Why Hendrix is still revered as the greatest guitarist of all time
James Marshall “Jimi” Hendrix died tragically on September 18, 1970, at just the age of 27. Despite a mainstream career that only lasted 4 years he is widely regarded as one of the greatest, if not THE greatest guitarist of all time.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame described Hendrix as “arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music”. In 1967 his band The Jimi Hendrix Experience released their debut album Are You Experienced, which contained the seminal and iconic tracks Purple Haze and Foxy Lady.
Rolling Stone ranked the band’s three studio albums, Are You Experienced, Axis: Bold as Love, and Electric Ladyland, among the 100 greatest albums of all time, and they ranked Hendrix as the greatest guitarist of all time.
Photo: Bruce Fleming / AP Images
The legend lives on
Back in March he posthumously released Sides of the Sky, a studio album of 13 tracks, the last in a trilogy that included 2010’s Valleys of Neptune, which charted at Number 4 on Billboard’s album chart, and 2013’s People, Hell and Angels, which reached Number 2.
His high chart positions in the modern era suggest that his older fan base still admires his extraordinary talents and even 50 years later he is still gathering new fans.
Jimi Hendrix received several music awards during his lifetime and posthumously. In 1967, readers of Melody Maker magazine voted him Pop Musician of the Year. In ‘68, Rolling Stone declared him the Performer of the Year. Disc and Music Echo awarded him World Top Musician of ‘69 and again in ‘70. Guitar Player named him Rock Guitarist of the Year 1970. The Jimi Hendrix Experience was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in ‘92 and the UK Hall of Fame in 2005.
So what made Hendrix the G.O.A.T (Greatest of all time)?
Love yourself a bit of Jimi? Think he was overrated? Sound off below. Did you read this?
