Biography, Photos and Posters

Jimi Hendrix

Biography

Born: November 27, 1942
City and Country of Origin: Seattle, Washington
Music Training: got his first guitaat 12;
Awards: 1992 The Jimi Hendrix Experience inducted into the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame;
Top Recordings: "Hey Joe," "Purple Haze," "The Wind Cries Mary," "All Along the Watchtower"
Jimi Hendrix biography: Jimi Hendrix was an American of mixed racial heritage, part African, European, Cherokee and Mexican. He spent much of his youth with his full blooded Chrokee grandmother. His mother died when he was 15. He was expelled from school at 16 for holding the hand of a white girl. He started playing with rock 'n roll bands as a teenager before enlisting in the army. He was discharged from the paratroopers after being injured after 14 months. Over the next 4 years he toured the country playing backup guitar with rock performers like Little Richard, Ike and Tina Turner, Wilson Pickett, and the Isley Brothers. He finally settled in New York's Greenwich Village where he recorded with the Isley Brothers. He performed at several Village clubs and after word of his enormous talent got around he was spotted, while performing at the Cafe Wha, by former Animal bassist Chas Chandler who persuaded Jimi to accompany him back to England. Up to this point as a guitarist Jimi had not made much progress in his professional career. He made the London club scene where groups like The Who, The Beatles and Cream with Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck stood on top of the guitar world. Among this crowd his talent was immediately appreciated and soon he was touring with the Jimi Hendrix Experience his new band. Several singles followed, all of which made the top 10 and made Jimi into a legend. He returned to the U. S. where his spectacular performance was the highlight of the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival. That year he had 4 singles and 2 albums on the British carts and 2 albums on the American charts. Hendrix did not take his success very well often times he would be so disappointed in his poor performance that he would smash his guitar in anger, something that the audiences would misinterpreted as part of his stage act and would go wild. He returned to the U. K. to appear at the Isle of Wight festival. Back in London he became more involved with drugs and wild sex. The last days of his life were filled with anger, frustration and confusion mostly concerning his career path. At the time he had been working on a new album First Ray of the New Rising Sun. Finally, after a night in the sack he took several Seconols, from his girl friend, to help him get to sleep. When she awoke she noticed vomit on his nose and when he did not respond to her attempts at awakening him she called for an ambulance. During the trip to the hospital Hendrix choked on his own vomit and was pronounced D.O.A. when they arrived at St. Mary Abbot's Hospital. He is best remembered for his unbelieveable showmanship and facility with the guitar, sometimes playing behind his back or with his teeth.
Died: September 18, 1970

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