Jimi Hendrix Black Legacy: (A Dream Deferred)

By Corey Artrail Washington and Reid Harper Grant

Jimi Hendrix - Black Legacy (A Dream Deferred) is a deep exploration of Jimi Hendrix's subtle, yet ubiquitous footprint on Black culture. Often, Jimi Hendrix was seen by many to have transcended race, which is a slap in the face to his deep cultural roots, concerning not only his Black musical traditions, but simply growing up as a Blac

• Language: English
• Publisher: Plain Talk INC.
• Release date: Nov 5, 2019
• ISBN: 9781647132989

Book preview

Dedication

This book is dedicated to these living links to Jimi’s Black Musical Legacy:

Billy Cox – The Last Gypsy Standing

Juma Sultan

TaharQa Aleem – Ghetto Fighter

The Amazing Jimmi Mayes

Lonnie Youngblood – Augusta GA

Jerry Velez

Rosa Lee Brooks – Golden Rose

The Patriarch of the Hendrix family:

Leon Hendrix

R.I.P. – Alan Douglas (6/07/14) - Tunde Ra Aleem (8/14/14) - Charles Neal (9/08/15) - Kenyatta Arrington (9/02/16) - Jalaluddin Mansur Nuriddin (Lightnin’ Rod) (6/04/18)

Big Bad Lumberjacks – Swing that AXE (Chop those mountains down with the sides of yo’ hands!)

After Jimi’s death, these Brothas & Sistas continued Jimi’s Black Legacy:

Eddie Hazel – Ernie Isley – Carlos Santana – Mike Kidd Funkadelic Hampton – Prince – Leroy Sugarfoot Bonner – Roger Troutman – Lenny Kravitz – Velvert Turner – Tracey Chapman – Gary Clark Jr. – Eric Gales – Leon Hendrix – Lauryn Hill – Christone Kingfish Ingram – Stanley Jordan – Eddie Martinez – Taj Mahal – Andre Cymone – Tom Morello – Malina Moye – Meshell N’degeocello – Leo Nocentelli – Nile Rodgers – Dez Dickerson – Kevin, Garry and Garrett Shider – Lucius Tawl Ross – Glenn Goins – DeWayne Blackbyrd McKnight – Jesse Johnson – Bootsy Collins (Yes, Bootsy also plays a MEAN guitar, just like Jimi plays a MEAN bass) – Buddy Miles (Yes, THE Buddy Miles!) – Sheldon Reynolds – Byron Bordeaux – Alfonia Tims – Dani Robinson – Jimy Bleu – EV9 – Andre Lassalle – Stevie Salas – Vernon Reid – Sly and Freddie Stone (Stewart) – Jimi Hazel – Charles Neal – Brandon Taz Niederaurer – Marc Drac Hicks – Danny Webster – Gary Miller AKA Dr. Know – David Hackney (Death) – Kendall Jones (Fishbone) – Stevie Moise – Black Merda – Chris Coshea – Ali Bishop – Stan Skibby – Ronnie Drayton – George Johnson – Samantha Ghetto Songbird Hollins – Robert Randolph – Slash – Ray Parker Jr. – Andy Allo – Robert Cray – Victor Johnson – Keb’ Mo’ – Rocky George – Roosevelt Collier – Micki Free - Jean-Paul Bourelly – Barry Wilkins – Rickey Rouse – Lloyd Smith – Rick James – Charlie Singleton – Curtis Mayfield (70’s) – Michael Cooper – Fred Jenkins – Anthony Aquarius Johnson – Glenn Nightingale – Howard Scott – David Vega – Gail Muldrow – Eric Johns – William L. Jones – Arthur Rhames – Stephen Shockley – Ernie C – Charles Shaw – Omar Mesa – Ralph Aikens Jr. – Marlon McClain – Wilbur Harris – Marlo Henderson – Ben Harper – Hiram Bullock – Hazel Payne – Tony Maiden – Andre Foxxe Williams – Ron Kat Spearman – Gordon Carlton – Kevin Oliver – Tony Thomas – Eric McFadden – Jerome Ali – Al McKay – Roland Bautista –Cleo Patrix – Charles Smith (Kool & the Gang) – Harold Beane – Gregg Wright – Eddie Lambert – Elias Khouri – Thomas McClary – Khari Wynn and every other Superbad Axe slinger that I either overlooked or haven’t discovered yet!

