Jimi Hendrix started the Fire

Jack Hintermeister, Staff Writer

Although Jimi Hendrix died at the young age of 27, he had one of the most inspirational and revolutionary music careers of all time. Early in his life, he picked up a guitar for the first time. As a lefty, he took a right-handed guitar, flipped it over, and figured it out from there. He restrung the guitar, so when flipped over, the strings were oriented correctly (mcalesternews.com). The idea of unnatural talent is shown in a variety of his performances as well as his image of staying true to his rockstar identity.

When Jimi was able to, he volunteered to enlist in the United States military. While in the army, he was a private in the airborne infantry, making 26 jumps. During that time, he created the band named King Kasuals. Clearly, he wasn’t going to let the army take away all his time for music, so he still was dedicated to creating music and playing guitar. He wasn’t in the military for long, as he was a paratrooper and got injured a year into it after a parachute jump. After his injury, he dedicated himself to music due to being discharged from the army (biography.com).

Hendrix was a remarkable performer. Not only was he an incredible musician, but he had the showmanship to match it. He was very excitable on stage as he would set his guitars on fire to reflect just how hot his music was. Ironically, the Jimi Hendrix Experience released a song called “Fire” in the late 60’s. Many people describe his playing as visual. The “visualization” of his sound is something that was completely reinvented. Kirk Hammett, the guitarist for Metallica, has said “Hendrix had a way of saying something political without speaking outside his own musical language. He said it in sonic terms. And his guitar tone is something he completely invented. There is no one who sounded like him, before or after” (thecurrent.org). Obviously he has inspired many famous guitarists who suggest how revolutionary the guitar playing of Jimi Hendrix truly was.

Jimi Hendrix met Chas Chandler in 1966. Upon agreement, he became Jimi’s manager. After Chandler sent Hendrix to London, he met the bandmates, Noel Redding (bass player) and Mitch Mitchell (drummer), and formed the Jimi Hendrix Experience. This trio released many hit songs such as “Purple Haze” and the previously mentioned “Fire.” Many artists and bands — The Who, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and guitarist Eric Clapton — have all become huge fans of Hendrix, once again proving the revolutionary sound and success that Jimi has acquired (biography.com).

A few years later, Hendrix performed one of his most iconic shows; early in the morning on the last day of Woodstock, many weary audience members woke to his playing the Star-Spangled Banner in a manner that screams “Hendrix.” The sound of a Fender Stratocaster overdriven through a Marshall amplifier pierced the morning like “the rockets’ red glare,” and became his undeniable, completely identifiable sound that changed the landscape of rock music forever. Nobody has ever done this to the extent that Jimi did. His music at the Woodstock Music Festival “amazed the crowds and demonstrated his considerable talents as a musician” (biography.com). Awareness of him grew, and his popularity propelled him to even greater success.

Shortly after that, he opened up a recording studio called Electric Lady, which was known for utilizing recording technology that would allow mixing and editing of all sorts, involving techniques that were new at the time. Unfortunately, Hendrix didn’t make it long after the studio’s opening. On September 18th, 1970, he was involved in “drug-related complications” that ended his life at the age of 27 (biography.com).

Jimi Hendrix not only learned how to play the guitar but also reinvented the styles and techniques that were used with this astounding instrument. His career started a transformation in rock music. He will always be remembered as the guitar player who played with an upside down guitar, lit it on fire, and could make it sound like anything he wanted.

Sources 

 

Article Title:  Jimi Hendrix Biography

Author: Biography.com Editors

Website Name: The Biography.com website

URL: https://www.biography.com/musician/jimi-hendrix

Access Date: February 7, 2022

Publisher: A&E Television Networks

Last Updated : April 20, 2021

Original Publish Date: April 2, 2014

 

Article Title:  Jimi Hendrix born

Author: History.com Editors

Website Name: HISTORY

URL:  https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/jimi-hendrix-born

Access Date: February 7, 2022

Publisher: A&E Television Networks

Last Updated : December 1, 2021

Original Publish Date: January 5, 2010

 

Article Title:  Jimi Hendrix through the eyes of the world’s best guitarists

Author: Lou Papineau

Website Name: The Current

URL: link

Access Date: February 9, 2022

Publisher: The Current

Last Updated : February 06, 2017

Original Publish Date: February 06, 2017

 

Article Title:  Ramblin’ Round: Jimi Hendrix – When left is right

Author: James Beaty MANAGING EDITOR

Website Name: mcalesternews.com

URL: link

Access Date: February 23, 2022

Publisher: McAlester News-Capital

Last Updated : Nov 23, 2019

Original Publish Nov 23, 2019

 

Images:

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original source link: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jimi_Hendrix_Walk_of_Fame.jpg

 

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