10 guitarists keeping Jimi Hendrix’s legacy alive
When you think about the amount that people continue to talk about Jimi Hendrix, praising him as one of the best guitarists to pick up a six-string even now, decades after his death, it’s hard to deny how impressive it is. On top of that, the fact that Hendrix was only a mainstream artist for around four years and still managed to make such an impression is barely comprehendible.
When Jimi Hendrix burst onto the scene in the 1960s, it was undeniable that he had phenomenal talent and would change guitar playing as we knew it. Not only in how he leaned on spontaneity and was a master of improvisation in rock music but also the eccentric nature with which he played, it was indeed an exciting time to be a fan of guitar music.
Of course, it wasn’t meant to be for Hendrix’s career, as he passed away at 27. The news of his death shook the musical world as the man leading the charge for guitar music was suddenly taken before he reached his full potential.
Now, in modern music, his influence can still be heard in the furthest corners of rock music. Whether people play more inspired styles or lean towards the heavy side of rock, the playing style of Jimi Hendrix is present in every note, and these are the artists who persistently keep Hendrix’s legacy alive.
The guitarists who keep Jimi Hendrix’s legacy alive
Slash
Throughout his time playing in Guns n Roses and performing as a solo artist, Slash has dabbled in various styles and proven himself one of the most eclectic lead guitarists out there. However, you can hear an obvious Jimi Hendrix inspiration at the centre of everything he does.
He talks fondly of Jimi Hendrix’s guitar playing ability, praising his “fluid guitar style” and “over-the-top sound.” He particularly likes the ‘Purple Haze’ riff, describing it as “almost perfect.”
“You take it for granted because you’ve heard it so many times, but this is just such a well-structured, almost perfect riff,” he said, “It’s very unique, just in terms of structure and technique. Very original for a rock n roll riff.”
Zakk Wylde
Wylde has always surrounded himself with rock legends as he goes on tour with the likes of Black Label Society and Ozzy Osbourne, delivering some of the most eccentric and exciting guitar solos that can be witnessed this side of the millennia. How he dances over a pentatonic scale with both speed and melody is very much in line with how Jimi Hendrix used to play.
Wylde hasn’t been shy in discussing his admiration for Hendrix, claiming the guitarist is the messiah of rock. “Jimi Hendrix was basically the Jesus Christ of electric guitar,” he said, “That’s the ceiling – you can’t do anything more with guitar.”
Harts
A more modern entry but a prominent addition, Hart’s blend of pop and rock makes for an exciting listen, and you can tell he is carrying the mantel for Jimi Hendrix in every note. Whether it’s in his guitar-playing ability, elaborate stage presence, or flower power design on his guitar, the guitar god from Seattle is still with us in some shape or form.
When you listen to tracks such as ‘Peculiar’ and ‘Red & Blue’, the lyrics and vocal melody make up a massive part of the music; however, when the guitar comes in, they take a backseat. Hendrix had a similar experience, as despite working on lyricism and enjoying writing it, his guitar playing was front and centre.
Billy Gibbons
Most people who saw Jimi Hendrix found themselves moved by the music he was playing. Before he joined ZZ Top, Gibbons was in the band The Moving Sidewalks, who were lucky enough to open for Hendrix a few times in 1968. Those shows profoundly impacted Gibbons, and he continues playing with Hendrix in mind.
“It was a real mind-bender and eye-opener to say the least,” he said, “As most now know, Jimi Hendrix, either consciously or subconsciously, made a decision to invent things to do with a Fender Stratocaster that it had not necessarily been intended for. He did very well, too. I was 18 at the time, and somehow the organisers saw fit to book us in the hotel room across the hall to his room. That was convenient to allow me to ask him the obvious question: ‘How do you do that?’”
Lita Ford
Before Lita Ford was a pivotal part of The Runaways and shredding up and down the country, she was listening to Jimi Hendrix records and teaching herself how to play. When you hear the likes of ‘Voodoo Child’ from a young age, it’s hard to then start playing guitar and thinking of anything else, and Ford was no exception.
“Jimi Hendrix, he made a lot of noise with his amplifier and his guitar but he channelled that noise into something musical, like Jimmy Page did. He made it count, even if it wasn’t a note, even if it was just feedback or some kind of noise coming off his pedal or his wah-wah. He made it count,” she said, “When I play, if I catch onto a note and it’s feeding back, it’s like ‘Ooh, I got feedback. Ok, hang onto it and don’t let it go’. I’ll look at my drummer and he knows I’m up to something. There’s just so much you can do with noise.”
John Frusciante
John Frusciante may be the only person on this list whose love for Hendrix and desire to play like him has ever gotten him in trouble. When you have a fondness for Hendrix, you take the opportunity to play his music whenever you get a chance, and for Frusciante, that was at Woodstock ’99 when the Red Hot Chili Peppers started playing Hendrix’s ‘Fire’ as fires rage in the background.
“Pretty much everything on Electric Ladyland was my bible,” he said when talking about their record Stadium Arcadium, “Not only is his guitar playing always speeding up and slowing down, he was playing around with lots of rhythmic expressions and off-time playing, which was what I wanted to do with this album.”
Orianthi
Not many guitarists have played with as wide a range of people as Orianthi. Throughout her career, she has taken to the stage with the likes of Michael Jackson, Alice Cooper, and Steve Vai. Her ability to play such an exciting range of guitar comes from her appreciation for Hendrix and his ability to explore a range of styles within his guitar playing.
“He just really infused rock, blues, fusion, and took us on such a journey and changed the way of the electric guitar,” she said, “I mean, [he was] one amazing lyricist. A lot of people think of Jimi as an incredible guitar player and entertainer, but listen to ‘Angel’, listen to ‘Little Wing’, ‘Purple Haze’. With all these tracks, he took us on a journey, lyrically and musically.”
Kirk Hammett
You might struggle to see the correlation between Hendrix and Kirk Hammett, who fronts one of the biggest heavy metal bands in the world, but the lineage is certainly there if you look for it. Hammett even admits that when it came to shaping his taste in rock music, Hendrix was one of the musicians who helped guide him to better understand the guitar’s magic.
“I was pursuing my own taste – my own musical aesthetic at that point [14]. And Jimi Hendrix fell right into the middle of that aesthetic…” he said, “And I’ll tell you, you know what I reacted to most? The tone of the guitar. Just that fuzzed-out Strat through a Marshall sound – it really got to me.”
Lenny Kravitz
If you listened to a song like ‘Are You Gonna Go My Way’ without any vocals and no context to the song, someone would likely be able to convince you that you were listening to an outtake of one of Hendrix’s recording sessions. The riff has a very similar tone to that which Hendrix played with and is upbeat and melodic.
“In Michael’s [music promoters] eyes, I sort of became another Jimi,” said Kravitz, “He always told me I performed like Jimi, even reminded him physically of Jimi, and he went on to share with the blueprint for success that he and Jimi had created together.”
Mdou Moctar
If you are looking for modern guitarists who can pack a range of emotions into their guitar playing while also lacing that guitar playing with shredding guitar solos and melodies, look no further than Mdou Moctar. The guitar is a real focal point in songs that revolve around some of the biggest hardships humans can face, and it is incredibly reminiscent of how Jimi Hendrix used to play.
Their most recent album, Funeral For Justice, is a unique experience that blends music from around the world but keeps an inescapable guitar sound at its centre. Musicians like Moctar keep Hendrix’s legacy alive, and it’s a pleasure to listen to.
