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Jimi Hendrix’s revolutionary approach to the electric guitar transformed rock music forever, making him one of the most influential musicians of all time. Born Johnny Allen Hendrix on November 27, 1942, in Seattle, Washington, he grew up in a challenging environment that shaped his creative spirit. Early on, Hendrix was captivated by music and taught himself to play the guitar, developing a style that combined blues, rock, and psychedelic influences with unparalleled innovation. His left-handed playing and mastery of techniques like feedback, distortion, and wah-wah pedals became his signature, redefining what the instrument could achieve.
Before rising to fame, Hendrix honed his skills as a backing guitarist for prominent acts like Little Richard, the Isley Brothers, and Curtis Knight. These early experiences exposed him to diverse musical styles and provided a platform to develop his unique sound. Hendrix’s big break came in 1966 when he moved to London after being discovered by Chas Chandler, former bassist of The Animals, who would become his manager. There, he formed The Jimi Hendrix Experience with bassist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell.
The band’s debut album, Are You Experienced (1967), was a groundbreaking success, featuring tracks like “Purple Haze,” “Hey Joe,” and “The Wind Cries Mary.” These songs highlighted Hendrix’s virtuosity and cemented his place in rock history. The album’s innovative approach to production and songwriting resonated globally, becoming a defining record of the psychedelic era. Hendrix followed this success with Axis: Bold as Love (1967) and Electric Ladyland (1968), the latter being his only U.S. number-one album. Electric Ladyland included classics like “All Along the Watchtower” and “Voodoo Child (Slight Return),” further showcasing Hendrix’s ability to blend raw energy with emotional depth.
Tensions within The Jimi Hendrix Experience led to its disbandment in 1969, after which Hendrix formed Band of Gypsys with Billy Cox and Buddy Miles. This lineup marked a shift towards funk and soul influences, as seen in their live album, Band of Gypsys (1970), recorded at the Fillmore East. Notable tracks like “Machine Gun” captured Hendrix’s anti-war sentiments and his ability to channel political commentary through his music.
In his brief career, Hendrix released only three studio albums, yet his impact was monumental. He headlined iconic festivals like Woodstock in 1969, where his rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” became a symbol of the counterculture movement. His performance at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, where he famously set his guitar on fire, remains one of the most electrifying moments in rock history.
Hendrix’s contributions to music earned him numerous posthumous accolades, including induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. His influence extended beyond his recordings, inspiring generations of guitarists and redefining live performance standards. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame describes him as “arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music.”
Tragically, Hendrix died on September 18, 1970, at just 27 years old, leaving behind a legacy that continues to resonate. Beyond his music, Hendrix broke racial barriers in a predominantly white rock industry, becoming a global icon whose artistry transcended cultural boundaries. His innovative techniques, timeless songs, and electrifying performances ensure his place as a cornerstone of rock history.
Complete List Of Jimi Hendrix Songs From A to Z
(A – H)
“3rd Stone from the Sun” – Are You Experienced (1967)
“51st Anniversary” – Smash Hits (UK edition) (1967)
“1983… (A Merman I Should Turn to Be)” – Electric Ladyland (1968)
“Ain’t No Telling” – Axis: Bold as Love (1967)
“All Along the Watchtower” – Electric Ladyland (1968)
“…And the Gods Made Love” – Electric Ladyland (1968)
“Are You Experienced?” – Are You Experienced (1967)
“Bold as Love” – Axis: Bold as Love (1967)
“Burning of the Midnight Lamp” – Smash Hits (UK edition) (1967)
“Can You See Me” – Are You Experienced (UK edition) (1967)
