James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942… Read Full Bio ↴James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942 – September 18, 1970) was an American rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most influential electric guitarists in the history of popular music, and one of the most celebrated musicians of the 20th century. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame describes him as "arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music".
Born in Seattle, Washington, Hendrix began playing guitar at the age of 15. In 1961, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and trained as a paratrooper in the 101st Airborne Division; he was granted an honorable discharge the following year. Soon afterward, he moved to Clarksville, Tennessee, and began playing gigs on the Chitlin' Circuit, earning a place in the Isley Brothers' backing band and later with Little Richard, with whom he continued to work through mid-1965. He then played with Curtis Knight and the Squires before moving to England in late 1966 after being discovered by Linda Keith, who in turn interested bassist Chas Chandler of the Animals in becoming his first manager. Within months, Hendrix had earned three UK top ten hits with the Jimi Hendrix Experience: "Hey Joe", "Purple Haze", and "The Wind Cries Mary". He achieved fame in the U.S. after his performance at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, and in 1968 his third and final studio album, Electric Ladyland, reached number one in the U.S.; it was Hendrix's most commercially successful release and his first and only number one album. The world's highest-paid performer, he headlined the Woodstock Festival in 1969 and the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970, before his accidental death from barbiturate-related asphyxia on September 18, 1970, at the age of 27.
Hendrix was inspired musically by American rock and roll and electric blues. He favored overdriven amplifiers with high volume and gain, and was instrumental in utilizing the previously undesirable sounds caused by guitar amplifier feedback. He helped to popularize the use of a wah-wah pedal in mainstream rock, and was the first artist to use stereophonic phasing effects in music recordings. Holly George-Warren of Rolling Stone commented: "Hendrix pioneered the use of the instrument as an electronic sound source. Players before him had experimented with feedback and distortion, but Hendrix turned those effects and others into a controlled, fluid vocabulary every bit as personal as the blues with which he began."
Hendrix was the recipient of several music awards during his lifetime and posthumously. In 1967, readers of Melody Maker voted him the Pop Musician of the Year, and in 1968, Rolling Stone declared him the Performer of the Year. Disc and Music Echo honored him with the World Top Musician of 1969 and in 1970, Guitar Player named him the Rock Guitarist of the Year. The Jimi Hendrix Experience was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005. Rolling Stone ranked the band's three studio albums, Are You Experienced, Axis: Bold as Love, and Electric Ladyland, among the 100 greatest albums of all time, and they ranked Hendrix as the greatest guitarist and the sixth greatest artist of all time.
Born in Seattle, Washington, Hendrix began playing guitar at the age of 15. In 1961, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and trained as a paratrooper in the 101st Airborne Division; he was granted an honorable discharge the following year. Soon afterward, he moved to Clarksville, Tennessee, and began playing gigs on the Chitlin' Circuit, earning a place in the Isley Brothers' backing band and later with Little Richard, with whom he continued to work through mid-1965. He then played with Curtis Knight and the Squires before moving to England in late 1966 after being discovered by Linda Keith, who in turn interested bassist Chas Chandler of the Animals in becoming his first manager. Within months, Hendrix had earned three UK top ten hits with the Jimi Hendrix Experience: "Hey Joe", "Purple Haze", and "The Wind Cries Mary". He achieved fame in the U.S. after his performance at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, and in 1968 his third and final studio album, Electric Ladyland, reached number one in the U.S.; it was Hendrix's most commercially successful release and his first and only number one album. The world's highest-paid performer, he headlined the Woodstock Festival in 1969 and the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970, before his accidental death from barbiturate-related asphyxia on September 18, 1970, at the age of 27.
Hendrix was inspired musically by American rock and roll and electric blues. He favored overdriven amplifiers with high volume and gain, and was instrumental in utilizing the previously undesirable sounds caused by guitar amplifier feedback. He helped to popularize the use of a wah-wah pedal in mainstream rock, and was the first artist to use stereophonic phasing effects in music recordings. Holly George-Warren of Rolling Stone commented: "Hendrix pioneered the use of the instrument as an electronic sound source. Players before him had experimented with feedback and distortion, but Hendrix turned those effects and others into a controlled, fluid vocabulary every bit as personal as the blues with which he began."
