Jimi Hendrix: influences, peers and legacy

Every connection with its receipt

Jimi Hendrix arrived in London in 1966 carrying the Chitlin' Circuit in his hands — Seattle radio blues, Little Richard's revue discipline, and the Nashville R&B bandstand — and turned it into feedback architecture. This mix traces what fed that transformation: Delta and Texas blues, a sci-fi imagination, jazz's search for the infinite, and the British blues peers he leapfrogged in a season. It ends with the guitarists who are still answering him.

The Kynda mix for Jimi Hendrix

• Key Influence · Hoochie Coochie Man by Muddy Waters (1954). Hendrix repeatedly named Muddy Waters as the first guitarist he was ever conscious of — hearing him on record as a Seattle kid and being frightened by the sound. The amplified Chicago slide tone, the swagger of the stop-time riff, and Willie Dixon's mythic first-person boasting all survive intact in 'Voodoo Child (Slight Return)', which is essentially a Waters record rebuilt out of wah pedal and Marshall stacks.
• Influencia Obscura · Space Guitar by Johnny "Guitar" Watson (1954). A 1954 instrumental that is almost incomprehensibly ahead of itself: Watson drowns his guitar in reverb and feedback, attacks the strings percussively, and abandons the tune entirely for texture. Watson also played with his teeth and behind his head on the Texas circuit years before Hendrix did. It is the missing link between jump blues and 'Third Stone from the Sun', and almost nobody outside guitarists knows it.
• Local Roots · Confession Blues by Ray Charles (1949). Cut in Seattle by the young Ray Charles with the McSon Trio, this is the sound of the Jackson Street club scene that shaped Black music in Hendrix's hometown a few years before he was born there. Hendrix grew up in a city with a real R&B infrastructure — the Rocking Kings and Dave Lewis's bands played those same halls — and that circuit, not folk-rock, was his apprenticeship.
• Beyond the Medium · A Love Supreme by John Coltrane (1965). Hendrix's late work pushed toward modal, open-ended improvisation — 'Machine Gun' is a twelve-minute suite more than a song — and he was known to be listening hard to Coltrane. Plans for a session with Miles Davis and Tony Williams were in motion when he died. Coltrane's sheets of sound, spiritual framing and willingness to let a single chord carry an entire performance map directly onto Hendrix's final live playing.
• Peer · Disraeli Gears by Cream (1967). Chas Chandler got Hendrix onstage with Cream within days of landing in London in 1966; he played 'Killing Floor' at a tempo that reportedly sent Eric Clapton offstage shaken. The two became friends and rivals, and Clapton's woman-tone and extended blues improvising on this album define the London scene Hendrix detonated. Clapton was holding a guitar he intended to give Hendrix on the night he died.
• From the Canon · Are You Experienced by The Jimi Hendrix Experience (1967). Recorded fast in London on a tiny budget with Chas Chandler producing and Eddie Kramer engineering, it compresses everything Hendrix had learned as an R&B sideman into pop-length explosions. 'Manic Depression' is a blues in waltz time, 'Foxy Lady' opens on pure feedback, and the title track runs backwards tape across the whole band. The record that redefined what an electric guitar was for.
• Key Collaborator · The House of the Rising Sun by The Animals (1964). Chandler played bass on this record before quitting The Animals to become a manager. Linda Keith pointed him to Hendrix at a Greenwich Village club in 1966; Chandler brought him to London, renamed the spelling, assembled the Experience around him and produced the first two albums, famously insisting on short takes and discipline. Without that intervention Hendrix stays a sideman.
• Legacy · Purple Rain by Prince (1984). Prince spent a career being compared to Hendrix and sometimes resisting it, but the lineage is undeniable: a Black rock guitarist writing his own material, fronting a mixed band, fusing psychedelia with R&B and treating the solo as emotional climax. The title track's closing solo and his 2004 performance of 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' are both arguments made in Hendrix's vocabulary.

