Jimi Hendrix

American modern electric blues guitar virtuoso; lyricist, vocalist.

Born: 27 November 1942, Seattle, USA – Died: 18 September 1970, London, UK.

A self-taught guitarist, Hendrix began his musical career backing such R&B greats as Ike and Tina Turner, Sam Cooke, Wilson Pickett, Little Richard, The Isley Brothers, and B.B. King. Brought to London from New York by former Animals bassist Chas Chandler, Hendrix quickly established himself as the brightest new star on the burgeoning progressive rock scene of the early '60s. Along with bassist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell he formed The Jimi Hendrix Experience.

After a landmark appearance at the Monterey Pop festival, their debut album Are You Experienced was released in September 1967. The album, and its 1968 successors - Axis: Bold As Love and the seminal blues-oriented developments of Electric Ladyland - earned Hendrix international acclaim as a premier rock instrumentalist and innovator of his generation. A 'greatest hits' collection, "Smash Hits" (1969), and an in-concert memento of his historic Monterey appearance, "Otis Redding / Jimi Hendrix Experience at Monterey" (1970), followed before his untimely death. A posthumous studio album, "The Cry Of Love", was released in January of 1971, followed by the double album soundtrack to the documentary film "Jimi Hendrix" in June of 1973.