Jimi Hendrix, a name synonymous with electrifying guitar mastery, stands as a monumental figure in rock history. Remarkably, this iconic guitarist never received formal lessons, couldn’t read music, and bypassed instruction books entirely. Yet, within a mere four years after September 1966, he ascended to become rock music’s most celebrated and influential guitarist. The question lingers: what ignited this extraordinary explosion of talent? While the complete answer resides only within Jimi himself, the recollections of those closest to him offer a fascinating glimpse into the genesis of his profound connection with the guitar and the formative steps that propelled him towards becoming a transformational musician, forever changing the landscape of guitar playing. This exploration delves into the early chapters of Jimi Hendrix Playing Guitar, tracing his journey from humble beginnings to his first instrumental explorations.
Humble Beginnings and Early Musical Exposure
Like many luminaries of music such as Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, and Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix’s early life was marked by significant poverty. Born James Marshall Hendrix in Seattle on November 27, 1942, his childhood during World War II saw him living with a foster family in Oakland, California, while his father, James “Al” Hendrix, served in the Pacific. Upon Al’s return from military service, Jimi was brought back to Seattle and reunited with his mother, Lucille Jeter Hendrix, who had given him up shortly after birth. For a time, the family of three resided in the Rainer Vista housing project, where young Jimi’s bedroom was a closet. “He’d go in there while Lucille and I were fighting too,” Al recounted in My Son Jimi. The tumultuous relationship between his parents and the instability of his early home life undoubtedly shaped Jimi’s formative years. Despite the hardships, even as a young child, Jimi displayed an innate connection to music. “He would usually pat his foot to music or bang on pans,” his father observed, recalling the earliest signs of Jimi’s rhythmic inclinations.
Recognizing his son’s burgeoning musical interest, Al sought to nurture it in a resourceful way. “Then I got him a couple of sticks and a box to beat on instead of the pans, because he’d knock dents in them,” Al explained. His ingenuity further extended to crafting a rudimentary instrument for Jimi: “I also made him a little guitar-like instrument out of a cigar box. I cut a hole in the top and sealed the lid to keep it from flopping open, and then I pasted on a wood neck and used elastic bands for strings.” This cigar box guitar, while not a source of melodic richness, served as a crucial “imaginary piece,” allowing Jimi to physically engage with the concept of a guitar from a young age. He also possessed a harmonica, though it seems his fascination remained primarily with stringed instruments. Furthering his access to music, Al later acquired a ukulele during a basement cleanout, providing Jimi with his first real foray into playing a stringed instrument, albeit before he would truly begin his journey of Jimi Hendrix playing guitar in earnest.
First Musical Influences and Artistic Expression
Jimi’s childhood was also marked by the struggles of his mother, Lucille, whose battles with alcoholism and personal demons led to periods of absence and instability. These difficult family circumstances, coupled with the family’s financial hardships, were evident in Jimi’s early school years. Classmates at Leschi Elementary School in Seattle remembered him as a shy and withdrawn boy, often wearing hand-me-down clothing and shoes that were far from new. He was pigeon-toed, spoke with a mumble, and avoided eye contact, painting a picture of a sensitive child navigating a challenging world. Finances were so tight that Al resorted to cutting Jimi’s hair himself and feeding him horsemeat to save money. Adding to the sense of isolation, Jimi rarely spoke of his mother, leading even close friends to believe she was deceased. Despite these hardships, Sundays offered a measure of stability as his grandmother regularly took him to the Church of God in Christ. While his father wasn’t sure if Jimi sang in church or joined the choir, these early exposures to gospel music likely contributed to his developing musical sensibilities.
Before the guitar took center stage, Jimi’s creativity found outlets in other forms. He was known for his talent for funny voices and, notably, his artwork. He filled notebooks with sketches and paintings, depicting everything from sporting events and mythical creatures to cars, war scenes, and musicians. Among the saved artworks was a sketch from his time staying with relatives, featuring a young Elvis Presley holding an acoustic guitar. Surrounding the image were handwritten song titles, showcasing Jimi’s burgeoning interest in the music of the era, particularly rock and roll. Songs like “Rip It Up,” “Don’t Be Cruel,” and “Blue Suede Shoes” were listed, revealing the influence of Elvis and the rockabilly sound on the young Jimi. “They had a record player,” Al recalled, “and Bobby remembers that’s when Jimi became really interested in music.” Jimi’s fascination with Elvis’s music culminated in attending Elvis’s Seattle concert on September 1, 1957. This experience of seeing Elvis perform live further solidified the impact of rock and roll on Jimi and fueled his artistic imagination, even before he considered Jimi Hendrix playing guitar himself.