Hendrix was the recipient of several music awards during his lifetime and posthumously. In 1967, readers of Melody Maker voted him the Pop Musician of the Year, and in 1968, Rolling Stone declared him the Performer of the Year. Disc and Music Echo honored him with the World Top Musician of 1969 and in 1970, Guitar Player named him the Rock Guitarist of the Year. The Jimi Hendrix Experience was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005. Rolling Stone ranked the band's three studio albums, Are You Experienced, Axis: Bold as Love, and Electric Ladyland, among the 100 greatest albums of all time, and they ranked Hendrix as the greatest guitarist and the sixth greatest artist of all time.
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Experience Hendrix Box Set
Jimi Hendrix Lyrics
All Along the Watchtower There must be some kind of way outta here Said the…
Astro Man Here I come to save the day A little boy inside…
Blue Suede Shoes Well, it's one for the money, Two for the show, Three to…
Bold As Love Anger, he smiles, Towering in shiny metallic purple armour Q…
Burning of the Midnight Lamp The morning is dead And the day is, too There's nothing left…
Catfish Blues Well I wish I was a catfish, Swimming in, lord, the…
Cherokee Mist (Instrumental)…
Come Down Hard on Me Come on down hard on me baby Come on down hard…
Earth Blues Well I see hands, and I've seen tear-stained faces Reaching …
Ezy Ryder There goes ezy, ezy ryder Riding down the highway of desire …
Fire Alright, Now dig this, baby You don't care for me I don'-a …
Foxy Lady Foxey, foxey You know you're a cute little heart breaker, ha…
Freedom You got my pride Hanging out of my bed You're messin' with…
Gloria Well, I saw her...she was walkin' down the street She was…
Gypsy Eyes Well I realize I've been hypnotized I love your gypsy eyes I…
Hear My Train a Comin' Hear my train a comin' Hey Wait around the train station Wa…
Hey Joe Hey Joe, where you goin' with that gun of your…
Highway Chile Yeah His guitar swung across his back His dusty boots and it…
I Don't Live Today Will I live tomorrow? Well I just can't say Will I live…
If 6 Was 9 Yeah, sing the song, Bro If the sun refuse to shine I…
In From The Storm Well I, just came back today I just came back from…
It's Too Bad It's too bad That my brother can't be here today It's too…
Izabella Hey Izabella Girl, I'm holding you in my dreams every night …
Johnny B. Goode Way down Louisiana close to New Orleans, Way back up in…
Killing Floor I should of quit you A long time ago I should of…
Like A Rolling Stone Once upon a time you dressed so fine Threw the bums…
Little Miss Lover Little miss lover, Where have you been in this world for…
Little Wing Well she's walking through the clouds With a circus mind Tha…
Lover Man Here he comes, I say Here comes your lover now Here he…
Message To Love (Yeah) well, I travel at the speed of a reborn…
Night Bird Flying She's just a night bird flyin' through the night Fly on She'…
Purple Haze Purple haze, all in my brain Lately things they don't seem…
Red House Ah yeah! There's a red house over yonder, That's where my ba…
Rock Me Baby Rock me baby, rock me all night long Rock me baby,…
Room Full Of Mirrors I used to live in a room full of mirrors All…
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band We're Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band We hope you have…
Somewhere Oh uh I see fingers, hands and shades of faces Reachin' up…
Spanish Castle Magic It's very far away It takes about a half a day…
Star Spangled Banner [Instrumental Track]…
Stone Free Everyday in the week I'm in a different city If I…
Taking Care of No Business (mumbling) Get out you bum, we don't want you here anymore! …
The Wind Cries Mary After all the jacks are in their boxes And the clowns…
Third Stone From The Sun Strange beautiful grass of green, With your majestic silver …
Voodoo Child (Slight Return) Well, I stand up next to a mountain And I chop…
Devin Kennedy
on Spanish Castle Magic (alternate take)
Is this really the alternete take