“Castles Made of Sand” – Axis: Bold as Love (1967)
“Changes” – Band of Gypsys (1970)
“Come On (Part I)” – Electric Ladyland (1968)
“Crosstown Traffic” – Electric Ladyland (1968)
“EXP” – Axis: Bold as Love (1967)
“Fire” – Are You Experienced (1967)
“Foxy Lady” – Are You Experienced (1967)
“Gypsy Eyes” – Electric Ladyland (1968)
“Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland)” – Electric Ladyland (1968)
“Hey Joe” – Are You Experienced (US edition) (1966)
“Highway Chile” – Smash Hits (UK edition) (1967)
“House Burning Down” – Electric Ladyland (1968)
(I-R)
“I Don’t Live Today” – Are You Experienced (1967)
“If Six Was Nine” – Axis: Bold as Love (1967)
“Izabella” – War Heroes (1970)
“Like a Rolling Stone” – Historic Performances (1970)
“Little Miss Lover” – Axis: Bold as Love (1967)
“Little Miss Strange” – Electric Ladyland (1968)
“Little Wing” – Axis: Bold as Love (1967)
“Long Hot Summer Night” – Electric Ladyland (1968)
“Love or Confusion” – Are You Experienced (1967)
“Machine Gun” – Band of Gypsys (1970)
“Manic Depression” – Are You Experienced (1967)
“May This Be Love” – Are You Experienced (1967)
“Message of Love” – Band of Gypsys (1970)
“Moon, Turn the Tides…Gently Gently Away” – Electric Ladyland (1968)
“One Rainy Wish” – Axis: Bold as Love (1967)
“Power to Love” – Band of Gypsys (1970)
“Purple Haze” – Are You Experienced (US edition) (1967)
“Rainy Day, Dream Away” – Electric Ladyland (1968)
“Red House” – Are You Experienced (UK edition) (1967)
“Remember” – Are You Experienced (UK edition) (1967)
“Rock Me Baby” – Historic Performances (1970)
(S-Z)
“She’s So Fine” – Axis: Bold as Love (1967)
“Spanish Castle Magic” – Axis: Bold as Love (1967)
“Star Spangled Banner” – Woodstock: Music from the Original Soundtrack and More (1970)
“The Stars That Play with Laughing Sam’s Dice” – Smash Hits (UK edition) (1967)
“Stepping Stone” – War Heroes (1970)
“Still Raining, Still Dreaming” – Electric Ladyland (1968)
“Stone Free” – Smash Hits (1966)
“Up from the Skies” – Axis: Bold as Love (1967)
“Villanova Junction” – Woodstock: Music from the Original Soundtrack and More (1970)
“Voodoo Child (Slight Return)” – Electric Ladyland (1968)
“Voodoo Chile” – Electric Ladyland (1968)
“Wait Until Tomorrow” – Axis: Bold as Love (1967)
“We Gotta Live Together” – Band of Gypsys (1970)
“Who Knows” – Band of Gypsys (1970)
“Wild Thing” – Historic Performances (1970)
“The Wind Cries Mary” – Are You Experienced (US edition) (1967)
“You’ve Got Me Floating” – Axis: Bold as Love (1967)
Posthumous List Of Jimi Hendrix Songs From A to Z
“3 Little Bears” – War Heroes (1972)
“12 Bar with Horns” – Non-album single (B-side of “Love or Confusion”) (2010)
“$20 Fine” – Both Sides of the Sky (2018)
“Acoustic Demo” – Morning Symphony Ideas (2000)
“All God’s Children” – West Coast Seattle Boy (2010)
“Angel” – The Cry of Love (1971)
“Astro Man” – The Cry of Love (1971)
“Auld Lang Syne” – … And a Happy New Year (EP) (1974)
“Baggy’s Jam” – The Baggy’s Rehearsal Sessions (2002)
“Beginning” – Woodstock Two (1971)
“Belly Button Window” – The Cry of Love (1971)
“Bleeding Heart” – Experience (1971)
“Blue Suede Shoes” – Hendrix in the West (1972)
“Blue Window” – Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues (2003)
“Blues Jam at Olympic” – Hear My Music (2004)
“Bolero” – West Coast Seattle Boy (2010)
“Born Under a Bad Sign” – Blues (1994)
“Burning Desire” – Loose Ends (1974)
“Calling All the Devil’s Children” – West Coast Seattle Boy (2010)
“Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?” – BBC Sessions (1998)
“Cat Talking to Me” – West Coast Seattle Boy (2010)
“Catfish Blues” – Radio One (1988)
“Cherokee Mist” – The Jimi Hendrix Experience (2000)
“Come Down Hard on Me Baby” – Loose Ends (1974)
“Country Blues” – The Jimi Hendrix Experience (2000)
“Crash Landing” – People, Hell and Angels (2013)
“Crying Blue Rain” – Valleys of Neptune (2010)
“Day Tripper” – Radio One (1988)
“Dear Mr. Fantasy” – Paris 1967/San Francisco 1968 (2003)
“Dolly Dagger” – Rainbow Bridge (1971)
“Drifter’s Escape” – Loose Ends (1974)
“Drifting” – The Cry of Love (1971)
“Drivin’ South” – Radio One (1988)
“Drone Blues” – Hear My Music (2004)
