His career in the spotlight may have tragically lasted just four years but, in those years, Jimi Hendrix delivered several lifetimes worth of achievements. Countless musicians are indebted to the way that Hendrix transformed blues and rock, and the ways that he revolutionized the art of guitar playing. Just as Hendrix’s work boldly spanned genres before his untimely passing in 1970, artists of all types have drawn influence from the man that Rolling Stone ranked as the greatest guitarist of all time.
More Than Just Music
Before we dive into Hendrix’s direct contributions on the world of music, it’s worth noting how his legacy goes way beyond his fields of expertise. The mark of a true musical great is how they influence aspiring artists, but the mark of a cultural icon is how they influence wider industries. Hendrix delivers on both fronts, with his aesthetic as instantly recognizable as his signature guitar-playing. This is because Hendrix has lived on in a diverse range of media, introducing newer generations to the man and the musician.
One such introduction came in the form of Emperor Media’s 2010 documentary, titled Jimi Hendrix: The Guitar Hero. The doc fittingly featured Slash as narrator, while a multitude of celebrity interviews provided fascinating insights into Hendrix’s world. The 2013 drama Jimi: All Is by My Side brought Hendrix to life courtesy of Andre 3000’s performance, with the cast also featuring Hayley Atwell and Burn Gorman. Although the denial of filmmakers’ request to use Hendrix’s music in the movie may have contributed to its poor 37% audience response score on Rotten Tomatoes, the drama was praised by critics for its “well-acted alternative take on the Hendrix myth”.
Virtual representations of Hendrix have also consolidated his legacy in recent years, with some online casinos, for example, including one release named after the guitarist. The Jimi Hendrix slot deploys a detailed video introduction that blends Hendrix’s classic sounds and style, with the reel-based action paying homage through its psychedelic themes. The US Postal Service also used artistic methods in tribute to Hendrix, with their 2014 commemorative stamp depicting the guitarist at work, and is still available for purchase on eBay from a range of sellers.
A Musical Pioneer
From documentaries to dramas, from slots to stamps, Hendrix has had a hugely significant impact on the entertainment industry and beyond. However, it is naturally his music that remains the most influential part of his legacy. Any musician who relies on overdriven amplifiers, fuzz distortion, or stereophonic phasing effects owes Hendrix a debt of gratitude, as he was the pioneering guitarist who brought these techniques into the mainstream.
Here’s a brief overview of Hendrix’s impact on a range of genres.
Funk
Much of Hendrix’s seminal work was performed with his group The Jimi Hendrix Experience, but the 1970 live album Band of Gypsys saw Hendrix break away and hit the stage with a new supporting cast. This album is considered to be the peak of Hendrix’s seamless merging of rock and funk. By integrating funky rhythms and riffs into a classic rock performance, Band of Gypsys essentially gave birth to the genre of funk rock.
George Clinton carried the torch for funk rock in the years following Hendrix’s passing, while the likes of Prince and the Red Hot Chili Peppers brought Hendrix’s stylings to audiences in the 1980s and 1990s respectively. RHCP’s guitarist John Frusciante has spoken openly about his attempts to emulate elements of Hendrix’s musicianship, with his ‘full-blown Hendrix style lead workouts’ guiding MusicRadar’s video and tab lesson on how to play like Frusciante.
Hip hop
Given his association with the electric guitar, Hendrix’s influence on rock-driven genres is widely renowned. However, the soulful side of Hendrix transcends genres, to the point that the guitarist has also shaped the careers of several notable hip hop artists. A Tribe Called Quest, Digital Underground, and the Beastie Boys are among the hip hop performers that have sampled Hendrix.
The Beastie Boys delivered an overt tribute in the track ‘Jimmy James’, which sampled classic Hendrix tracks ‘Foxy Lady’ and ‘Still Raining, Still Dreaming’. A Tribe Called Quest turned to Hendrix’s ‘Little Miss Lover’ for their hit ‘Scenario’, while Digital Underground sampled ‘Who Knows’ in their song ‘The Way We Swing’. Hendrix would likely appreciate the incorporation of his music into the adventurous world of hip hop, with Hendrix’s producer Eddie Kramer suggesting in a BBC Radio 6 Music interview that the guitarist would have definitely tried his hand at rap music.
Grunge
Consequence of Sound produced a fascinating feature in January 2019 about Hendrix’s often-underappreciated influence on the 1990s grunge explosion in Seattle, the city of Hendrix’s birth. At the surface, Hendrix might not appear to have much in common with the genre; where Hendrix was flamboyant and technical, grunge guitarists generally tended towards heavier, less ostentatious riffs. While Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready explicitly stated his adoration of Hendrix, he was in a minority among 90s grunge artists.
Hendrix’s later work may have been characterized by funkier vibes, but his earlier material, such as the seminal album Electric Ladyland, was all about the collision of blues and rock. By incorporating feedback and distortion into classic blues, Hendrix laid down the foundations for rock and metal in the 1970s. This subsequently provided the platform for 1990s grunge guitarists, whose bluesy riffs and solos would be impossible without Hendrix’s creativity.
Hendrix was arguably the most significant artist of all among the rich talents of the 1960s and 1970s, responsible for many musical conventions that we now take for granted. His impact on a diverse set of genres shows that it is impossible to pigeonhole Hendrix simply as a rock or blues guitarist, while his presence in other areas of the entertainment industry reinforces that his legacy will never be forgotten.
2 Responses
Nice post, I’m a huge Jimi fan!
I am a 64 year old Hendrix fan. I can appreciate most of the current articles about Hendrix. This article I felt was fair and at least honest. I give the article big credit for at least puting his Band of Gypsies output credit showing his diversity and his ability to play with other musicians besides the Experience line-up. I think players like Jeff Beck, Santana and Clapton have had decades more time to progress and show their ability to progress. Unlike some players who also had decades to grow and progress but didn’t. Even the Beatles grew and progressed. Hendrix played for years with R&B groups, his playing progressed but his star shined for about 4 years. Your article helps extend his legacy but I hope his music will speak for itself.