Jimi Hendrix

Hendrix, one of rock music’s most influential exponents, broke new ground in electric guitar playing. He learned his craft backing Cooke, Wilson, Curtis, Little Richard, and Ike and Tina Turner among other soul/rhythm and blues stars, and gigged with King. Among British admirers he telegrammed McCartney to fly out and play bass with himself and Davis (it didn’t happen), joined the Rolling Stones backstage on his birthday, and won a toss with Townshend to decide who would play last. He gave his friend Zappa a guitar he’d set alight, and told Smith (found sitting on his studio steps) he was also kind of shy.