Reflections on

Nobody Cages Me

Iwas born in NYC on Jan. 11 th , 1976. Some of my earliest musical memories were of disco. Yes, disco, along with the usual standards of Motown, Soul, R&B, and funk that every other black person of my generation grew up with. Then, you had hip-hop’s emersion, as it took from all previous genres. Since I lived in NYC, we considered ourselves to be at the epicenter of the musical universe in the 80’s. I listened to pop megastars like MJ, Prince, Whitney Houston, Madonna, and Lionel Ritchie, to name a few. I even listened to groups like Huey Lewis & the News, Hall & Oates, Devo, and who could forget Van Halen’s Jump . My generation was the first to experience music videos on a regular basis. I’ll never forget that Peter Gabriel Sledgehammer video, especially with those raw chickens dancing! Growing up in NYC, I always considered myself a musical connoisseur of the highest order, with eclectic taste. I may have started off listening to what my older relatives were playing, but as I got older, I quickly branched out to formulate my own unique musical taste. I listened to most genres, except for Country & Western and Heavy Metal. Although I never considered myself a fan of rock music, I would often delve into Prince’s mainstream rock or MJ’s Beat It . I never ventured into the Hair Band or Arena Rock craze though.

I said all of this to explain the mystery of why I never encountered Jimi Hendrix in my youth. He was never talked about amongst my family, neighborhood friends, or at school. When I moved down South to Aiken, SC and Augusta, GA as a teenager, I would occasionally see Jimi on T.V. When I did catch a glimpse of Jimi, it was mainly in the context of his Woodstock performance. Most of the footage I saw was always involving Jimi being in a massive throng of white hippies. I had no idea about his chitlin’ circuit days or his playing with Billy Cox, Buddy Miles, Juma Sultan, Larry Lee, or Jerry Velez. I thought that Jimi’s only band was The Experience, with Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding. Due to my limited world experience, I erroneously dismissed Jimi as a sell-out! At the time, I was very suspicious of a black man that kept frequent company with white people and was rarely around black people. I knew of no other black performers that played to such large white crowds.

Looking back, the mid-70’s to 80’s was a down period for Jimi’s music. Alan Douglas’ posthumous Jimi releases came to a crawl and most of his newer catalog was out of print. It wasn’t until the mid-90’s when Al and Janie Hendrix took over Jimi’s estate. Then you started to see Jimi’s music and image repackaged for mass consumption. A watershed year in this resurgence of Jimi’s musical legacy was the year 1997. This year saw three new Hendrix releases: First Rays, Best of Jimi compilation, and South Saturn Delta. 1997 was also the year that I discovered Jimi fully due to the disgraced Terry Gene Bollea AKA Hulk Hogan.

Hulk Hogan used to be my favorite wrestler of all time¹. I followed his career from the early 80’s to the 2000’s. At one point, wrestling began to become stagnant. But, in 1996, the NWO injected some much-needed life back into the wrestling business. Hulk Hogan was the most popular wrestler for almost two decades going into 1996. Few fans could have predicted that he would turn his back on them and become the wrestling villain known as Hollywood Hulk Hogan. At first, he was hated, but then he became cool and popular again, as fans realized that the Hulkamania gimmick had run its course. Not only did Hollywood Hogan have a new-found swagger as he walked to the ring, but he also had a new ring entrance song. No longer did he come out to Survivor’s Eye of the Tiger or Rick Derringer’s Real American. His new theme song was Jimi’s Voodoo Child. This song had the weirdest sounds that immediately caught my ear. At the beginning of the song, it featured Jimi manipulating the wah-wah pedal, but it sounded as if someone was scratching a record. After that came an avalanche of mind shattering guitar riffs that sounded like a 3D wall of sounds! When I heard this song, I began to investigate how I could obtain a copy. I didn’t want a download. I wanted a physical copy in my hand.

