Jimmy's only sibling was born September 27 1950, his sister Cathy Ira Hendrix
In 1960 Jimmy attendes Garfield High School in Seattle, but Jimmy at age 17 fails to graduate. Jimmy then, as a drop out, tries to find work but ends up working for his father as a landscape gardener.
As a year passes by Jimmy is arrested twice, both times for taking a motor vehicle without permission, ( occuring on May 2nd and May the 5th of 1961) When Jimmy goes to court for the charges he is given a two year suspension. with in the week Jimmy is recruited by the Army, within the next week Jimmy arrives at Fort Ord, near the Salinas, California to start basic training. Jimmy is eventually reassigned to Fort Campbell in Kentucky which is a jump school for paratroopers. This is where Jimmy meets Billy Cox and they get together and jam. They eventually end up playing at the Army Service Clubs with a drummer from Toledo, Ohio named Gary Ferguson. The months following Jimmy would continue complete jump school and start parachuting over various sites. But after Jimmy's 26th parachute jump Jimmy breaks his right ankle. The broken ankle would result in Jimmy's discharge from the Army for medical reasons. After Jimmy's discharge he finds himself standing outside the gates of Fort Campbell with his duffel bag and three or four hundred dollars in his pocket. Wanting to go back to Seattle, Jimmy decides to stay in Clarksville, (a town near Fort Campbell)because he is hung up on this girl and also wants to wait for Billy Cox discharge from the army in a few months.
In September of 1962 Billy Cox is dicharged and Jimmy and him rents a place together in Clarksville where they work together doing little gigs for a set up called W&W Man where they are payed so little that they decide that two W's stood for Wicked and Wrong. After a few months together Jimmy and Billy part and Jimmy moves up to Vancouver where he lives with his grandmother. Jimmy plays for a rhythm and blues band with Tommie Chong (from Cheech and Chong) and Bobby Taylor. Jimmy leaves Vancouver and heads for the South hoping to find some work. During the course of the year ( 1963 ) Jimmy travels from Bolox,Mississippi to Columbia, South Carolina playing for various groups to earn money.
In the early part of 1964 Jimmy moves to New York City where Jimmy meets Sam Cookes old girlfriend and she gets Jimmy in at Apollo Theater in Harlem where Sam is playing at. It is here at Apollo Theater where Jimmy's talent's was first reconized, he won a contest for best amateur with the prize of $ 25. Jimmy later got hooked up with The Isley Brothers and played for them 8 months as a backing guitarist. Jimmy was quoted saying this about the Isley Brothers " The Isley Brothers, the ones with twist and shout asked if I'd like to play with them. So I played with them for a while. And it got very boring, you know, cause you get very tired playing behind other people all the time, you know. So I quit them in Nashville, somewhere. ” In the same month Jimmy quit the Isley Brothers Jimmy meets up with Gorgeous George Odell, who works on the big tours that came through Nashville. Though the help from George landed Jimi a spot with The Little Richard Tour as a Little Richard Valet.
In 1965, Jimmy is still traveling with Little Richard playing all over the states. On one occasion Jimmy is mobbed by fans after a concert thinking he was Little Richard. After Seven Months of touring Jimmy is fired for missing the bus that was heading to Washington D.C. Jimmy is stranded in New York City with little money and once again no job. Jimmy finally gets a break and joins Curtis Knight and the Squires and he finally gets an oppotunity to record at Dimensional Studios they record, Hornets Nest, Knock Yourself Out, How Would You Feel, Gotta Have A New Dress, Strange Things...ect. Jimmy also records a song called Suey with Jayne Mansfield and is released in England.
In 1966 Jimmy contiues to work for Curtis Knight until one night Jimi decides to leave and join another band called Carl Holmes and the Commanders, Jimmy again quits within the week. Jimmy out of work agian consisders forming his own group. Jimmy tries to get together with as many musicians as possible to form a group, but never the less Jimmy finds no one that Jimmy wants to start a group with. Jimmy finds work as a solo guitarist at the Cafe Wah? in Greenwich where he meets up with Randy Wolfe ( aka Randy California ). Together Jimi and Randy form a group which Jimmy called Jimmy James and the Blue Flames. They play at the Night Owl Cafe with Randy on guitar, Randy Texas on bass, and an unknown drummer. Jimmy James made there regualar apperances at the Night Owl Cafe, then one night Linda Keith ( girlfriend of Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones ) went to the cafe one night and noticed the Guitarist who was quite amazing, she got to know Jimmy a little better and took him back to her hotel where she is staying with the Stones, she found out that he is a great and talented musician who idolized Bob Dylan. She later took him out to a guitar store and bought him a white Fender Stratocaster. Linda Keith reffered a friend of hers Chas Chandler ( a memeber of the Animals ) on what and amazing guitar player Jimmy was, so Chas and Linda went to the Night Owl to meet Jimmy. Chas is amazed by Jimi's musical ablities, so much Chas convinced Jimmy to come with him to England. On the plane fight to England Chas comes up with the name The Jimi Hendrix Experience and Jimmy changed his name to Jimi. After the arrival of Jimi and Chas attend auditions for New Animals, and who else would be at the auditions but Jimi's bass player Noel Redding. Chas hooks Jimi up with a friend of his Mitch Michell to play drums. Now that the Experience is complete Jimi and the other band members sign a management contract and publishing agreements with Chas and Mike Jeffery. Days after they sign the aggrement the band starts to play gigs. Not long after Chas took The Experience into the recording studio where they cut the tracks Hey Joe and Stone Free.