“Earth Blues” – Rainbow Bridge (1971)
“Easy Blues” – People, Hell and Angels (2013)
“Electric Church Red House” – Blues (1994)
“Ezy Ryder” – The Cry of Love (1971)
“Freedom” – The Cry of Love (1971)
“Georgia Blues” – Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues (2003)
“Hear My Freedom” – West Coast Seattle Boy (2010)
“Hear My Train A Comin'” – Woodstock Two (1971)
“Hey Baby (New Rising Sun)” – Rainbow Bridge (1971)
“Hound Dog” – Radio One (1988)
“Hound Dog Blues” – West Coast Seattle Boy (2010)
(I-R)
“I Was Made to Love Her” – BBC Sessions (1998)
“I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man” – Loose Ends (1974)
“In from the Storm” – The Cry of Love (1971)
“Inside Out” – People, Hell and Angels (2013)
“It’s Too Bad” – The Jimi Hendrix Experience (2000)
“Jam 292” – Loose Ends (1974)
“Jammin'” – BBC Sessions (1998)
“Jimi/Jimmy Jam” – Hear My Music (2004)
“Johnny B. Goode” – Hendrix in the West (1972)
“Jungle” – Morning Symphony Ideas (2000)
“Keep On Grooving” – Morning Symphony Ideas (2000)
“Killing Floor” – Kiss the Sky (1984)
“Let Me Move You” – People, Hell and Angels (2013)
“The Little Drummer Boy” / “Silent Night” (medley) – … And a Happy New Year (EP) (1974)
“Little One” – West Coast Seattle Boy (2010)
“Lonely Avenue” – West Coast Seattle Boy (2010)
“The Long Medley” – Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision (2024)
“Look Over Yonder” – Rainbow Bridge (1971)
“Lover Man” – Isle of Wight (1971)
“Lullaby for the Summer” – Valleys of Neptune (2010)
“Mannish Boy” – Both Sides of the Sky (2018)
“Mastermind” – West Coast Seattle Boy (2010)
“Messenger” – West Coast Seattle Boy (2010)
“Messing Around” – Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision (2024)
“Midnight” – War Heroes (1972)
“Midnight Lightning” – Isle of Wight (1971)
“MLK” – Burning Desire (2006)
“My Friend” – The Cry of Love (1971)
“New Rising Sun” – West Coast Seattle Boy (2010)
“Night Bird Flying” – The Cry of Love (1971)
“Once I Had a Woman” – Blues (1994)
“Pali Gap” – Rainbow Bridge (1971)
“Peace in Mississippi” – The Jimi Hendrix Experience (2013 Reissue) (2010)
“Peter Gunn” / “Catastrophe” (medley) – War Heroes (1972)
“Play That Riff (Thank You)” – West Coast Seattle Boy (2010)
“The Queen” – Hendrix in the West (1972)
“Radio One Theme” – Radio One (1988)
“Room Full of Mirrors” – Experience (1971)
(S-Z)
“Scorpio Woman” – Morning Symphony Ideas (2000)
“Send My Love to Linda” – Both Sides of the Sky (2018)
“Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” – Hendrix in the West (1972)
“Shame, Shame, Shame” – West Coast Seattle Boy (2010)
“Ships Passing Through the Night” – Valleys of Neptune (2010)
“Slow Blues” – The Jimi Hendrix Experience (2000)
“Slow Time Blues” – Burning Desire (2006)
“Slow Version” – Hear My Music (2004)
“Smashing of Amps” – Experience (1971)
“Snowballs at My Window” – Electric Ladyland (50th Anniversary Edition) (2018)
“Somewhere” – The Jimi Hendrix Experience (2000)
“South Saturn Delta” – South Saturn Delta (1997)
“Steal Away” – Songs for Groovy Children: The Fillmore East Concerts (2019)
“Stop” – Band of Gypsys 2 (1986)
“Straight Ahead” – The Cry of Love (1971)
“Strato Strut” – Morning Symphony Ideas (2000)
“Suddenly November Morning” – West Coast Seattle Boy (2010)
“The Sunshine of Your Love” – Experience (1971)
“Taking Care of No Business” – The Jimi Hendrix Experience (2000)
“Tax Free” – War Heroes (1972)
“Tears of Rage” – West Coast Seattle Boy (2010)
“Things I Used to Do” – Both Sides of the Sky (2018)
“Title #3” – The Jimi Hendrix Experience (2000)
“Valleys of Neptune” – Valleys of Neptune (2010)
“Woodstock” – Both Sides of the Sky (2018)
“Woodstock Improvisation” – Woodstock (1994)
“Young/Hendrix” – West Coast Seattle Boy (2010)
Check out our fantastic and entertaining Jimi Hendrix articles, detailing in-depth the band’s albums, songs, band members, and more…all on ClassicRockHistory.com
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Why Jimi Hendrix Called Chicago’s Terry Kath The Best Guitarist In The Universe
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Jimi Hendrix Electric Ladyland: Album Review
Jimi Hendrix Albums Ranked
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