Back in 1996, my main musical device of choice was still cassette tapes. I went to the mall and purchased a cassette tape simply titled, Blues. I saw the song Voodoo Child on there, but I didn’t realize that the spelling was different (Chile). Instead, I heard a slow blues song with a prominent organ along with Jimi’s guitar. It didn’t matter, because the songs on that Blues cassette totally changed the way I viewed Jimi and his music, and the blues genre itself. He played traditional Delta blues and bluesy rock n roll, but he also had a more progressive funk sound in his blues, combined with his signature unhinged riffs. I quickly decided that my mistake in choosing the wrong version of Voodoo Child was also my gain.

After some more deliberate research, I found the correct album that Voodoo Child was on, which was Jimi’s masterpiece, Electric Ladyland. I made sure to spring the extra cash so that I could buy it on CD. The notion of Jimi as a typical rock star was blown to bits as I heard every genre imaginable on one CD. And once again, Jimi was incredibly funky. It only took two albums for me to be thoroughly convinced that Jimi Hendrix should be shown more respect in the Black Community. In my humble opinion, a large portion of Electric Ladyland and Jimi’s Blues album could be played on several Urban radio formats. Since these two albums were so good, I decided to purchase Are You Experienced and Axis: Bold as Love to round out my Jimi listening experience. As could be expected, these recordings completely convinced me of the great musical genius of Jimi Hendrix, as he performed remarkable musical feats of virtuosity.

Although his earlier work got lumped in with the hippie Flower Power era of the late 60’s, I still heard strong elements of R&B, soul, and funk. Jimi’s songs were funkier than the Beatles, Cream, and Rolling Stones. As I continued to listen to Jimi’s music, I noticed a change in myself mentally when it came to music. I was more accepting of rock guitar sounds. I also became more cosmopolitan when it came to my musical tastes. As I wrote in Nobody Cages Me: "I had a musical epiphany!

I realized that I had been caged in by my strict interpretation of Black Culture. This artificial cage or mental barrier denied me the opportunity to enjoy Jimi’s music, from my early childhood on up. How many other black people have had to discover Jimi Hendrix later in life? How many other black people are out there stuck in the same mental cage as I was? Now that I have this knowledge of Jimi Hendrix as a dynamic black artist that can play any music imaginable, would I allow others to languish in musical confinement? Of course not! I decided to come up with a plan to make Jimi Hendrix known to young people, especially, young people of color. Nobody Cages Me was Phase One, Jupiter Cannons was Phase Two, but now Jimi Hendrix – Black Legacy is Phase Three.

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¹ Unfortunately, the Huckster disgraced himself with numerous gaffes, including a racist tirade, which forever changed the way that many of his fans of color look at him.

Foreword

Why write a Jimi Hendrix Black Legacy Book?

There have been many books written on Jimi Hendrix. Most of them have been biographies. However, many books have not tackled the touchy subject of Jimi's lack of respect, appreciation, and acceptance in the overall black community. To touch on the subject would require the examiner to cast a wide net of condemnation. While casting this proverbial net, I must include myself in the entanglement. As I brought out in my first book on Jimi Hendrix called Nobody Cages Me , I initially saw Jimi Hendrix as a sellout. Although, I did admit that my knowledge of Jimi Hendrix, when forming this opinion, was very shoddy. In fact, when I compare my knowledge of Jimi to what I know now, you might as well say that I was extremely ignorant.