What influenced Jimi Hendrix

• Muddy Waters. Hendrix listened to Waters while learning guitar. (also via Hoochie Coochie Man) “He played for hours daily, watching others and learning from more experienced guitarists, and listening to blues artists such as Muddy Waters , B.B. King , Howlin' Wolf , and Robert Johnson .” (Wikipedia)
• B.B. King. Hendrix listened to King while learning guitar. (also via Three O'Clock Blues) “He played for hours daily, watching others and learning from more experienced guitarists, and listening to blues artists such as Muddy Waters , B.B. King , Howlin' Wolf , and Robert Johnson .” (Wikipedia)
• Howlin' Wolf. Hendrix listened to Howlin’ Wolf while learning guitar. (also via Killing Floor) “He played for hours daily, watching others and learning from more experienced guitarists, and listening to blues artists such as Muddy Waters , B.B. King , Howlin' Wolf , and Robert Johnson .” (Wikipedia)
• Robert Johnson. Hendrix listened to Johnson while learning guitar. “He played for hours daily, watching others and learning from more experienced guitarists, and listening to blues artists such as Muddy Waters , B.B. King , Howlin' Wolf , and Robert Johnson .” (Wikipedia)
• Hoochie Coochie Man by Muddy Waters (1954). Hoochie Coochie Man (Muddy Waters) — titan for Jimi Hendrix “He played for hours daily, watching others and learning from more experienced guitarists, and listening to blues artists such as Muddy Waters, B.B.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Tutti Frutti by Little Richard (1955). Tutti Frutti (Little Richard) — titan for Jimi Hendrix “Soon afterward, he moved to Clarksville, then Nashville, Tennessee, and began playing gigs on the Chitlin' Circuit, earning a place in the Isley Brothers' backing band and later with Little Richard, with whom he continued to work through…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Space Guitar by Johnny "Guitar" Watson (1954). Space Guitar (Johnny "Guitar" Watson) — ghost for Jimi Hendrix “Watson discussed at length his influences and those he had influenced, referencing Guitar Slim, Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa and Stevie Ray Vaughan.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• First Time I Met the Blues by Buddy Guy (1960). First Time I Met the Blues (Buddy Guy) — ghost for Jimi Hendrix “He is an exponent of Chicago blues who has influenced generations of guitarists including Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jeff Beck, Gary Clark Jr., and John Mayer.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• A Love Supreme by John Coltrane (1965). A Love Supreme (John Coltrane) — culture for Jimi Hendrix “Miles Davis was deeply impressed by Hendrix, and he compared Hendrix's improvisational abilities with those of saxophonist John Coltrane.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• John Wesley Harding by Bob Dylan (1967). John Wesley Harding (Bob Dylan) — culture for Jimi Hendrix “King's "Rock Me Baby", Chip Taylor's "Wild Thing", and Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone", and four original compositions: "Foxy Lady", "Can You See Me", "The Wind Cries Mary", and "Purple Haze".” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Elvis Presley. Hendrix learned to play by following Presley recordings. “Learning by ear, he played single notes, following along to Elvis Presley songs, particularly " Hound Dog ".” (Wikipedia)
• Billy Davis. Davis taught Hendrix guitar licks. “In 1959, attending a concert by Hank Ballard & The Midnighters in Seattle, Hendrix met the group's guitarist Billy Davis . [ 44 ] Davis showed him some guitar licks and got him a short gig with the Midnighters.” (Wikipedia)
• John Lee Hooker. Cox compared Hendrix’s playing to Hooker’s. “Impressed by Hendrix's technique, which Cox described as a combination of " John Lee Hooker and Beethoven ", Cox borrowed a bass guitar and the two jammed .” (Wikipedia)
• Ludwig van Beethoven. Cox compared Hendrix’s playing to Beethoven’s. “Impressed by Hendrix's technique, which Cox described as a combination of " John Lee Hooker and Beethoven ", Cox borrowed a bass guitar and the two jammed .” (Wikipedia)
• Elmore James. Asked about musical influences, Hendrix names Elmore James among blues musicians he used to like. “Well, I don’t have any right now. I used to like Elmore James and early Muddy Waters and stuff like that—Robert Johnson and all those old cats.” (The Official Jimi Hendrix Site)
• Three O'Clock Blues by B.B. King (1951). Three O'Clock Blues (B.B. King) — titan for Jimi Hendrix (musicbrainz.org)
• 2001: A Space Odyssey by Stanley Kubrick (1968). 2001: A Space Odyssey (Stanley Kubrick) — culture for Jimi Hendrix (themoviedb.org)

