Monday, November 22, 2010

Jimi Hendrix



James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix, November 27, 1942[1][2] – September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter. He is widely considered the greatest electric guitarist in the history of rock music,[3][4][5] and one of the most influential musicians of his era across a range of genres.[6][7][8]
After initial success in Europe, he achieved fame in the United States following his 1967 performance at the Monterey Pop Festival. Later, Hendrix headlined the iconic 1969 Woodstock Festival and the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival. He often favored raw overdriven amplifiers with high gain and treble and helped develop the previously undesirable technique of guitar amplifier feedback.[9] Hendrix popularized use of the wah-wah pedal in mainstream rock which he often used to deliver an exaggerated pitch in his solos, particularly with high bends and use of legato. He was influenced by blues artists such as B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Albert King and Elmore James,[10][11][12][13] rhythm and blues and soul guitarists Curtis Mayfield, Steve Cropper, as well as by funk and some modern jazz.[14] As a record producer, Hendrix also broke new ground in using the recording studio as an extension of his musical ideas. He was one of the first to experiment with stereophonic phasing effects for rock recording.