Jimi Hendrix Wouldn’t Be Famous Today

I appreciate that this wasn’t a “musicians today aren’t as good as they used to be” commentary but instead calling out the music industry for not respecting today’s musicians. Thank you.

When you play an instrument, it makes you apprecciate great musicianship even more.

I’m so Glad that Jimi Hendrix did become Famous in the 60’s because He influenced many many guitar players to play and He definitely deserves to be remembered through the ages!!!

Jimi was more than a player. He was a creative force.

Frank Zappa explained it the best when he said the old time cigar chomping executives gave the artist free will and when the young college kid executives took over they ruined music because they interjected themselves way too much.

The loss of free-form FM radio plays a major role here. In the late 60's, 70's, and even into the 80's, FM had DJs who could basically play whatever they wanted. This allowed numerous artists to break through. Corporate radio with its strict playlists and format have killed the public's access to any great music that might be out there.

I always knew it but never realized it. I have to agree. Where are all the musicians? I started playing a musical instrument in 1965, a cornet. By 67 I switch to a Fender P bass. By 1969 I was in a band and had a hundred close friends and most of them played an instrument. There were 7 kids my age that lived on my street and all of us played an instrument and still do today. Of the 90 that are still alive, all but a few still play. In fact I've got a gig with 5 of them in Austin next week. One of my sons played in the school band for 7 years but nothing more than that. You can lead them to the trough but you can't make them drink. My 2yr old grandson has shown an intense interest in my playing and I vow before I die to teach/show him the lifetime of love playing a musical instrument can bring into your life. 2nd to my family playing a musical instrument has given me the most joy everyday of my life for the past 59 years. Damn, I should be famous after playing that long. O'Well, I think I'll go shred a few.

Rick You should do a deep dive on ‘Third Stone from the Sun’ It was years ahead of its time and still sounds incredible today A jazz rock masterpiece !! Jimi’s brilliant use of feedback and beautiful octave melody line ala Wes Montgomery The psychedelic lyrics as if from an Alien in Space ! Wow Mitch’s amazing jazz drumming !!!!

100% accurate. Centralization of power is always the death of creativity, independence and the individual.

Jimi came up in the perfect era for the type of artist he was. One in a million.

Thank you for bringing this to light. As a guitarist of 36 years and classically trained, I feel that this is lost in the world.

Most bands in the 60's and 70's had signature style and for the most part one band could not be confused with another, same with a few bands in the 80's and fewer in the 90's and so on, none today, so sad.

I really appreciate that Rick jumps straight into his videos! No intro, no ads, no BS, he goes straight into it. I love it!

I was a garage drummer in the 70's. All the guitar players loved Hendrix, Clapton , Page. They had riffs and solos that carried the bands. The school band guys could read music and excelled. Drums and piano went hand and hand. There's something lost today.

Jimi was the whole package. It was metal, lead, R&B, blues, rock, even country at times. Jimi loved country. His amazing, unique rhythm in general, his beautiful voice, the lyrics/story (so much of which came from such a broken childhood), the authenticity, the groundbreaking, paradigm shifting feedback and lead tones from Machine Gun and so many other tracks. Jimi was the WHOLE package. Both Jimi and Eddie changed form and function of electric guitar and modern music. Today, we call an Ed Sheeran a great songwriter, or a Taylor Swift. The bar Jimi set has not been reached, in my opinion. Exhibit A is Little WIng. Simple chord progression, UNFORGETTABLE song. So many others... Nobody holds a candle to Jimi. Eddie was just as influential and important, just different. He was the whole package, too! He sang, wrote piano parts, knew drums, so did Jimi! But without Jimi there would be no Ed Sheeran or Taylor Swift or pop star. Jimi was a rockstar and a visionary artist, but what the machine ultimately turned the most attention drawing thing into, at the time, was "pop." Jimi's grandmother spoke about things he said to her, about how he felt he was being used and abused for money, and was even in fear for his life. I have read a dozen books from different accounts and angles on Jimi from others and studied his life for years. Jimi predated the mechanized music industry, though back then it was basically ruled by a different mechanized financing which shall not be disclosed, despite the evidence (sure, drowning in wine isn't an old Mob trick...). Jimi had it all, went through it all, spoke his truth about his life authentically through music. Jimi was like a rising phoenix in music, born from ashes; "...cause the life that lived, is dead." "Fall on trees, just don't fall on me. Point on, mister businessman, you can't dress like me." "I'm the one who's got to die when it's time for me to die, so let me live my life the way I want to." Love you, Jimi. Thank you for everything!

I like your videos, Rick Beato. There's a lot of good insights here! Music and entertainment definitely changes every few decades. The musicians you've listed are definitely great, and I'm glad I can hear them all.

I was a professional guitarist in the 60s and knew every note played by those that you mentioned. IMO, the demise of creativity in the music industry coincided with the introduction of big money control of the content. Musical talent had a better chance to rise to the top when the entertainment industry was run by musicians. Today it no longer is.

Just remember, Jimi Hendrix played Backup for many Soul and R&B Acts before going Solo. A Guitarist has to Know Rhythm; Chords, Different Time Signatures and Inverted Chords to Function in these Genres. Jim would get bored and play Scorching Lead Solos over Chord Changes, it resulted in James Brown Punching Hendrix, He was traded to Otis Redding for a couple Horn Players. Billy Cox stated Some Soul and R&B Acts weren't prepared for Jimi stepping out of bounds and adding Lead Solos when he was supposed to play strictly Rhythm. Some of these Bands would leave Jimi Stranded in the Middle of Nowhere. Jimi played Backup for King Curtis; Jackie Wilson, James Brown, Otis Redding, Curtis Knight, The Marvellettes, Ike & Tina Turner, John Hammond Jr, Little Richard, Joey Dee & the Starliters, Marvin Gaye, BB King, Sam Cooke and The Isley Brothers. Jimi Hendrix loved Jazz; Classical, Folk, Rock, Blues, R&B, Soul, Gospel, Country & Funk. Jimi Hendrix considered Bob Dylan a Master Lyricist and studied his Compositions. Jimi jammed with Miles Davis, Larry Young, Roland Kirk, Stanley Clarke, Wayne Shorter, Les Paul, John Mclaughlin and Other Jazz Musicians Producer Alan Douglas could Line him up With. Guitar Greats that love Jimi Hendrix Joe Satriani; Stevie Vai, John Mclaughlin, George Benson, Les Paul, Kenny Burrell, Slash, Ritchie Blackmore, Yngwei Malmsteen, SRV, Carlos Santana, Eric Johnson, Edward Van Halen, Tony Iommi, Jake E Lee, and Countless Others. Music Universitys and Jazz Musicians regard Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis as 2 of the most Innovative Musicians of the 20th Century. His Position in Modern Music is Unmovable. Period. Rest in Peace Jimi Hendrix.

I have seen many of your videos - thank you so much for them! This one is pretty sad. I‘m so glad that we have the music of these real virtuosos!

Bob Erlendson just passed away at 93. He played with Lenny Breau. Lenny of course, taught Randy Bachman. I was so lucky to have studied under Bob.