Fly On My Sweet Angel: Jimi Hendrix

On this day in 1970, the first of three major musical influences of the 60's died. James Marshall Hendrix exited this life barely two weeks before the young life of Janis Joplin also tragically ended. Jim Morrison would die the following July. All too young, all left with the unfulfilled promise of what might have been.

"Fly on my sweet angel, Fly on through the sky,

Fly on my sweet angel, Forever I will be by your side"

When you can hear a song and know instantly who is playing the guitar, that musician in a distinct and very heady class. No one sounded like Jimi Hendrix. And he played the guitar like no one else. Left-handed, Hendrix took a right-handed guitar, restrung it and flipped it over to play. This changed the sound and was one reason only Jimi sounded like Jimi.

Today, we're just gonna go with some hot licks from the man who changed how things were done. And guess what, I'm not putting on a link to "Little Wing." But don't worry, it will turn up again before too long.

Thought we'd try a few lesser known tracks, just to show off that little old guitar playing.

"Crying Blue Rain"
"Catfish Blues"
"Born Under a Bad Sign"

And because it's just so damn good...

"All Along the Watchtower"

Generations will come and go. Kids will still pick up a guitar, look in the mirror and try to emulate those first few bars of "Foxy Lady."

Standing the test of time, always.
Fly on Jimi.

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