Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix, a superstar of psychedelic rock and roll, and an icon in millions of eyes was my first taste of real rock and roll. I first heard the psychedelic sounds of Voodoo Child when I was six years old. I remember it clearly. I was riding in my cousins old jeep with no doors. He had just installed a new CD player and popped in a CD by the Jimi Hendrix Experience, he flipped a couple switches and out came Voodoo Child blasting thru his speakers. The sound was soothing and although I couldn’t comprehend what the song was about I fell in love with it. It was my first time listening to that kind of music, and it opened me up to all the greats of that time and became what my music choice of today is.

James Marshall Hendrix was born on November 27, 1942 in Seattle, Washington. He was born into a family of four his two sister’s Kathy and Pamela, and his two brother’s Leon and Joseph. Jimi’s father was employed in the U.S. Army during World War Two and was shortly discharged after. Hendrix’s parents were very poor after the Second World War and split the children up among their various relatives. Jimi went to live in Vancouver, British Columbia with his grandparents, while his other brothers and sisters were sent to Dallas, Texas to live with aunts’ and uncle’s. Jimi was eventually taken back into custody by his father after his parents divorced at age nine. They moved back to Seattle where Jimi would begin on his legendary guitar playing.

At age 15, he bought his first guitar for $5 from an acquaintance of his father’s. Hendrix could not afford records so he learned to play by watching others, taking tips from various musicians, listening to records, and drifting from club to club. When he was 17, his father, Al Hendri...

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...he was taken to a London hospital. However the paramedics were careless and laid Hendrix on his back causing him asphyxiate on his own vomit.

Fortunately, Hendrix died after he made a huge contribution to Rock and Roll. He inspired millions of people and changed and touched the lives of others. He inspired black musicians to continue their careers and stunned the world with his insane concets.

Jimi Hendrix is by far my favorite artist of all time. His music combines all the great rhytmic kinds of music and can really speak to you. His songs are about everyday things and some not everday things that still exist today. He wrote his music to help and heal the world much like Bob Marley did. Although Hendrix has been dead for nearly forty years and his music still inspires and encourages people to be better and to love life. He will truly live on forever in his music.