Since 1997, I have been on a quest to find out who's to blame for Jimi Hendrix not being more entrenched in the annals of black history. Should I blame his management, who knew that focusing Jimi's efforts in the rock world would bring the most money? Do you blame the African-American community of the 60’s, who were not ready to embrace the earth-shattering musical tsunami that Jimi was about to unleash on the world? Do you blame the caretakers of Jimi's legacy and music, who had control of his image after his death? (Although these people have changed hands quite frequently in the 70’s, Janie Hendrix has solidified her reign over the Hendrix estate since the mid 90's.) Or, do you blame people like me, who got sucked into the false narrative and image of Jimi, and dismissed him as being a cornball brother, who turned his back on his people. All I had to do was dig a little deeper, then I would have found out that Jimi Hendrix was an African-American that was just as worthy as any other entertainer, that the black community places on a pedestal. The truth be told, there is enough blame to go around, but at this point, pointing fingers serves no purpose at all.

Jimi Hendrix: Black Legacy (JHBL) is a book of selective mathematics: it's always about addition and multiplication, and never about division or subtraction. I want to make sure that young, old, black, white, and everyone in between, knows that Jimi Hendrix's legacy is all inclusive. Most of the books written about Jimi Hendrix so far, have been from a Eurocentric point of view. It's hard to really gauge how much of an impact Jimi Hendrix has had on the black community by reading these books. Many times, what people take away from these books, is the narrative that black people rejected Jimi, so he had to go to Europe to be accepted. This is only partially true and conveniently leaves out his many interactions within the black community, both pre and post fame, and subsequent efforts to bring in more fans of color.

When writing about Jimi Hendrix and his blackness, it would behoove writers to study the works of W.E.B. Dubois and Ralph Ellison. DuBois in his work, The Souls of Black Folks, comments on the duality of black folk, calling it double consciousness. This is a situation where the African-American is divided by two worlds and two identities: the African and American. DuBois also comments that because of this duality, many African-Americans are forced to live behind a veil or mask when interacting with white people. This mask was brilliantly described through the prose of Paul Lawrence Dunbar in his poem, We Wear the Mask.¹ Ellison's masterpiece, Invisible Man, eloquently plays Dubois' theories out in various fictional scenarios. Jimi's witty tongue-in-cheek, mumbled responses to many reporter's questions, can easily be interpreted as wearing the mask.² Jimi's life was dominated by a culture and scene that was overwhelmingly European. Assimilation was the name of the game. Today, people of color can understand Jimi's plight a lot better, but from 1966 to 1970, Jimi was in uncharted waters. He had to find his own way and pave the way for many people of color in the rock/pop scene that came after him. He was surrounded by many people who couldn’t or wouldn't have understood his African-American culture. To be fair, some books have recently been written about Jimi's R&B past (Becoming Jimi Hendrix), but most books have still been very silent on his influence on the black community after his death. When you begin to talk to many black people about Jimi Hendrix, you come to realize that he was well received by many black people from many generations, but this narrative has lain dormant for too long.

The JHBL book is not designed to be accusatory, but rather is deeply rooted in solutions. This book is designed to chronicle, document, and solidify Jimi's position among the giants of African-American history. Because, let’s face it, Jimi is always considered a giant in the category of rock. Jimi is always considered among the greats in the field of electric guitar playing. Jimi will always be linked to rock/pop venues like the Monterey Pop Festival, Woodstock, Isle of Wight, and the Fillmore East. Jimi's music is usually not just connected with rock, but more specifically, psychedelic rock, or hippie music. Or, in such cases like Purple Haze and All Along the Watchtower, Jimi's music is considered classic rock or pop music. When you go into a music store and ask for a Band of Gypsys CD, what section do you think they will take you to? You guessed it, rock/pop. That is why we need a JHBL book. We also need one because the Experience Hendrix Advisory Board says we don't need one. ³ So, sit back, relax, and open your mind to see how Jimi has inspired and affected so many in the black community. Some of us realize and recognize this, while others have yet to reach this conclusion. One of the goals of this book, is to reach the people that Jimi so desperately wanted to reach, when he was alive. Another goal of this book is to reinforce the fact that Jimi was much more than a rock artist. But, if I were to state the primary goal of this book, it would be for Jimi Hendrix's Black Legacy to ultimately be a part of his overall Legacy. It's up to each one of us to make that happen.