It’s important to note that while a specific sketch of Elvis by Jimi Hendrix is mentioned, it’s not readily available online. Therefore, a representative public domain image of a young Elvis Presley playing acoustic guitar is used to visually represent the described influence.
The Turning Point: Mother’s Death and the Broomstick Guitar
According to Al Hendrix, Jimi’s interest in actively playing the guitar didn’t emerge until after the profound loss of his mother, Lucille, on February 2, 1958. At the time, father and son were living in a single room in a boarding house. In the wake of this tragedy, one of Jimi’s most poignant surviving artworks surfaced: a drawing titled “Daddy Sleeping,” depicting Al reclining with his arm covering his eyes. Dated February 7, 1958, around the time of Lucille’s funeral, the artwork is imbued with a deep sense of sadness and loss. Neither Al nor Jimi attended the funeral, and the drawing serves as a powerful testament to the unspoken grief they shared. “Oh, Jimi felt sorrow over his mother’s death, and he cried,” Al reflected, examining the drawing. He recognized the depth of the impact, suggesting, “I know her death affected him deeply, but I don’t know what went on in his mind. He might have been a little mad at his mother for living the kind of life she led. Lucille just cut her life short. Who knows—playing guitar could have been his way of working through some of his feelings about his mother.”
In the immediate aftermath of Lucille’s funeral, Al returned home to their shared room to find broom straws scattered on the floor. When he inquired about them, Jimi’s simple reply, “I was sitting there making believe the broom was a guitar,” revealed a pivotal shift. This marked the nascent stage of Jimi Hendrix playing guitar, born from grief and a yearning for expression. Adding to this burgeoning interest, James McKay, the son of their landlady, often played blues on an acoustic guitar on the porch, with Jimi listening intently. When Jimi finally expressed his desire to learn to play, Al, recognizing this crucial moment, purchased McKay’s guitar for a mere five dollars, setting in motion the trajectory of a legendary career.
Acquiring the First Guitar and Self-Teaching
The acoustic guitar Al purchased from James McKay for five dollars became Jimi’s entry point into the world of guitar playing. Being left-handed, Jimi instinctively tried playing the guitar right-handed initially, but quickly realized it felt unnatural. He then took the initiative to restring the guitar and flip it over, adapting the instrument to his left-handedness. Al, who had previously encouraged Jimi to be right-handed in eating and writing, noticed this adaptation and inquired. “Jimi said, ‘I find I can play left-handed easier than I can right-handed.’ ‘Well,’ I said, ‘do your own thing.’ I didn’t even question it. I just let it go on.” This acceptance from his father allowed Jimi to embrace his natural inclination and develop his unique left-handed playing style, which would become a signature aspect of Jimi Hendrix playing guitar.
From the outset, Jimi adopted a self-teaching approach, driven by his innate musicality and determination. According to Al, Jimi immediately focused on learning simple riffs by ear, “just like a person plunking away with one finger on the piano.” One of his earliest accomplishments was mastering the theme song from Peter Gunn. “One of the first things that he learned how to play was the theme song from Peter Gunn, so even when he was just starting, he could make music out of the guitar.” This catchy, instrumental tune, with its recognizable guitar hook, provided a perfect starting point for a beginner and fueled Jimi’s enthusiasm for learning.
While an image of Bob Bain specifically playing the “Peter Gunn Theme” is not available, this image represents Bob Bain at work, showcasing the guitarist who originally played the iconic riff that inspired Jimi Hendrix.
Broadening Musical Horizons: Blues and R&B Radio
Even before he held a guitar, Jimi was captivated by the sounds of amplified electric guitar, particularly in blues music. In a 1968 interview with Rolling Stone, Jimi revealed the profound impact of Muddy Waters: “the first guitarist I was aware of was Muddy Waters. I heard one of his old records when I was a little boy and it scared me to death, because I heard all of those sounds. Wow, what is that all about? It was great.” This early exposure to the raw and powerful sounds of electric blues guitar laid a crucial foundation for Jimi Hendrix playing guitar style.
