Jimi Hendrix Biography, Videos & Pictures
Jimi Hendrix Facts
| Name: James “Jimi” Hendrix | Guitars: Fender |
| Born: November 27, 1942 | Amplifiers: |
| Origin: Seattle, Washington | |
| Bands: Rocking Kings, The King Kasuals, Isley Brothers, The Jimi Hendrix Experience | |
| Links: Official Website | |
James “Jimi” Hendrix was born on November 27, 1942, in Seattle, Washington. At the time of his birth his father was stationed in Oklahoma with the Army, and his mother named him Johnny Allen. When his father, James, returned from the army he renamed the child James Marshall Hendrix after himself and his deceased brother Leon Marhsall Hendrix. After WWII, Jimi’s father found it hard to find a steady job and the family experienced hard times.
Hendrix’s parents got a divorce when he was nine years old, and when he was about 15 years old his mother died. Around the same time, he got his first acoustic guitar and began learning by watching other musicians play and getting advice from more experienced players. When he was 16, Jimi’s father bought him his first electric guitar, a Supro Ozark. His first gig was in the basement of a synagogue, He was fired from the band after the show for his wild playing and stage antics. He later performed with the Rocking Kings, who were playing gigs in various area venues. His guitar was stolen after he left it backstage overnight and his father bought him his second electric guitar, a Silvertone Danelectro.
Hendrix did not finish high school. He claimed that he was expelled for holding hands with his white girlfriend, but the principal of Garfield High School claims that Jimi was expelled for academic and attendance reasons. Soon, Jimi found himself in trouble with the law for riding in a stolen car. He was given the option of serving two years in prison or enlisting in the Army. He chose to enlist and on May 21, 1961, signed up for service. Hendrix was a poor soldier and didn’t take his role very seriously. After only a year, his commanding officer recommended that he be released from his duty. Jimi took the opportunity to leave the Army, and didn’t speak of his time there very often afterwards.
After the Army, Hendrix and his army buddy Billy Cox moved to Clarksville, Tennessee and formed a band called The King Kasuals. Fellow King Kasuals guitarist Alphonso Young began playing with his teeth and, not to be upstaged Jimi followed suit. During his time in Tennessee he refined his teeth playing technique, saying “… the idea of doing that came to me in a town in Tennessee. Down there you have to play with your teeth or else you get shot. There’s a trail of broken teeth all over the stage…”. The band made a enough money to support themselves touring black oriented venues in the South, known as the Chitlin’ Circuit. This time in Hendrix’s life was important to his musical style, giving him a strong immersion in the blues culture of the circuit.
Hendrix grew tired of his experiences in the South and moved to New York City. In February of 1964 he won first prize in a talent contest at the Apollo Theater. The exposure that the contest gave him landed him a job playing guitar with the Isley Brothers on a nationwide tour. It was with the Isley brothers that he received his first studio recording credit. After leaving the Isley’s, Hendrix was hired next by Little Richard for his tour. Jimi was eventually fired from the band after clashing with Little Richard on a number of issues, most notably Jimi’s onstage theatrics.
In 1966, Hendrix was introduced to Chas Chandler, a former bassist with The Animals who was looking to begin a management career. Chas had a fascination with the song “Hey Joe” and was particularly taken by Hendrix’s version; he quickly signed Hendrix to a UK contract and helped him form a new band, The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Jimi’s accomplished playing and highly charged stage antics made him an instant topic of conversation in the London music scene and made fans of several established musicians, such as members of The Beatles and The Who.
The Jimi Hendrix experience was well received internationally and recorded three albums between 1967 and 1968, including the double album “Electric Ladyland”. During the recording of that album Chas Chandler became frustrated with Hendrix’s perfectionist attitude and all of the friends that he would allow to hang around the studio. Chandler was very business-like and decided that his attitudes didn’t mesh up with those of Hendrix; he officially ended his relationship with the band. “Electric Ladyland”, which was the band’s final album, contains many of Hendrix’s most famous recordings, including “Voodoo Child” and his highly acclaimed arrangement of Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower”.
On August 18, 1969, Hendrix gave a highly memorable performance at the Woodstock music festival, playing a two hour set, the longest of his career. The set included his now famous rendition of the Star Spangled Banner. Jimi continued to perform live and record until his death on September 18, 1970. His body was found in an England hotel room; the apparent cause of death was an overdose of prescription sleeping pills.
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