Is this Book Divisive or Controversial?

Based on the history of the United States and the marketing of Jimi's music, this book seems divisive. But, if Jimi were still alive, there would be no need for a book of this nature. The marketing of Jimi's music and image solely to the rock crowd, was a decision that was at odds with Jimi's wishes. The JHBL book seeks to clean up that snafu. Jimi's music should be handled like the other great African-American musical geniuses. These artists were so diverse, that their targeted audience was whomever loved great music. These artists include: Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Prince, and Michael Jackson, to name a few. Their music was marketed in such a way, as to maximize their popularity among all races of people. They could play to all black crowds, all white crowds, or a mix of people. To top it all off, their music was hard to classify. Jimi's music was certainly versatile enough to warrant diverse marketing. His innovative style of the electric guitar was a stretch for most fans of R&B, who were used to tight rhythmic patterns for guitars that blended with the melody. This barrier was eventually shattered with groups like P-Funk, The Isley Brothers, The Ohio Players, and so many other funk legends of the 70’s. The 70's would have been a wonderful time to market Jimi's music to the masses of funk listeners. Unfortunately, those in charge of Jimi's music after his death, were not the most competent people⁴ when it came to diversity, in terms of selling his brand and marketing to Black/soul/R&B fans. But, if you were to ask the musicians of the funky 70's about Jimi, they will always give him the respect and adulation that he deserves.

The JHBL book is not controversial or meant to divide Jimi's fans. Anybody out there that thinks so, may need to re-examine their way of thinking. You insult people's intelligence, when you think that marketing Jimi's music to black people, equals the exclusion of everybody that is not black. When companies don't market towards a specific demographic population, they are saying one of two things, either that there is no interest there, or no money to be made. I challenge the notion that the black community has no interest in Jimi Hendrix. I also think that there is money to be made, since the African-American community is one of the most consumer driven economies in the United States (ask Nike). But marketing research has shown, that you must target the black community differently, especially when it comes to music. By now, most people should have concluded, that there are many musical and cultural differences that separate White and Black people in America. Some of the biggest corporations in the world are not ashamed to market specifically to the black community. The fact remains, that there are millions of people who felt left out, with the original marketing of Jimi's music and image. Jimi deserves to be heard by all people! Jimi's music is not currently being marketed to all people!⁵ There is a disconnect somewhere. It's time to fill in the gap!

Jimi Hendrix's Black Legacy = a supplemental legacy, designed to include all people!

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¹ We Wear the Mask is one of Paul Laurence Dunbar’s most recognized works. It examines the complex emotions of being African-American in a world dominated by Eurocentric values. The idea of the mask points to the duality that Blacks experienced in everyday life, as they navigated cautiously in a white world.

² One of the lines in Dunbar’s poem: And mouth with myriad subtleties.

³ See my first book to get the inside joke.

⁴ I don’t want to offend the people that were in charge, but if your marketing team is not diverse, or you don’t see a need to even be diverse, then your results are going to be monolithic.

⁵ Sheldon Reynolds gets major props for overseeing the musical project: Jimi Hendrix – Power of Soul Tribute. This CD showcased many legendary artists and featured soulful renditions of Jimi’s music.

Jimi’s Family History

On his mother’s side (Lucille Jeter)

The History of the Jeter/Lawson Family

By: Sonny (Lynn E Evans)

Preston Moses Jeter was born during the month of July 1872, in Alexandria County, Virginia. His father was a White man, whose name is unknown. His mother, Elizabeth Brown , was an African-American woman, who also was born in Alexandria County (May 1858). She had six children. Elizabeth submitted this information to the 1900 U.S. Census, even though her children were living on their own. She made her living as a seamstress. Elizabeth’s formal education enabled her to read and write. Preston was highly educated, before leaving the State of Virginia.

