The guitarist Jimi Hendrix called “one of the funkiest”
In a list of the greatest guitar players of all time, Jimi Hendrix always makes the cut. Though he died far too early at 27, Hendrix’s short life left behind a huge legacy thanks to his pioneering playing and shredding of songs that students ever since have cut their teeth by learning. But who does the best of the best look up to? When it came to funky playing, Hendrix believed one man was the king.
Reaching the pinnacle of success can be both challenging and isolating. As one of the best in your field, it can be lonely at the top, where everyone looks up to you, and you constantly look down, set apart by your excellence. This was likely the experience of Hendrix, who rapidly ascended to fame and soon found himself at the very peak of his career.
But the guitarist was saved from that feeling simply because he remained a huge – and very passionate – music fan. When he wasn’t playing for audiences, he could be found at local clubs playing jam nights. As a music appreciator, he still kept up to date with the new music going on around him as he played ‘Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ at one of his shows a mere two days after its release, proving that he was still just as much of a listener as he was a player.
Hendrix’s greatness didn’t isolate him from loving the greats, though. In fact, it seemed to make him appreciate them more, especially if they were doing things differently to him. He always seemed keen to shine a light on others and remove it from himself, celebrating the work of other guitar players from throughout history. Once on The Mike Douglas Show, Douglas asked Hendrix: “What’s it like to be the best rock guitarist in the world?” and, pausing for a moment, Jimi then beautifully responded: “I don’t know, you’ll have to ask Rory Gallagher”. That humble spirit endured no matter how big he got.
But when it comes to funky playing, there’s one player who perhaps influenced Hendrix most. As a pioneering force bringing together the worlds of rock, blues and funk, he always looked up to Albert King. “I like Albert King,” Hendrix once said. He commended his tunnel-visioned style as he added, “He plays completely and strictly in one way, just straight funk blues. New blues guitar, very young, funky sound, which is great”.
There are undeniable elements of King’s playing in Hendrix’s own style. His 1967 album Born Under a Bad Sign remains one of the most influential blues albums of all time, earning him the title of the ‘King of the Blues’ along with B.B. King and Freddie King. But Albert King always had an edge. His playing was never too strict or traditional, filling his songs with guitar licks that were more groovy than bluesy. The beats he played, too, also felt more funky than the classic 12-bar blues.
That genre-bending spirit and funky overtone inspired Hendrix as a player and also just caught his ear as a music lover. As high praise from another great guitar player, Hendrix dubbed him “One of the funkiest I’ve heard”.
