Jimi Hendrix: The Life of a Legend

Ever since I was a young boy, I had plenty of different interests. But what I consider was my favorite subject, that still has an enormous influence in my life, is music. Not exactly one genre, or one group, or only one song like many other youngsters. My interest in music included mostly every genre, and my knowledge in musical history and taste was actually quite advanced. But what I must admit, was the Rock and Roll was my preference, and from all the eras, bands and musicians, Jimi made the biggest impact on me.

                Johnny Allen Hendrix, born November 27^th 1942, was born first into an American family with 5 children. His childhood was not particularly healthy, for his family lived in a constantly disruptive environment due to his parent’s divorce, the fights amongst several family members and his father’s problems with women and alcohol. While growing up he had to see many things that kids his age shouldn’t, and that probably had an impact on who he became to be later on in life. Jimi acquired his first guitar when he was 15, and taught himself how to play by receiving tips from those who already did, practicing, and listening to his favorite singers (He was extremely fond of Elvis Presley, and blues musicians such as Muddy Waters and B.B. King because of his father).

                As Hendrix grew, he did so with his music. Throughout his teenage years he managed to play in various local bands, practicing more and more on his guitar until he managed to become has good as he could get. When he was 22, after being seen by many Record Companies and musical managers, he started touring around with Little Richard. This propelled him and his style and opened up several doors for him. He kept on working hard and playing music until one day at a pub in London, he became friends with Keith Richards’s (Rolling Stone guitarist) girlfriend, who introduced him to a manages called Chas Chandler. Chandler liked Hendrix’s music, and united him with a group of other musicians to form “the Jimi Hendrix Experience”. This band was an enormous success in the UK with “Hey Joe” as one of the most famous singles in history. They let out an album called “Are you Experienced” which was also a great hit, and Jimi’s fame was higher than ever.

Jimi Hendrix has been known as one of the best guitarist that ever lived. His raw, overdriven amplifiers with high gain and treble gave him the unique sound that only he, Jimi Hendrix could make with his guitar. Either he was improvising, playing written music, or was just playing with his ears, he was the best. But Jimi was also known to be a great drug and sex addicted party freak. It is said he would make a small cut in his forehead in order to place drops of LSD on it, and then use a bandana to cover it.

After his band in the UK separated, Jimi let out various singles and stayed at the top of the charts for a long time. He played in concerts by himself, or jammed with other artists, and was one of the main musician at Woodstock in ’69. But sadly, after a party in London in 1970, he died at the age of 27. The autopsy said he choked from his own vomit after drinking and drugging himself. But apart from all of the disasters he had in his life, Jimi Hendrix will always be a legend, and the best guitar player that has ever lived.