Jimi Hendrix Jimi Hendrix James Marshall Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942 – September 18, 1970) was an American rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most influential electric guitarists in the history of popular music, and one of the most celebrated musicians of the 20th century. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame describes him as "arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music". Born in Seattle, Washington, Hendrix began playing guitar at the age of 15. In 1961, he enlisted in the
Voodoo Child: The Jimi Hendrix Collection performances." In a three-star review, AllMusic's Lindsay Planer wrote that considering the difficulty in curating a compilation of Hendrix's music, "Voodoo Child"s exceptional song selection and sound quality made it successful as "a thumbnail sketch of Hendrix in both a studio and concert environment ... a great touchstone for anyone wishing to begin their Jimi Hendrix experience". "Rolling Stone" journalists Paul Evans and Nathan Brackett gave the album four out of five stars in "The Rolling Stone Album Guide" (2004), as did Colin Larkin in "The Encyclopedia of Popular Music" (2011). All songs written and composed by Jimi Hendrix, except