Beyond blues records, Jimi absorbed musical influences from various sources. He tuned into Seattle’s R&B and rock radio stations, immersing himself in the popular music of the time. He also learned from his peer group, picking up musical ideas from friends. “Jimi would pick up a little bit here and there,” his dad remembered, “and he learned a lot of stuff on his own. I never did get him a guitar book or lessons.” His learning environment was informal and driven by his own curiosity and passion. He would often play guitar outside, sometimes joined by a neighborhood friend for impromptu jam sessions. He even accompanied his friend James Williams, who aspired to be a crooner, on guitar. Despite his growing instrumental skills, Jimi’s singing voice, as his father noted, was less developed: “One time before Jimi got a guitar, he and James Williams performed together at a talent show the school put on for parents… They were laughing, because Jimi had taken after his mother when it came to his voice—when Lucille would try to sing, she’d hit all those sour notes.” However, his vocal limitations only seemed to further focus his creative energy on mastering the guitar.
Jamming with Terry Johnson and Exploring R&B
Mary Willix, a high school classmate, conducted extensive interviews with people from Jimi’s Seattle youth for her book Jimi Hendrix: Voices From Home, providing valuable insights into his early guitar explorations. Terry Johnson, a friend since third grade who was learning piano, recalled their shared musical journey after Jimi acquired his acoustic guitar. Their “sanctuary” was the playroom in Terry’s house, equipped with an old piano. “Jimi had a little turquoise guitar that he’d restrung. Since he was left-handed, he turned the strings around in the opposite direction. He’d tune it up, and we’d start playing.” Neither were singers initially, but their enthusiasm was boundless. “Neither of us could sing, but we’d howl and get enough words out to make the song go along. We played by ear, listening to 45s on that old record player.”
Their learning process was entirely based on ear training and repetition. “First of all, we learned how to figure out what key the song was in. Then we’d let it play for a while, and then we’d take it off and start all over again. Jimi would listen to the guitar part until he had it figured out and memorized.” As rock and roll evolved, their musical tastes broadened. “As rock and roll progressed, Jimi and I started picking out our favorite recording artists. We listened to James Brown, Fats Domino, Little Anthony, and Little Richard. Little Richard was one of the best at that time… So, some of our favorite artists were piano players with guitar backgrounds, or guitar players with piano backgrounds.” Their repertoire included hits like “What’d I Say,” “Lucille,” and “Johnny B. Goode,” reflecting the popular R&B and early rock and roll sounds that shaped their musical development. Crucially, Terry noted Jimi’s early ambition to find his own voice on the instrument: “Jimi was trying, even then, to find sounds to express what he was feeling. He identified with rhythm and blues guitar players, especially Albert King, Freddie King, B.B. King, and Bobby Blue Bland.” These blues guitar giants became key figures in Jimi Hendrix playing guitar education, albeit indirectly, through their recordings.
“Let the Good Times Roll” – An Early Inspiration
Among their favorite songs to play was “Let the Good Times Roll,” originally by Earl King. “One of our favorite songs was ‘Let the Good Times Roll’—Earl King, I think—because it had a really neat guitar part in there where Jimi could do the lead and I would come in and do the background. We worked really hard on that one.” The song’s bluesy R&B vibe and distinct guitar lines made it an ideal learning piece for Jimi and Terry. Terry even felt a connection to this early musical exploration later in Jimi’s career: “Later on, I heard that song on one of his albums and I couldn’t help but think it was like a tribute to when we were young kids playing that song. In fact, we would sing it all the way home from school. I’d do the piano with my mouth on the way home, and he’d simulate the guitar part until we got home and did it on our instruments.”
Earl King’s original rendition of “Let the Good Times Roll” on King Records, released as a two-part 45, effectively blended blues and R&B elements. This song held a lasting significance for Jimi. Years later, on August 27, 1968, while recording Electric Ladyland, the Jimi Hendrix Experience recorded fourteen takes of “Let the Good Times Roll” at the Record Plant in New York City. Re-titled “Come On (Let the Good Times Roll)” on the album, this recording can be seen as a nod to Jimi’s early musical roots and the formative experiences of Jimi Hendrix playing guitar in his youth.
