If you don’t know who Jimi Hendrix is, odds are you’ve lived under a rock your whole life. The extremely famous guitar hero played a huge contribution to how music was performed and changed in the 1960’s. Jimi’s style of playing guitar was unique compared to every single guitarist before him. During this time, rock music was still well on its way of developing into what we know as rock n roll today, thanks to Hendrix. Through important recordings, songwriting, and live performances, he changed the game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKAwPA14Ni4 – The Star Spangled Banner by Jimi Hendrix Live at Woodstock 1969
Jimi Hendrix took the stage at 9 am, August 18, 1969, and began performing The Star Spangled Banner at one of the largest musical festivals in history. Jimi then invented the wah-wah pedal at the Woodstock Music Festival which went down in history for a memorable performance. Stated by writer Zachary Crockett among the Invention of the Wah-Wah Pedal, “Invented in the midst of a musical revolution in the 1960s, the wah became, in the words of one critic, “psychedelia non-psychotropic aid.” Rocked up and down, the pedal evoked sounds that mimicked the cries of a human voice, bridging the divide between music and vocal communication. From Clapton to the theme song for cult classic film “Shaft,” the wah immortalized itself as one of music history’s most recognizable and influential technologies.” His continuous use of the wah-wah pedal was the icing on the cake for his innovative guitar chords and roaring distortion. His loud and sharp style made him a controversial artist for many people considering that Jimi was the only artist to take the extra mile and achieve his quality sound.
Nonetheless, Jimi Hendrix inspired many guitarist as he was the connection between psychedelia and black music fuzing traditions of jazz, rock, and roll to create his own image. Thus he became one of the greatest guitarist to live. Jimi’s aspirations evolved from artists like Bob Dylan, Albert King, and the Beatles. As Jimi spent a lot of his career forming his own bands, such as the Jimi Hendrix Experience, successfully reached record breaking singles like “Hey Joe” and “Purple Haze” along with several uncomparable achievements. Hendrix went down to be remembered in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999, and 2009, along with Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and last but not least the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSsjtiky9xI – Purple Haze by The Jimi Hendrix Experience Live 1967
In March of 1967, the band’s single released throughout England as it reached top charts, even in the United States. Although the band did not last long, Jimi still continued to rock on with his life. He performed Purple Haze so many times he could do it in his sleep. Whether it be at Woodstock, or Atlanta Music Festival, Jimi always had the best shows.
According to Wallenfeldt, author of Sounds of Rebellion: Music in the 1060s, “Though his active career as a featured artist lasted a mere four years, Hendrix altered the course of popular music and became one of the most successful and influential musicians of his era. An instrumentalist who radically redefined the expressive potential and sonic palette of the electric guitar, he was the composer of a classic repertoire of songs ranging from ferocious rockers to delicate, complex ballads.”
Wallenfeldt, J. (2013). Sounds of rebellion: Music in the 1960s. New York: Britannica Educational Pub. in association with Rosen Educational Services.
Crockett, Z. (2015, November 5). The Invention of the Wah-Wah Pedal. Retrieved from https://priceonomics.com/the-invention-of-the-wah-wah-pedal/
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