70s Artist Watch: Jimi Hendrix

The 70s music was just touched by this genius, he was born 1942 and died in 1970 at the age of only 27,his amazing electric guitar skills  have made him a legend, and deservedly so. He was there at Woodstock in 1969, and at the Isle of Wight in  August1970, he performed at the Monterey Pop Festival, and was not only a great performer with his Stratocaster guitar, but a very competent producer too.

In 1970 Hendrix was on the road doing a European and States tour with a reformed Jimi Hendrix Experience, the tour was known as "The Cry Of Love Tour" and trying to finish his album  "First Rays Of The Rising Sun".

But on September 18th 1970 the flame was blown out, he died  as a result of not understanding the strong medication he was taking to help him sleep, and taking the wrong amounts. However, there have been many reports and court cases suggesting it may have been murder or even suicide, but nothing concrete has been proven, and it will remain a mystery in pop culture of the music of the 70s.





News report on Jimi Hendrix death.

His girlfriend  Monika Donnemann at the time committed suicide in 1996 following a court case.





"Band Of Gypsy's" released in 1970 was a live album of recordings done on 31st December 1969 and January 1st 1970 and included "Voodoo Child" which got to No1 in the UK charts that year, and "Purple Haze".

Here is "Voodoo Child".



Many hit albums were released after his death including 1971 "The Cry Of Love" where the single "Freedom" came from.The B side in some territories was "Angel", which Rod Stewart took into the charts in 1972. Still in 1971, a second album called "Rainbow Bridge".

1972 saw the release of "War Heroes", in 1975 "Crash Landing"and "Midnight Lightning"  and a handful of live albums were released during the 70s.

Amazing to think that the biggest single of the 1970s "Stepping Stone" and was performed at Woodstock in 1969.

The British drummer for the "Jimi Hendrix Experience" was Mitch Mitchell, he died in 2008, here is a news report about him.