5 Modern Tributes To Hendrix

5 Modern Tributes To Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix is one of the most prominent guitarists and rock musicians of all time. His talent was outrageous, and his impact on the music world was and remains unbelievable. Accordingly, there are numerous modern tributes to Hendrix’s greatness, including tours, albums, games using Hendrix’s songs and image, and the requisite t-shirts, posters, and art.

We’re shining a spotlight on five of the best and most interesting tributes below.

1.) Tribute Tours & Bands

The Experience Hendrix Tour is by far the biggest Jimi Hendrix tribute tour in the U.S. Started in 1995, it is a multi-artist concert tour that honors the art and life of the legendary musician. The tour continues to this day and has actually expanded quite a bit: first, the concert was only in Seattle; then it went nationwide in 2008; and now, the tour is concentrated in the Northeast, South, and Midwest. In 2007, the critically-acclaimed exhibition even went overseas to London! Over the years, musicians from all genres have participated in this massive celebration of Hendrix’s life and art, all bringing their own individual and collaborative interpretations of classic and beloved Hendrix songs to the stage. As a result, the Experience Hendrix Tour is both a wonderful tribute and a unique opportunity to see the performances a variety of talented musicians such as Billy Cox, Joe Satriani, Dave Mustaine, Buddy Guy, Zakk Wylde, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd.

Kiss The Sky is another major national Jimi Hendrix tribute tour. This modern celebration of Hendrix tours the East Coast, Midwest, and South. It takes special care to replicate all aspects of Hendrix’s signature sound and visual performance style. The headline band’s seasoned frontman, Jimy Bleu, is in fact a Hendrix specialist and accomplished musician who is backed by a troupe of world-class performers. The group is good enough to have collectively performed with all three of Hendrix’s remaining former bandmates (Billy Cox, Juma Sultan, and Jerry Velez). And beyond authentic sound, Kiss The Sky also boasts authentic ’60s-era attire and instruments, meaning the shows look and feel quite a bit like what it might have been like to see Hendrix live.

2.) Tribute Albums

As far as musical tributes go, there are also some excellent albums full of Jimi Hendrix covers. Some are solo albums, while others are multi-artist compilations – but for the most part they do a wonderful job of celebrating Hendrix.

Paul Gilbert has a solo album of five Hendrix covers called Tribute To Jimi Hendrix. Gilbert, a great guitarist himself, renditions “Red House,” “Hey Joe,” “Highway Chile,” “Midnight,” and “Purple Haze” on the record, all to wonderful effect. Gilbert’s personal style shines through, but one still gets a distinct Hendrix vibe, even if one isn’t intimately familiar with each of these songs.

Another Hendrix tribute album worth mentioning is a multi-artist compilation of covers called Voodoo Crossing: A Tribute To Jimi Hendrix. The collection includes recordings of classic Hendrix titles by musicians such as Scott Finch, Arlen Roth, Hiram Bullock, and John Nitzinger. Hit Hendrix songs that are covered on the album include “Fire,” “Stone Free,” and “Castles Made of Sand,” ultimately making for a nice mix of excellent tracks that aren’t just the same ones you hear on movie soundtracks once or twice a year.

Finally, Jimi Hendrix: The Acoustic Experience is another multi-artist tribute album that has to be considered among the better celebrations of the legendary guitarist’s work. This compilation consists of stripped versions of signature Hendrix songs. Not only are the artists on this record seriously musically talented, but they also personally revere Jimi Hendrix, and it comes through in the sound.

3.) Games using Hendrix’s Songs and Image

In a gesture of reverence and veneration, as well as to appeal to people’s interests, online game developers sometimes use the songs and images of an artist or band. It goes without saying that some such games are dedicated to Jimi Hendrix, with the most prominent one coming in the form of a themed online casino game. More specifically, it’s one of a number of games featured as one of the free slots available from different gaming providers around the internet. The game plays several of Hendrix’s hit songs and displays multiple related images, as well as a general visual theme reminiscent of the artist’s predominant style. It’s hard to know just how many people play it, but given that it appears on numerous gaming sites, and these sites reach huge player bases, it’s safe to say millions have been able to enjoy this unusual but fun-filled gaming tribute.

4.) Hendrix T-shirts

Jimi Hendrix t-shirts offer a great way to pay homage to the legend, and can be found seemingly everywhere online. You can buy Hendrix t-shirts from trendy apparel stores like Etsy, Rockabilia, Liquid Blue, OldGlory, Zumiez, Hot Topic, and Old School Tees, to name just a handful. You can also find Jimi Hendrix shirts at certain big chain stores like Walmart, Target, Macy’s, The Gap, and Sears, at least some of the time. Meanwhile, other websites like Amazon, and even events like the Experience Hendrix Tour, also offer Hendrix threads. Basically, you can always find a fresh Hendrix tee – even if you have to go straight to the official Jimi Hendrix website!

5.) Hendrix Posters and Street Graffiti Art

Last but not least, tribute posters and artwork are other dynamic, creative ways to honor and celebrate the music and life of Jimi Hendrix. One particular graffiti artist from Germany, called MTO, makes Jimi Hendrix tribute art all over the streets of Berlin. The sheer greatness of Hendrix, his music, and his influence are hard to capture, of course. But tribute posters and graffiti art make a compelling attempt to convey his enormity, and in some cases are among the very best tributes we have to this one-of-a-kind artist.

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