In the 1890’s, Preston M. Jeter was hired as a day laborer on the railroad. He traveled on his job to Coos River, Oregon, on the Pacific Coast. He was an entrepreneur and businessman, while working on the railroad as a day laborer with four partners. His partners were: Martin Leahanson (Caucasian), age 25 from Sweden (who was his landlord), Harvey Thurston (38) from Ohio, Jeremiah Lewis (57) from Kentucky, and Henry Edwards (30) from Missouri. Between 1900 and 1912, Preston M. Jeter migrated to Seattle, WA by way of his work on the railroad. He worked in coal mining as well.

Clarice Jeter’s name at birth was, Estha Clarice Lawson. She was born in the month of May, in 1892. Her father was Miles Lawson (born May 1856), who came to Texarkana (Miller County), Arkansas, during the 1870’s, from Mississippi, as a laborer. Clarice’s mother, Amanda Williams (born March 1854), came to Texarkana (Bowie County), Texas, with her family, in the late 1860’s. She was also from Mississippi. In 1870 (at age 16), she was a laborer as well.

In 1879, Miles and Amanda were married in Hempstead County, Arkansas, which is situated on the northern border of Miller County. Miles and Amanda Lawson moved to Texarkana (Miller County), Arkansas in the 1880’s, where their children were born. It is interesting to note, that in the 1880 U.S. Census (Arkansas), the census taker described Amanda as Mulatto and Miles as a Negro. These are the names of the children born to Miles and Amanda Lawson: Ella (daughter) Sept. 1881, Janis (daughter) Jan. 1883, Edward (son) 1884, Jeanie (daughter) Jan. 1889, Jack (son) 1890, Estha (Clarice) (daughter) Apr. 1892, and Fred (son) Aug. 1896.

Special credit should go to Mrs. Dorothy Harding, whom I met in Nov. 1991 at Julia Julian’s, Home Going Service. I was talking about Mrs. Jeter, when Dorothy submitted this clue as she enunciated Mrs. Jeter’s name as: "Estha (pronounced Esta) Clarice Lawson". Between 1910 and 1912, Clarice Lawson migrated to Seattle, WA.

Preston Moses Jeter and Estha Clarice Lawson met each other in Seattle, WA between 1910 and 1912. They became engaged, then were married on May 20, 1914, in Seattle, WA. As of the year 1920, Clarice was a housewife, and Preston worked as a porter in the hotel industry. Another interesting bit of information: According to the 1920 U.S. Census (Seattle, WA) the census worker wrote Mr. Jeter down as a white male and Mrs. Jeter as a Negro female. Mr. and Mrs. Jeter purchased a home at: 318 21st Avenue, Seattle WA. 98122, in order to house their growing family.

The following names are of the children born to Preston and Clarice Jeter: Gertrude (daughter), Delores (daughter), Clarice (who lived in Chehalis, WA) (daughter), Clifford (son) Nancy (daughter) who we called aunt "Nan", and Lucille (daughter). Delores, Nancy, and Lucille are the only three out of six, known to have had children.

On November 4, 1938, Delores L. Jeter married Robert L. Hall in Seattle, WA. Their children are: Roberta (Hall) Langworthy, Julia (Hall) Julian, Delores (Dee Dee) Hall Bundy, Robert (Bobby) and Eddie.

On March 31, 1942 Lucille L. Jeter married Allen R. Hendrix in Seattle, WA. "Lucille had 6 children." Their names are: Jimi, Leon, Joseph (who goes by "Joe") Alfred, Kathy, and Tammy (who died in childbirth).

