Jimi Hendrix
A research-verified biography
Jimi Hendrix (1942–1970) was an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter whose brief career permanently reshaped the sound and possibilities of rock music. Emerging from the clubs of the early 1960s and exploding onto the international stage in the late 1960s, he became renowned for a uniquely expressive style that fused blues, rock, and psychedelic experimentation. With searing lead work, inventive chord voicings, and a fearless approach to feedback and amplification, Hendrix expanded what the electric guitar could do, leaving a legacy that continues to influence musicians across genres.
This biography follows Hendrix’s journey from his early life in Seattle through his formative years as a working musician, his breakthrough with the Jimi Hendrix Experience, and the landmark recordings and performances that defined his era. It explores the making of albums such as Are You Experienced, Axis: Bold as Love, and Electric Ladyland, as well as pivotal moments like his appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival and his headline set at Woodstock. Along the way, it looks at the collaborators, cultural currents, and relentless creative drive that shaped his work.
Spanning his rise, his artistic peaks, and the pressures of sudden fame, the story also traces his final year and the circumstances surrounding his death in 1970 at age 27. More than a chronology of events, this biography aims to capture Hendrix as an innovator and a human being—an artist who, in just a few years, changed the vocabulary of modern music and left an enduring imprint on popular culture.