This Sunday would have marked Jimi Hendrix's 80th birthday. To celebrate, over the next few days Louder will be running stories about this legendary guitarist and his impact on the world of rock music. And to start, we have an exclusive video of Grammy-winner Christone "Kingfish" Ingram playing Jimi's blues classic Red House on the roof of Hendrix's last-known residence in London, the Hard Rock Hotel (formerly the Cumberland Hotel).
Filmed on June 10, 2022, the performance celebrated marked Hendrix's second Blue Plaque. An initiative by English Heritage, Blue Plaques adorn buildings that were once occupied by notable historical figures. Jimi's 1968-69 residence in Brook Street in London's Mayfair already has one. The 2022 plaque – which was unveiled by Jeff Beck and Jimi's sister Janie Hendrix – marks his last London residence at what was then known as the Cumberland Hotel (now the Hard Rock Hotel).
Jimi Hendrix came to London in September 1966 and formed the Jimi Hendrix Experience the following month.
"When I saw Jimi we knew he was going to be trouble," Jeff Beck told Classic Rock. "And by ‘we’ I mean me and Eric [Clapton], because Jimmy [Page] wasn’t in the frame at that point. I saw him at one of his earliest performances in Britain, and it was quite devastating.
"He did all the dirty tricks – setting fire to his guitar, doing swoops up and down his neck, all the great showmanship to put the final nail in our coffin. I had the same temperament as Hendrix in terms of ‘I’ll kill you’, but he did in such a good package with beautiful songs."
Just 23 years old, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram is one of the most celebrated blues guitarists in the world today. Earlier this year, his album 662 won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album and he has appeared on the covers of Guitar World and Guitar Player magazines.
A previously unreleased live album, Jimi Hendrix Experience Los Angeles Forum: April 26, 1969 is out now on 2LP vinyl, CD and on all digital platforms. A new book, JIMI by Janie Hendrix and John McDermott is out November 24.