Peers and kindred spirits

• All Along the Watchtower by Bob Dylan. Hendrix covered Dylan’s All Along the Watchtower. “It included " All Along the Watchtower ", famously covered by Jimi Hendrix .” (Wikipedia)
• Wilson Pickett. Hendrix performed as a backing musician for Pickett. “Well no, at that particular time Atlantic Records was givin' us a party, and Jimi Hendrix at that time was playin' with King Curtis band. The band was at the party in New York, and I was just singin' a song.” (EarlyHendrix)
• Love by Arthur Lee. Hendrix supported Arthur Lee’s band Love. “The single failed to chart, but Hendrix and Lee began a friendship that lasted several years; Hendrix later became an ardent supporter of Lee's band, Love .” (Wikipedia)
• Little Richard (1932). Hendrix recorded a single with Little Richard. (also via Tutti Frutti) “During a stop in Los Angeles in February 1965, he recorded his first and only single with Richard, "I Don't Know What You Got (But It's Got Me)", written by Don Covay and released by Vee-Jay Records .” (Wikipedia)
• The Star-Spangled Banner. Hendrix performed the national anthem at Woodstock. “All I did was play it. I’m American, so I played it. I used to sing it in school, they made me sing it in school so — it was a flashback, you know.” (PBS American Experience)
• Slim Harpo. Hendrix performed as a backing musician for Harpo. “Hendrix also performed during his years as a hiredgun with Jackie Wilson, Slim Harpo, Sam Cooke and Ike & Tina Turner.” (Rock and Roll Garage)
• Sam Cooke. Hendrix performed as a backing musician for Cooke. “Well like Little Richard, Isley Brothers, you know, Wilson Pickett, Solomon Burke, Jackie Wilson, Sam Cooke.” (EarlyHendrix)
• Ike & Tina Turner. Hendrix performed as a backing musician for Ike & Tina Turner. “Yeah, I came out here before, yeah. I played here at the Fillmore with Ike and Tina and Little Richard about 4 or 5 years ago.” (EarlyHendrix)
• Jackie Wilson. Hendrix performed as a backing musician for Wilson. “Well like Little Richard, Isley Brothers, you know, Wilson Pickett, Solomon Burke, Jackie Wilson, Sam Cooke.” (EarlyHendrix)
• Prince (1958). Prince covered Jimi Hendrix's Red House for a tribute album. (via Red House, Purple Rain) “He also performed the song " Red House " as "Purple House" on the album Power of Soul: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix.” (Wikipedia)
• Led Zeppelin II by Led Zeppelin (1969). Led Zeppelin II (Led Zeppelin) — collaborator for Jimi Hendrix “Headquartered first at The Record Plant and later working as an independent producer and engineer, Kramer produced the first Johnny Winter album and engineered a sequence of five Led Zeppelin albums, beginning with Led Zeppelin II.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Miles Davis (1926). Davis had planned to record with Hendrix before his death. “Plans to record with Hendrix ended after the guitarist's death; his funeral was the last one that Davis attended.” (Wikipedia)
• Disraeli Gears by Cream (1967). Disraeli Gears (Cream) — peer for Jimi Hendrix “On October 1, 1966, Chandler brought Hendrix to the London Polytechnic at Regent Street, where Cream was scheduled to perform, and where Hendrix and guitarist Eric Clapton met.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• The Who Sell Out by The Who (1967). The Who Sell Out (The Who) — peer for Jimi Hendrix “In late October, Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp, managers of the Who, signed the Experience to their newly formed label, Track Records, and the group recorded their first song, "Hey Joe", on October 23.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• The House of the Rising Sun by The Animals (1964). The House of the Rising Sun (The Animals) — collaborator for Jimi Hendrix “Hendrix moved to England in late 1966, after bassist Chas Chandler of the Animals became his manager.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Fat Mattress by Fat Mattress (1969). Fat Mattress (Fat Mattress) — collaborator for Jimi Hendrix “It was a party, not a session." Redding, who had formed his own band in mid-1968, Fat Mattress, found it increasingly difficult to fulfill his commitments with the Experience, so Hendrix played many of the bass parts on Electric Ladyland.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Peter Gunn. The Peter Gunn theme was the first tune Hendrix learned to play. “The first tune Hendrix learned to play was the television theme " Peter Gunn ".” (Wikipedia)
