Jimi Hendrix: Beyond the Guitar God

Jimi Hendrix: Beyond the Guitar God – Exploring His Musical Legacy

It is possible to argue that few have left a musical legacy like Jimi Hendrix. While you can state that several artists have had an impact on the industry, there are very few who have been able to achieve what this guitar god was able to do during his short time on Earth.

What gave Jimi Hendrix his legacy?

Jimi Hendrix’s undeniable guitar-playing ability made him a legend in his field and something artists and fellow guitar players may continue to be inspired by. He showed many that you could be self-taught and still be able to do some of the things that those who are trained would work on for years.

He had a natural gift for the string instrument, with incredible precision and speed. The Seattle-born individual also transformed the music industry in numerous other ways.

Hendrix impressed everyone with his performances, as he could do everything while on stage simultaneously. He could sing, play, and dance – which many found difficult to combine. At the time, it was normal for bands to feature a guitarist and a lead vocalist. He would end up showing that it was possible to do it individually.

This had a significant amount of influence on other rock bands and artists coming through after him, as they decided to copycat his abilities and use them to try and create their own identities. They would be more willing to take risks to perform rock-themed songs and play the guitar while singing when tradition had suggested this was against the norm.

He also showed people that you did not have to look a certain way, which was groundbreaking in the era in which he was a part. He showed that he could break barriers that had been evident in the industry at the time, as he became a black man to rise to the top of a white-male-dominated genre. In 1969, he became the world’s highest-paid performer and even headlined some of the biggest festivals, including Woodstock.

Hendrix became a global icon

The rockstar was not only influential in the music sphere, though, as he created a name for himself that would turn into a brand because of his abilities outside of the world of music. He would become a figure that companies could capitalize on financially, as they would be able to create merchandise and other products that used his fame and the legacy he left as money spinners.

There have been films based on the rockstar and his legacy, while there have been games to feature him because of his global impact. For instance, it is possible to play a Jimi Hendrix slot by NetEnt as part of the collection of casino slot games on Unibet, where you can also find other artist-themed titles such as Motorhead, Guns N’ Roses, and KISS.

The status and legacy he left as a 27-year-old at the time of his death was incredible. It would have been very exciting to see what may have potentially happened if he were to have been fortunate enough to live a fuller life and see what he would have achieved in today’s world.

Jimi Hendrix: A unique individual

Arguably, his ability to be extremely unique gave Hendrix his legacy and the appeal and inspiration that he provided more than 50 years following his death.

He did everything in his own way, never apologized for it, and changed how things were done for the better. He brought a new way of playing the guitar to the industry, as he incorporated new styles that traditionalists at the time did not use or even consider were possible. A prime example was using a wah-wah pedal, going against the norm and using cords different from those considered the basics.

It is possible to argue that he made the electric guitar as appealing as it is today because of his playing style, which often catches the attention of many. He would play a right-handed guitar despite being left-handed, using the strings in a way that was far from normal, as they were upside down. He restrung those strings differently, creating another unique element to his performances.