This image depicts Earl King, the artist behind “Let the Good Times Roll,” the song that served as an important early inspiration for Jimi Hendrix’s guitar playing.
First Electric Guitar and Obsessive Practice
Around 1959, Al Hendrix secured more stable employment, allowing him and Jimi to move to an apartment at 1314 East Terrace. While the new residence was an improvement in some respects, it was far from ideal. The two-room apartment was plagued by mice and cockroaches, the neighbors were often disruptive, and the area was known for prostitution. “There was very little of anything right about that ramshackle old apartment,” Al recalled. Despite the challenging environment, this period marked a pivotal moment in Jimi’s musical journey: it was at the East Terrace apartment that Jimi Hendrix got his first electric guitar.
Al purchased a white, right-handed Supro Ozark solidbody guitar from Myers Empire Music Exchange. He also bought himself a used C-melody saxophone. The noisy neighborhood ironically provided a conducive environment for their musical explorations. “Since the neighborhood was so loud, no one complained when he and Jimi began playing with the windows open.” Al’s foray into the saxophone was short-lived. “I didn’t know anything about a sax,” Al explained, “so I was just tootin’ around trying to find the scale. Jimi would tease me that I was playing the same way you’d see a person trying to play piano with one finger—ding, ding.” However, Jimi, even without an amplifier initially, was able to coax music from his new electric guitar. “We were blasting, though Jimi didn’t have an amplifier. I never did get him an amplifier, although I’d planned on it. But he got music out of his guitar as it was. When he went over to some of those friends’ places, he’d use their amps. He didn’t complain about it.” When financial constraints arose, Al made a selfless decision. Faced with returning one of the instruments to Myers, he chose to give up the saxophone, recognizing Jimi’s greater potential with the guitar.
With the Supro Ozark in hand, Jimi’s practice became intensely focused and almost obsessive. “Once he got that electric guitar, every day he would be plunking on it,” Al said. Jimi’s ambition was immediately set on lead guitar playing. “Jimi tried playing lead guitar right away, and he always said, ‘Oh, boy, if I could get to doing it like So-and-so on the guitar,’ and he just worked at it and worked at it, practicing night and day. He played the guitar every day.” His dedication was remarkable. “He carried it around with him at all times, although I don’t believe Jimi ever took it to high school, like some people have claimed, unless they had some special class or event where he needed it.” Leon, Jimi’s half-brother, who occasionally stayed with them, corroborated this unwavering commitment: “He’d wake up in the morning with a guitar on his chest. So, the first thing he’d do in his bedroom, before he’d brush his teeth or take a piss, he’d be playing licks. So, it was inevitable that he would become a master and a maestro one day.”
Amplifying the Sound and Forming Early Bands
To experience the full potential of his electric guitar, Jimi sought out opportunities to play through an amplifier. The local Rotary Boys’ Club provided such a resource. “They had an amplifier that you could check out,” Terry Johnson recalled. “So Jimi would check it out, plug in his guitar, and hear what he sounded like amplified.” This access to amplification opened up new sonic possibilities for Jimi, allowing him to experiment with the electric guitar’s unique capabilities. “Jimi would fool around with amplifiers to create new sounds. In the late ’50s amplifiers had two devices for altering the timbre and tempo of songs—an echo chamber, or reverb, and a tremolo switch. Jimi liked to use the reverb to get a faraway effect.” His experimentation with these effects hinted at his future innovative use of guitar technology. Witnessing Jimi and Terry’s musical endeavors, the Boys’ Club supervisors encouraged them to form a band, marking the first steps towards Jimi Hendrix’s journey into performing and band dynamics.
While this image is circa 1967, slightly later than the Supro Ozark period, it serves as a visual representation of a young Jimi Hendrix with a white electric guitar, similar in style to the Supro Ozark, symbolizing his early electric guitar explorations.
Jimi Hendrix’s path to guitar legend began not in a classroom or with formal instruction, but through an intrinsic passion, self-driven exploration, and relentless practice. From a cigar box guitar to his first electric Supro, and fueled by the sounds of blues and R&B, Jimi forged his unique path of Jimi Hendrix playing guitar, setting the stage for his groundbreaking career that would soon follow.