On December 28, 1943, Nancy A. Jeter married Leonard (Uncle Leo) Young in Seattle, WA. Some of their children are: Sharon (Young) Stinson, Butch, Greg, and Michael.

Robert and Delores Hall’s niece; Isabel Hall Hickey and family, have been extended family members since 1938, and are considered Uncle Al’s and Uncle Leo’s relatives, since 1942.

This history is dedicated to my Aunt Delores (Jeter/Hall) Hamm, of whom I love and have the deepest respect, and has been a major influence in my life since my birth.

As told by - Lynn E. (Sonny) Evans (Hendrix Family Historian)

L-R (Greg Young, Delores Hall Hamm, Leon Hendrix, Lynn E. Evans, Arelle Hall, and his father Eddy Hall. Hall Family Reunion - Woodland Park Zoo (Seattle, WA) 8/5/95

Chapter 1

Jimi’s Impact on Black People

is his Black Legacy

Jimi Hendrix Black Legacy Series Podcast

After writing Nobody Cages Me in 2010, I figured out a way to reach even more people to talk about the versatility of Jimi. I created a Blogtalk radio show in May of 2011. I have had several guests that range from those who have never met Jimi, to those who were his intimate friends and family, as well as people who didn’t really know Jimi, but had a run-in with him. No matter what guest was featured, they all were affected and inspired by Jimi Hendrix, in some form or fashion. A wonderful way to prove that Jimi had a substantial impact on the Black Community, is to listen directly to the testimony of those people in that community. Along the way, we have had some very insightful conversations about Jimi. Here is a list of the guests that have been featured so far:

Darryl Dogan- Met Jimi in NYC as a teen - Been following Jimi since 1967.

Gary Tyson- Radio personality from Chicago. Often plays Jimi's music on a soul/oldies format.

Rosa Lee Brooks- Jimi's intimate friend that also recorded two songs with him: My Diary and Utee. She has been steadily keeping his memory alive on Facebook.

Steve Moise- Guitar player that mixes P-Funk with Jimi - Performs in Cleveland, Ohio, with the Universal Funk Mob.

Last Phonix/Brew Doo- Pays tribute to Jimi by using his studio techniques, co-creator of Jupiter Cannons, as well as his Miles Davis/Jimi tribute- Brew Doo.

Earl Grey Summers- Local Augusta¹ educator and musical artist that has eclectic tastes like Jimi. Uses educational themes often in his music.

Sheldon Reynolds- Artist from Sun, EWF, and The Commodores. Was also married to Janie Hendrix. Produced Power of Soul, a soulful tribute to Hendrix featuring an all-star lineup.

Christopher Coshea- California artist that pays tribute to Jimi through his music. Father was in a group called Eddie and Ernie, which Chas Chandler was a huge fan of.

Leon Hendrix- Jimi's younger brother. The patriarch of the Hendrix family.

Ali Bishop- Harlem musician paying tribute to Jimi through his group Sound Frontier.

Jimy Bleu- Former radio personality from WFDU (Code Bleu), Hendrix scholar, musical artist with the longest running authentic Hendrix tribute.

Stan Skibby- Musician paying homage to Jimi. He’s from Chicago, but he now lives in Europe. Played with Billy Cox's band.

Special Velvert Turner Tribute- Jimi's protégé who released an album or two. Jimy Bleu and Andre Lassalle called in with Velvert anecdotes.

Byron Bordeaux- California guitarist that played with Stone City Band, Billy Cox, etc.

Dani Robinson- Detroit guitarist that occasionally plays with Billy Cox. Living in Europe.

Charles Neal (R.I.P.)- New Yorker that was living in Canada. He had a Metal Funk CD called Darquematta. Hendrix was a considerable influence on his music. (R.I.P. Charles!)

Andre Lassalle- NY guitarist that has been the Musical Director for the Hendrix tribute at BB King's, plays with Burnt Sugar also. Andre is currently touring with Vernon Reid’s Band of Gypsys (Revisited).

