Jimi Hendrix is the ultimate guitar hero. However, the man who set his instrument on fire was a shy and complex artist. For instance, he served in the 101st Airborne Division before he became a rock star. Furthermore, he once toured with a teen pop band, and it went terribly wrong. Consequently, his path to the stage was full of strange detours. Therefore, turn up the volume and explore the life of the Voodoo Child. You will hear his music differently.
Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix served as a paratrooper. Before he found fame, he enlisted in the US Army and joined the prestigious 101st Airborne Division.
He toured with The Monkees. Surprisingly, his management booked him to open for the teen pop group. However, the young fans hated his psychedelic noise, so he quit the tour early.
He played a right-handed guitar upside down. Because he was left-handed, he flipped the instrument and restrung it to suit his style.
Little Richard fired him. Before his solo career, he played backup for the rock and roll legend. Unfortunately, Little Richard let him go because Hendrix stole the spotlight too often.
He could not read music. Instead of notes, he used colors and emotions to visualize the sounds he wanted to create.
He lived next door to George Frideric Handel. Coincidentally, his London apartment was right next to the home where the classical composer lived centuries earlier.
Mobsters once kidnapped him. Reportedly, rivals snatched him in New York City, and his manager had to rescue him from a safe house.
He learned the Sgt. Pepper theme in two days. Impressively, he covered The Beatles’ song live in London just forty-eight hours after they released the album. Paul McCartney loved it.
He burned his guitar as a sacrifice. At the Monterey Pop Festival, he famously lit his Fender Stratocaster on fire to end his set.
His father changed his name. Originally, his mother named him Johnny Allen Hendrix. Later, his father renamed him James Marshall Hendrix.
He was the highest-paid performer at Woodstock. Although the festival ran horribly late, he earned more money than any other act on the bill.
He loved science fiction. Consequently, many of his lyrics, such as “Purple Haze” and “Third Stone from the Sun,” feature sci-fi themes.
He played guitar with his teeth. He saw another musician do this trick in Tennessee and adopted it to dazzle the crowd.
He built his own recording studio. Specifically, he founded Electric Lady Studios in New York City just weeks before he died.
Finally, he played his last concert in Germany. Tragically, he passed away in London days later, joining the infamous “27 Club.”
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