"Hey Joe" 45RPM record, signed by Jimi Hendrix
Subject
Jimi Hendrix
(American, 1942 - 1970)
Date1967
ClassificationsMusic
DimensionsOverall: 7 x 7 in. (17.8 x 17.8 cm)
Description"Hey Joe / Stone Free" by the Jimi Hendrix Experience, 45RPM, 7" Mono vinyl record, in a record sleeve. The front cover of the sleeve has a red background at top with white and black text that reads, "Hey Joe / Stone Free / Jimi Hendrix Experience." In top right corner is the record label information and logo, "polydor / 59061". At top left corner Jimi Hendrix has signed in black ink. The bottom half of the front cover shows a black and white photograph of Hendrix's head. The record is black vinyl with a red inner label containing the song's information.Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970) was a guitarist, singer, and songwriter who is often considered one of the greatest guitarists of all time. Hendrix began playing guitar at 15 and performed with bands in his hometown of Seattle before enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1961. Hendrix served for one year before he was discharged in June 1962. After leaving the Army, Hendrix began performing as a backing musician, where he played with several artists including Sam Cooke, the Isley Brothers, and Little Richard on the R&B and blues circuits.
Hendrix then formed a short-lived band, Jimmy James and the Blue Flames, before he moved to London to start the Jimi Hendrix Experience in 1966. Their first single, "Hey Joe," was met with critical acclaim. The band's debut album Are You Experienced? was released in May 1967 and was an immediate hit. Their June 1967 performance at the Monterey Pop Festival further cemented Hendrix's status as one of the best guitarists and live performers of the burgeoning rock scene. Hendrix and the Experience released two more studio albums, Axis: Bold as Love and Electric Ladyland, which were both critical and commercial successes. The Jimi Hendrix Experience broke up in June 1969, shortly before Hendrix headlined the Woodstock Music and Art Fair, where his performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" became a catalyst moment in the counterculture movement of the 1960s.
Hendrix was at the height of his fame when he died on September 18, 1970, at 27 years old. He is remembered for his inventive guitar playing and his flamboyant stage presence, and is cited by countless musicians as an influence. He and the Experience were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.
