by Little Roman

Created on: October 08, 2007

I'll always remember when I was in high school in my art class in the late seventies, a student named Jimmy who sat next to me in class. He was a hardcore Jimi Hendrix fan. This student would smoke pot during lunch and he would come into class stoned, he did this two or three times a week. He was a very good artist, but in every picture he drew or painted he had Jimi Hendrix face blended into the picture. This looked really cool and it was his original idea. At times when I knew Jimmy was stoned in class, I would mess with his head by saying to him "The Beach Boys play better music than Jimi Hendrix" he would reply back angrily "The Beach Boys suck and you suck too" I did this for about six months until he finally figured out that I was messing with him. So when I have thoughts of Jimi Hendrix, I remember that crazy art student "Jimmy" who was experienced and worshiped Hendrix but knew he was the greatest guitar player ever.

Jimi Hendrix was born on November 27, 1942, in Seattle, Washington, under the name Johnny Allen Hendrix and later his name would be changed to James Marshall Hendrix. He had an unstable family life, with his parents being divorced when he was nine. Jimi would be raised by his grandmother who was Cherokee. Hendrix would learn how to play his electric guitar at the age of fifteen and play with several local bands. Jimi would have many troubles as a youth in school. He did not graduate from high school. Hendrix would choose going into the military than spending two years in prisons for riding in a stolen car for the second time. The military didn't want Jimi and he showed he didn't want military. He completed boot camp but after one year, Jimi was discharge from military.

After his short period of time in the military, the music was still in Jimi's heart and he loved playing the electric guitar. In 1962, Jimi would work as a session musician for the next few years backing up artist such as; Sam Cooke, Little Richard, Jackie Wilson and the Isley Brothers. In 1966, Hendrix would form his own band, Jimmy James and the Blue Flames. His band was popular throughout New York City. In the same year, Jimi would move on to a new band, "The Jimi Hendrix Experience". His band would consist of two British musician in his band, bassist Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell on drums. The Jimi Hendrix Experience concert was a show to see, with Jimi lighting his guitar on fire, playing his behind his back and also playing it with his teeth. The Jimi Hendrix Experience

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