02.04.

2011

WB p.10/Competition entry

The most talented musician

Jimi Hendrix has been considered without doubt an unrivalled electric guitarist in the
musical history up to date. He is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his
generation across a range of genres. In the late 1960s this extremely talented rock musician
won many of the most prestigious awards and performed at iconic 1969 Woodstock Festival,
leaving the audience filled with adulation.

It is the fact that he achieved so much during such a brief career that makes him a powerful
candidate for a nomination. In 1968, a year full of success, he received a numerous
selections for best musician, artist and performer by Melody Maker magazine, Billboard and
Rolling Stone magazine. He was the first person included into The Native American Music
Hall of Fame and a star on the Hollywood Walk of fame was dedicated to him in 1994. Years
later, Jimi was posthumously awarded with two Grammy awards for Lifetime Achievement
and Best music video, long form for “Band of Gypsys-Life at Fillmore East”.

Consistently, he and his friend Eric Clapton popularized the use of wah-wah pedal in
mainstream rock. His performances on stage were affected by his use of right-handed
guitars ,turned upside down and restrung for left – hand playing, leading to a remarkable
guitar sound, exemplified in songs such as “Hey, Joe”,”Fire”,”Voodoo chile ” and ” All along
the watchtower”.

His end was beyond unexpected. Jimi Hendrix, 27, was s his peak when he was found dead,
September 18.1970. The cause is believed to be overdose of sleeping pills. However, many
consider it a suicide. Who knows what music he might have written or what goals he might
have reached if he had survived, but the fact is that his music is yet lasting and has helped
make him into a legend. Jimi Hendrix surely deserves to be among the top most talented
musicians of all time.

Veselina Kotruleva

BAND: 4 / 4,5