There are those special moments when you hear Jimi Hendrix songs or read his remarkable quotes and exclaim, “This is arty, this is sacrosanct!” Considering the magnificent imprints Jimi left in the music fraternity, it’s unbelievable that his musical career spanned only four years.

He was a man with a captivating voice that very much serenades with the human race; a man whose beautiful thoughts enchant every being beyond realism; a man who never hesitated to push the boundaries; in every possibility, he was the one who turned out to be one of the greatest gifts to the music world and mankind alike (who can dare to replicate Jimi’s badass guitar riffs in the opening of Purple Haze?)

Beside his revolutionary take on music, innovative techniques and mixing genres including ballads, jazz and blues, Jimi Hendrix had an unorthodox way of living; eager to try new things and create his own version of a battlefield that he solely ruled. He was way ahead of his league, if we believe there was any.

From a kid who did not know how to read or write music, and never had any formal guitar training to a confident man flipping a right-handed guitar and playing it left-handed and telling people there is no black or white music, music is anything but universal; Jimi Hendrix was undeniably ‘The Rock’ majesty.

Jimi’s proficiency with electric guitar, ballads and whatever he did with those vocals for them to sound (and be) so evocative and perform in the most dramatic styles (playing guitar with his teeth), is both uncanny and enigmatic.

This November 27, the legend would have turned 73! Though it has been more than four decades we lost this marvel of a musician, yet his physical absence never came in the way of establishing what an inspiration Jimi Hendrix was, is, and forever will be! Here are some of the interesting things that justify the truth of his legacy he left behind and why he would always remain the most influential electric rock guitarist.

A young Hendrix used to be so mesmerised with a guitar that he used to carry a broom with him to emulate the instrument. He used sit by the bed, pretending to play the guitar with his broom. Despite his growing interest in the instrument, his father refused to buy him a guitar.

A pivotal moment in Jimi’s life was when he chanced upon his first instrument, a one stringed ukulele (small guitar like instrument). And this was an astounding graduation from the guitar-broom days. One of the first few songs that Jimi tried out was Elvis Presley’s cover of Leiber and Stoller’s Hound Dog.

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1958 was the magical year when Hendrix was gifted a five-dollar, second-hand acoustic guitar by his father. This was followed by the formation of Jimi’s first band, The Velvetones.

In 1967, when Jimi set fire to his guitar at the Monterey Pop Festival, that very moment is described as ‘one of the perfect rock moments.’ Author Michael Heatley wrote: “The iconic image by Ed Caraeff of Hendrix summoning the flames higher with his fingers will forever conjure up memories of Monterey for those who were there and the majority of us who weren’t.” (Sic)

Jimi’s iconic rock moment as well as the image had everyone in a too-numb-to-move state and made him an overnight rock canon in the most righteous way.

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Because as they say, there was Jimi Hendrix and then there was everybody else! We shall be forever grateful that you chose to pick up that guitar. Happy birthday Jimi Hendrix. Long live in our hearts, for thou are the master of Stratocaster.

Story input: Wikipedia, Jimi Hendrix

Image Credits: Flickr, Commons Wikimedia, Wikipedia