1967 The Experience plays gigs in various cities in England, doing press confrences, photo shoots, and in the mess of all this Jimi is able to find time to write and record songs. The release of Jimi's first album "Are You Experienced” reaches number two in the record charts. The cover is designed by Chas and is photographed by Bruce Fleming. Jimi plays the Monterey Pop Festival, his performance of Wild Thing, Jimi becomes a ‘wild thing’ and begans to smash his equipment ending with his grand finale of burning his guitar. This performance establishes him as a musical icon in America. Jimi then begins a tour with the Monkee's which quickly ended a week later. Jimi still touring, begans writing material for his second album “Axis Bold as Love”, which is released December 1, 1967. The cover concept is done by Roger Law and David King.
1968 The Experience tours internationally. Jimi eventually stops back home in Seattle and visits his old highschool, where he gave a speech and answers a few questions. Later Jimi recieves the keys to the city. Jimi is quoted saying,“ Man that Seattle thins is really something, the only keys I'd expect to see in that town were of the jail house.” On March 13 Jimi jams with The Doors vocalist Jim Morrison and members of The McCoys at the scene. Jimi begins to record various tracks for the third Experience album. On April 12 Jimi's Smash Hits Album is released in the UK. The Cover photo's are done by Dezo Hoffman. Jimi jumps between two different studios in New York and London to complete his new album. Jimi Electric Ladyland is banded from stores because the sleeve design features naked women. The clean version is released September 17 in the US stores.
1969 Jimi takes a plane out to Toronto to appear in the Toronto Court House where the presiding judge Fred Hayes reads the charges pending which are the possession of narcotics. On June 2 Jimi finds a new bassist Billy Cox, during his stay at the Beverly Rodeo Hotel in Los Angeles. June 8 While still in the Beverly Rodeo Hotel he is interviewed by Jerry Hopkins. In this interview Jimi makes it known to the world that Billy Cox will be the new bass player. On June 19, Jimi's back in the Toronto Court where Judge Robert Taylor set's Jimi's trial on December 8. July 2 Rolling Stones member Brain Jones dies at hi sSussex home, Jim is devistated. Smash Hits LP is released on July 7th in America. Jimi forms a new band called Gypsy Sons and Rainbows, featureing Jimi, Mitch Mitchell, Larry Lee, Juma Sultan, Billy Cox, and Jerry Velez. The Gypsy Sons and Rainbows make their bedut at Woodstock on August 18. The band begins at Eight O' clock in the morning. Jimi was so moved by the whole Woodstock vibe that he wrote an wunfinished text about Woodstock. That goes like this "500,000 halos outshined the mud and history. We washed and drank in Gods tears of joy, and for once and for everyone the truth was not a mystery." Jimi gets a new band together naming it "The Band of Gypsy's" on December 31st Jimi's new band performs two shows at the Fillmore East.
1970: The Band of Gypsy's plays at the Fillmore East this concert is recorded and released on April 24 in the US. Jimi begins first sessions at his studio, Electric Lady at 52 West 8th Street, New York. On July 30 Jimi plays two shows at the Rainbow Bridge in Hawaii. Rainbow Bridge was known was Rainbow Ridge because that is the name of the ridge on which the concert was held. August 26 a party is held for the offical opening of the Electric Lady Studio. August 30 Jimi plays at the Isle of Wright. On September 6th Jimi plays what would be his last concert at an event entitled "The Love and Peace Festival." September 18th Monika Danneman (Jimi's girlfriend) woke up at approx 10:20am and left around 11:00am to go byr some cigarettes. When she returned she found Jimi had been sick. The ambulance was called at 11:18am and arrived at 11:27am, Jimi is then taken to the hospital and is pronounced dead at 11:45am. The cause of death was inhalation of vomit due to barbiturate intoxication. (which means jimi consumed liquor the night before and also took 9 Vesparax sleeping pills causeing him to vomit and choke and eventually suffocation). October 1st Jimi's funeral services is held at the Dunlap Baptist Church in Renton, Seattle. Jimi body is buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Renton.