• The Isley Brothers. Hendrix recorded a single with the Isley Brothers. “In March 1964, Hendrix recorded the two-part single " Testify " with the Isley Brothers.” (Wikipedia)
• Don Covay. Hendrix played guitar on Covay’s song. “In May, he provided guitar instrumentation for the Don Covay song, " Mercy Mercy ".” (Wikipedia)
• Rosa Lee Brooks. Hendrix participated in Brooks’s recording session. “Hendrix met singer Rosa Lee Brooks while staying at the Wilcox Hotel in Hollywood, and she invited him to participate in a recording session for her single, which included the Arthur Lee penned "My Diary" as the A-side , and "Utee" as th…” (Wikipedia)
• Curtis Knight and the Squires. Hendrix joined Curtis Knight and the Squires. “Later that year, he joined a New York-based R&B band, Curtis Knight and the Squires, after meeting Knight in the lobby of a hotel where both men were staying.” (Wikipedia)
• Jimmy James and the Blue Flames. Hendrix formed Jimmy James and the Blue Flames. “There, he was offered a residency at Cafe Wha? on MacDougal Street and formed his own band that June, Jimmy James and the Blue Flames , which included future Spirit guitarist Randy California .” (Wikipedia)
• The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Hendrix formed and performed in the Experience. “Within months, he formed the Jimi Hendrix Experience (with its rhythm section consisting of bassist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell ) and achieved three UK top-ten hits: " Hey Joe ", " Purple Haze ", and " The Wind Cries Mary ".” (Wikipedia)
• Killing Floor by Howlin' Wolf. Hendrix performed Howlin’ Wolf’s song. “Halfway through Cream's set, Hendrix took the stage and performed a frantic version of the Howlin' Wolf song " Killing Floor ".” (Wikipedia)
• Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles. Hendrix performed the Beatles album’s title track. “On June 4, 1967, Hendrix opened a show at the Saville Theatre in London with his rendition of Sgt. Pepper ' s title track , which was released just three days previous.” (Wikipedia)
• Jack Casady. Casady played bass on Hendrix’s Voodoo Chile. “During the Electric Ladyland recording sessions, Hendrix began experimenting with other combinations of musicians, including Jefferson Airplane's Jack Casady and Traffic's Steve Winwood , who played bass and organ, respectively, on the 1…” (Wikipedia)
• Steve Winwood. Winwood played organ on Hendrix’s Voodoo Chile. “During the Electric Ladyland recording sessions, Hendrix began experimenting with other combinations of musicians, including Jefferson Airplane's Jack Casady and Traffic's Steve Winwood , who played bass and organ, respectively, on the 1…” (Wikipedia)
• Al Kooper. Hendrix jammed with Kooper. “During the album's production, Hendrix appeared at an impromptu jam with B.B. King, Al Kooper , and Elvin Bishop .” (Wikipedia)
• Elvin Bishop. Hendrix jammed with Bishop. “During the album's production, Hendrix appeared at an impromptu jam with B.B. King, Al Kooper , and Elvin Bishop .” (Wikipedia)
• Cronos Quartet. Critic notes Kronos Quartet performed a string quartet version of Hendrix's Purple Haze. (via Purple Haze) “including string quartet versions of jazz classics, and even rock songs like Jimmy Hendrix's Purple Hayes” (Luxembourg (public broadcasting))
• Twelve. Twelve includes a cover of Jimi Hendrix's 'Are You Experienced?'. (via Are You Experienced?) “features such songs as Jimi Hendrix " Are You Experienced? ", Nirvana's " Smells Like Teen Spirit ", and Rolling Stones' " Gimme Shelter ".” (Wikipedia)
• Confession Blues by Ray Charles (1949). Confession Blues (Ray Charles) — geography for Jimi Hendrix (musicbrainz.org)
• Tall Cool One by The Wailers (1959). Tall Cool One (The Wailers) — geography for Jimi Hendrix (musicbrainz.org)
• Walking in Space by Quincy Jones (1969). Walking in Space (Quincy Jones) — geography for Jimi Hendrix (musicbrainz.org)
• Truth. Truth (Jeff Beck Group) — peer for Jimi Hendrix “Long-time Beck fan Jimi Hendrix jammed with the band at Steve Paul’s Scene during this and their following tours.” (en.wikipedia.org)

