Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix Biography
Born James Marshall Hendrix on November 27, 1942 in Seattle Washington Jimi is widely recognized as one of the most creative and influential musicians of the 20th century, Jimi Hendrix pioneered the explosive possibilities of the electric guitar. Hendrix’s innovative style of combining fuzz, feedback and controlled distortion created a new musical form. Because he was unable to read or write music, it is nothing short of remarkable that Jimi Hendrix’s meteoric rise in the music took place in just four short years.
From his early childhood on Jimi always loved to draw and sketch, art was always a big part of his world as is evident in the works he created throughout his life.
By the summer of 1958, Al had purchased Jimmy a five-dollar, second-hand acoustic guitar from one of his friends. Shortly thereafter, Jimmy joined his first band, The Velvetones. After a three-month stint with the group, Jimmy left to pursue his own interests. The following summer, Al purchased Jimmy his first electric guitar, a Supro Ozark 1560S; Jimi used it when he joined The Rocking Kings.
In 1961, Jimmy left home to enlist in the United States Army and in November 1962 earned the right to wear the “Screaming Eagles” patch for the paratroop division. While stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, Jimmy formed The King Casuals with bassist Billy Cox. After being discharged due to an injury he received during a parachute jump, Jimmy began working as a session guitarist under the name Jimmy James. By the end of 1965, Jimmy had played with several marquee acts, including Ike and Tina Turner, Sam Cooke, the Isley Brothers, and Little Richard. Jimmy parted ways with Little Richard to form his own band, Jimmy James and the Blue Flames, shedding the role of back-line guitarist for the spotlight of lead guitar.
In 1966 , after changing the spelling of his name to Jimi, he formed a new band featuring drummer Mitch Mitchell and bassist Noel Redding, the newly formed Jimi Hendrix Experience quickly became the talk of London in the fall of 1966. The Experience’s first single, “Hey Joe,” spent ten weeks on the UK charts, topping out at spot No. 6 in early 1967. The debut single was quickly followed by the release of a full-length album Are You Experienced, a psychedelic musical compilation featuring anthems of a generation. Are You Experienced has remained one of the most popular rock albums of all time, featuring tracks like “Purple Haze,” “The Wind Cries Mary,” “Foxey Lady,” “Fire,” and “Are You Experienced?”
Although Hendrix experienced overwhelming success in Britain, it wasn’t until he returned to America in June 1967 that he ignited the crowd at the Monterey International Pop Festival with his incendiary performance of “Wild Thing.” Literally overnight, The Jimi Hendrix Experience became one of most popular and highest grossing touring acts in the world.
The summer of 1969 brought emotional and musical growth to Jimi Hendrix. In playing the Woodstock Music & Art Fair in August 1969, Jimi joined forces with an eclectic ensemble called Gypsy Sun & Rainbows featuring Jimi Hendrix, Mitch Mitchell, Billy Cox, Juma Sultan, and Jerry Velez. The Woodstock performance was highlighted by the renegade version of “Star Spangled Banner,” which brought the mud-soaked audience to a frenzy.
1969 also brought about a new and defining collaboration featuring Jimi Hendrix on guitar, bassist Billy Cox and Electric Flag drummer Buddy Miles. Performing as the Band of Gypsys, this trio launched a series of four New Year’s performances on December 31, 1969 and January 1, 1970.
As 1970 progressed, Jimi brought back drummer Mitch Mitchell to the group and together with Billy Cox on bass, this new trio once again formed The Jimi Hendrix Experience. In the studio, the group recorded several tracks for another two LP set, tentatively titled First Rays Of The New Rising Sun. Unfortunately, Hendrix was unable to see this musical vision through to completion due to his hectic worldwide touring schedules, then tragic death on September 18, 1970.
Jimi
Like midnight lightning Jimi Hendrix came on the scene as a comet entering the atmosphere. Every person that was fortunate enough to see him in person experienced his spiritual devotion to music and his guitar.
Now: almost 40 years after his death his music plays in every corner of the planet. You can still hear his lightning licks and his touching lyrics anywhere you go in the world. His stamp as the greatest guitar player ever is undisputable.
Before he was a rock God he was just a high school kid in Renton, WA that had a love for sports and hydroplane racing. We are now able to have a look back in time to the world of Jimi Hendrix before he became a rock icon.
As with most artists Jimi used elements in his immediate environment as models for his artwork. The body of work contains pictures and portraits of events and activities that Jimi attended in the Seattle area while in high school in the late 1950’s.The majority of these images are of boat races, football players and army scenes. Lake Washington was the location for the unlimited hydroplane races for the 50’s and 60’s Jimi attended the races and over time painted almost all of the boats in the races. It is in some of these pieces that he began to expand and paint wonderful watercolor backgrounds primarily using the cascade mountain range and Mt Rainier. As a teenager Jimi was fascinated with the port of Seattle and did several images containing pictures of the Seattle waterfront and skyline in the late 50’s. His watercolor portraits of buildings explode with color and geometric shapes as one might imagine from Hendrix. As his work evolved he began to do abstract art that was very detailed and intense. He wove stories into complex grid and color patterns so intricately the viewer is drawn deeper into Jimi’s world, if they want to take the trip.
Much like in Jimi’s’ music, there is often more than meets the eye when you delve a little deeper into his artwork. Jimi had the ability to weave magical backgrounds and create ethereal scenes that existed within his mind in the same way he was able to achieve the impossible while playing the guitar. Some of the artwork contains a spiritual quality not unlike some of his music.
One dominant theme in Jimi’s life was the cascade mountain chain in particularly Mt Rainier, which was literally out his backdoor. We are extremely fortunate to be able to look back and see an aspect of Jimi that has been hidden for all of these years.
Truly a multi talented individual that was with us for a short time but that will stay with us forever through his music and now with his art. The Jimi Hendrix collection in association with Experience Hendrix have restored and catalogued Jimi’s visual art legacy and are now presenting it to the public for the first time. Along with Estate signed limited editions of his paintings and drawings we will also be unveiling limited edition manuscripts of Jimi’s songs.
Featured Art
Valleys of Neptune
