Hendrix in Britain Exhibition
Handel House Museum, located at 23-25 Brook Street, Mayfair, London, is set to host “Hendrix in Britain” from 25 August through to 7 November 2010 in honor of Jimi Hendrix – commemorating his death on 18 September forty years ago and highlighting his significant contribution to the music world. The venue is particularly fitting for this tribute to the legendary American guitarist, singer and songwriter, James Marshall Hendrix, as he lived in the top floor flat of 23 Brook Street in 1968, using it as a home base as he played at venues across the city.
The Handel House Museum is dedicated to composer George Frideric Handel, who lived and worked in number 25 Brook Street for thirty-six years before dying there in 1759. Number 23 is used as offices by the administrative staff of the museum, but to allow visitors to view the previous home of Hendrix, where he entertained friends and composed many of his best works, the administrative staff will be relocating for twelve days of the exhibition, including the anniversary date of his death.
Born Johnny Allen Hendrix on 27 November 1942, in Seattle, Washington, Jimi’s father changed his name three years later to James Marshall Hendrix, taking his own name, James, and the second name of his deceased brother, Leon Marshall. His early home life was unsettled and he soon got into trouble with the law, leading to him having to choose between jail-time and the army – he chose the latter. It was at the army base recreation center that Hendrix met bass player, and fellow soldier, Billy Cox, forming an enduring friendship and setting him on the path of his highly successful music career; a career that was cut short by his untimely, and somewhat mysterious, death on 18 September 1970.
Hendrix in Britain will focus on different aspects of the life and career of Jimi Hendrix. Exhibits will include items that have never before been on display in the United Kingdom. Using a fascinating assortment of film clips, music and other memorabilia, the exhibition will map out his too-short career, highlighting his songwriting talents, showcasing his amazing guitar playing ability and discussing the indelible impact he made on the music world and popular culture. Items on display will include UK concert memorabilia, handwritten lyrics, the Westerner hat that was part of Hendrix’s distinctive style, an orange velvet jacket, and scribbled directions to the Isle of Wight Festival held in August 1970, which turned out to be his final major performance.