Who Jimi Hendrix influenced

• D'Angelo. D'Angelo includes Jimi Hendrix in his account of the music he absorbed. (also via Voodoo) “he "went through this tunnel, through gospel , blues , and a lot of old soul , old James Brown , early, early Sly and the Family Stone , and a lot of Jimi Hendrix ".” (Wikipedia)
• Voodoo by D'Angelo (2000). Voodoo contains musical homages to Jimi Hendrix among other artists. “for all of the homages to everyone from Sly Stone to Jimi Hendrix, D’Angelo only had Prince to thank for giving him the desire to work on projects like this” (Far Out Magazine)
• Jeff Buckley (1966). Buckley was introduced to Jimi Hendrix early in life. “his stepfather introduced him to Led Zeppelin , Queen , Jimi Hendrix , the Who , and Pink Floyd at an early age” (Wikipedia)
• Cage the Elephant (2006). Early influence noted. “During their early years the band was influenced by classic rock and folk bands such as The Rolling Stones , Jimi Hendrix and The Beatles.” (Wikipedia)
• Experience Music Project. Bianculli notes Gehry's Experience Music Project building was inspired by Jimi Hendrix. “Seattle's Experience Music Project, a music museum inspired by Jimmy Hendrix.” (Fresh Air (WHYY/NPR))
• David Bowie (1947). Rock likens Bowie's shocking stage moment of biting Mick Ronson's guitar to Jimi Hendrix's iconic guitar-burning moments. “It was like seeing Jimi Hendrix biting his guitar or setting it on fire, or Pete Townshend smashing his guitar.” (Fresh Air (NPR/WHYY))
• Miguel (1985). Miguel names Jimi Hendrix as an influence. “Miguel cites musicians Prince , David Bowie , Jimi Hendrix , Freddie Mercury , Phil Collins , Donny Hathaway , the Notorious B.I.G. , Kanye West , Saul Williams , Queen , Usher and Pharrell Williams as influences” (Wikipedia)
• Mary Halvorson. Wikipedia states Halvorson was drawn to guitar after discovering Jimi Hendrix. “Halvorson began her musical education on violin but was enthralled with the idea of playing guitar after discovering Jimi Hendrix .” (Wikipedia)
• Purple Rain by Prince (1984). Purple Rain (Prince) — legacy for Jimi Hendrix “He has directly influenced numerous funk and funk rock artists, including Prince, George Clinton, John Frusciante of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Eddie Hazel of Funkadelic, and Ernie Isley of the Isley Brothers.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Monterey Pop. The documentary featured Hendrix’s performance. “The performance was filmed by D. A. Pennebaker and included in the concert documentary Monterey Pop , which helped Hendrix gain popularity with the US public.” (Wikipedia)
• Eminem. The article reports that Eminem cited Jimi Hendrix as a musical influence. “Eminem also incorporates rap rock into his music and has cited rock acts during the 1970s and 1980s, such as Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin , as influences in his music.” (Wikipedia)
• WZRD by Kid Cudi and Dot da Genius. Cudi names Jimi Hendrix as an inspiration for the WZRD album. “According to Cudi, bands that inspired the album include Electric Light Orchestra , Jimi Hendrix , Nirvana and Pink Floyd .” (Wikipedia)
• George Clinton. The article names Hendrix as an inspiration for Clinton. “inspired by artists such as Jimi Hendrix , Sly Stone , and Frank Zappa , he relocated to Detroit” (Wikipedia)
• Eddie Hazel. The article describes Hazel’s guitar style as Hendrix-inspired. “Eddie Hazel was the original lead guitarist for Funkadelic and was a major force on the first several albums by that group. His Hendrix -inspired style has become very influential.” (Wikipedia)
• Joey Santiago. The article identifies Jimi Hendrix as a guitarist who influenced Santiago. “Guitarists who influenced him include Jimi Hendrix , Les Paul , Wes Montgomery , Lou Reed [ 126 ] and George Harrison .” (Wikipedia)
• Texas Flood by Stevie Ray Vaughan (1983). Texas Flood (Stevie Ray Vaughan) — legacy for Jimi Hendrix “No one can ever take his place." Hendrix also influenced Black Sabbath, industrial artist Marilyn Manson, blues musician Stevie Ray Vaughan, Randy Hansen, Uli Jon Roth, Kiss's Ace Frehley, Metallica's Kirk Hammett, Aerosmith's Brad Whitf…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Vivid by Living Colour (1988). Vivid (Living Colour) — legacy for Jimi Hendrix (musicbrainz.org)
• John Mayer (1977). Continuum (Jimi Hendrix) — titan for John Mayer (via Continuum) “In addition to performing solo, he was a member of a band called Villanova Junction (named for a Jimi Hendrix song) with Tim Procaccini, Joe Beleznay, and Rich Wolf.” (en.wikipedia.org)