Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix Biography

Jimi Allen Hendrix was born on the west coast of Seattle Washington USA on the 27th of November 1942. He is said to be one of the greatest guitarists of all time.


Jimi’s life was tough; his mum died when he was ten. He was very poor, especially in the winter because his dad was a garden mower and it got pretty bad when there wasn’t any grass to cut. He had very poor school grades and he dropped out very early. But all he said he wanted to do was to play the guitar.


The Vietnam War was approaching and Jimi decided to sign up to Airborne 101 to get it done and over with. So he could continue with what he loved, that was being a being a musician. He had written a letter to his dad saying every thing was fine but “can you please send my guitar, I really need it.”
Then one day during a training run he broke his ankle on a zip line. He pretended that his back was injured too. So when they examined him he groaned and cried. They sent him home a few months before the Vietnam War began.

After his ordeal he started playing at cafés, bars and on the street. This was where he learnt most of his skills and riffs.


Later on in his life he was invited to play with a small touring band called The Isley Brothers. But he got bored, wanted his own scene plus found it annoying playing the same thing again and again. After a show another band had invited him to play a few gigs called Little Richard but the main singer didn’t treat him well or pay him well and said that only he could be on the front of the stage and wear the best out-fits. So Jimi ditched the band and went solo and he won first place in the Apollo amateur guitarist competition. shortly afterwards he was believed to be back stage when a old army friend Billy Cox had gave him the phone numbers for bass player Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell and soon and formed the Jimi Hendrix Experience. “ I want to call it Experience so that people will experience my music” Jimi said. during an interview.


Jimi continued to write music. In 1966 he had his first official tour through America. After many months they released Bold as Love, their first record. In Jimi Hendrix’s short career he had been given many death threats mainly because of jealousy and racism then releasing the song burning houses to resemble the Coo Klutz Clan the biggest racism group of all time. This effected him significantly and had one attempt at suicide which had failed.

1967 is when Jimi Hendrix’s career took off. Releasing a new inspiring record called Electric Lady land. After two years he split up with the Jimi Hendrix Experience up and joined a band called Band of Gypsies. By 1970 his career was coming to an end. He was requested to play at a rock festival. During his last song he decided to play the national anthem on full distortion, which to me personally and many people meant the anthem of rock.

Jimi Hendrix lived a short famous career on four years of real fame and glory. On 18th of September 1970 he passed away in his apartment in London from a drug over dose. This made one of the most tragic loses for his time and his legacy will live for ever. Jimi had brought much through his generation bringing a new era of music even today his music is still remembered and appreciated.  

Created by:
Louis Sutherland, Tom Walsh and the inspiration of Jimi Hendrix.