Remembering Jimi Hendrix: A Brief Biography
Today we are remembering the legendary Jimi Hendrix, who would have been celebrating his 80th birthday today. James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was born in Seattle, Washington to parents Lucille Jeter and James Allen "Al" Hendrix in 1942. He began learning guitar at age 15 after taking an interest in rock 'n' roll artists of the time such as Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and Elvis Presley. While enlisted in the army at age 19, he spent his free time listening to blues artists such as Jimmy Reed and Albert King, as well as listening to Bob Dylan's records repeatedly. He was discharged a year later and moved to Clarksville, Tennessee, where he and fellow serviceman Billy Cox formed their first band, The King Kasuals. He also got the idea to learn to play with his teeth around this time after seeing Butch Snipes perform that same trick back in Seattle. Hendrix in 1969 By David Redfern/Redferns (GettyImages) Hendrix worked with numerous bands and artists befo...