Jimi Hendrix

Name was legally changed from "Johnny Allen Hendrix" to "James Marshall Hendrix" on September 11, 1946. He was 3 years old at the time.

He was discovered and managed by Chas Chandler, the Newcastle-born bass player for the 1960s group The Animals, who had a hit with "House of the Rising Sun", he later went on to manage the rock group Slade in the '70s.

Backed Little Richard and The Isley Brothers before being "discovered" by Chas Chandler of The Animals in 1966.

Though the guitar chord - 7th + sharpened 9th - became known as "The Hendrix Chord" through its heavy use on his "Foxy Lady" and "Purple Haze," the 7#9 was actually used several months earlier by George Harrison on "Taxman" from The Beatles' 1966 album "Revolver".

While living in London in 1966, he got the chance to jam with Cream. He had wanted a chance to play with Eric Clapton.

David Gilmour of Pink Floyd lists him as a major influence. When Gilmour saw Hendrix playing in a London nightclub in 1966, he said that nobody who saw that performance left the club not thinking that Hendrix would go all the way to the top.

Toured with The Monkees in 1967 as their opening act, in the weeks before his Monterey performance; disliking their music at first, Hendrix was surprised that the Monkees would invite him. (They all but demanded his presence on tour from their managers.) He and the group hit it off well, though, and found each other to be genuine, impressive, and good company. (Some jamming did happen offstage, but none was recorded.) Hendrix's act proved far less a match with the Monkees' fans, though, and performances sometimes unraveled among relentless cries for the headliners. Hendrix asked to leave the tour, to begin his own after Monterey; he left on good terms, but a story was concocted by the Monkees' press corps that Hendrix was out because of protests from the Daughters of the American Revolution, about his wild stage act--an inside joke, and some extra publicity for Hendrix.

Played his next to last performance at the infamous Isle of Wight festival in August 1970.

The footage of him playing "The Star-Spangled Banner" in the film Woodstock (1970) is one of the most studied pieces of musical film ever.

Was a very close friend of David Nuuhiwa who later was used in Rainbow Bridge (1972).

Musician Al Kooper received one of Hendrix's black Stratocasters from him as a gift; after de-converting the left-handed setup, Kooper used the guitar years later, to record the Crime Story (1986) (TV) soundtrack.

Elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (as a member of the Jimi Hendrix Experience) in 1992.

He was voted the 6th Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Artist of all time by Rolling Stone. He was also voted the greatest guitarist of all time in a 2003 poll by Rolling Stone, a claim few would dispute.

Inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame for his outstanding contribution to British music and integral part of British music culture. (16 November 2005).

He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 6627 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.