Buddy Miles Tribute- Chealsea Dawn, manager of Buddy's Literary Trust, filled us in on what new projects are in store. (book, movie, etc.)

Starting At Zero- Solo Rubenstein (Daughter of Alan Douglas) - talked about the Jimi Hendrix book SAZ and told us about a movie forthcoming.

Professor Griff- Public Enemy's Minister of Info talks Hendrix. He even sung some of Buddy Miles' hit Them Changes!

TaharQa Aleem (Ghetto Fighters in Harlem World)- One half of the Ghetto Fighters shares some tidbits from his book and pays tribute to his twin Tunde.

Cordell Dickerson- Fellow Hendrix scholar blows our mind with The Battle of Los Angeles and its connection to Jimi.

Michael Hampton - Kidd Funkadelic from P-Funk- Mike talks about his love of Jimi and goes in depth concerning his relationship (or lack thereof) with Eddie Hazel.

Baba Selah – Spoke about his first-hand knowledge of Jimi's involvement with the Black Panthers, of which he was affiliated with in the 60's.

Rufus Thompson – Talked about his love for Jimi growing up near Cleveland, Ohio.

King George Clemons – Jimi’s friend from Harlem, who went to Europe (Sweden) before he did. King George’s recollections are priceless!

The Amazing Jimmi Mayes – Jimi’s friend that recruited him for Joey Dee’s band. Also played drums on four Hendrix albums.

Two-part series on Jimi's influence on Jazz Fusion- Juma Sultan and Jimy Bleu talk at length about Jimi's influence in the world of Jazz.

Here are some highlights from those shows that best exemplify what Jimi Hendrix’s Black Legacy is all about:

Darryl Dogan

To kick off the JHBLS I interviewed Darryl Dogan. Darryl is originally from the Bronx, but he is now living outside of Dayton, Ohio (military transplant). He had the pleasure of meeting Jimi in front of Electric Ladyland Studio. Darryl was one of many African-Americans that I have met on Facebook that have a vast knowledge of Jimi, despite Jimi's music not being marketed to him. Growing up in the Bronx, Darryl's encounter with Jimi's music was by chance. Instead of going up in flames with the rest of the trash, Jimi's flamboyant visual appearance on his Are You Experienced album cover, warranted its removal. As Darryl listened to the otherworldly sounds emanating from Jimi's guitar, he knew that he had a keeper. Darryl's musical upbringing was like most youths of color in the 60’s: Motown, James Brown, Joe Tex, Etta James, Aretha Franklin, BB King, Lead Belly, etc. Jimi was nothing like what he had previously encountered.

Darryl: The music of my youth was all about the singers and the rhythm section. Jimi's vocals were different from singers like Jackie Wilson, Jerry Butler, and Otis Redding. His personal appearance was not that of a suit, trimmed haircut, and smooth dance steps. Jimi was a far cry from groups like The Temptations. Very few people knew at that time, that Jimi cut his chops among those very bands. The guitarists in major R&B groups were relegated to blending in behind the horn and rhythm section. Jimi said, that he wanted to make his guitar sound like a saxophone, which he of course did. There was a stigma attached to blacks who liked Jimi. If you liked Jimi, there must be something wrong with you.

What songs by Jimi would you play, for people that had never heard of him, or have a one-dimensional rock view of Jimi?

Darryl: I would play several cuts from Axis Bold as Love. This album showcases Jimi's superior songwriting ability. Wait Until Tomorrow even won over my mother, who hated Hendrix. She couldn't deny the R&B instincts of the song. Little Wing is two minutes plus of sheer perfection. Spanish Castle Magic is about as Hendrix as you can get, until Machine Gun came along. But Machine Gun may be too heavy to start out with. After Axis Bold as Love, I would play Band of Gypsys, accompanied by Hey Joe and Red House. Then I would ask them, why these songs aren't considered blues? Is it because Hendrix is playing them? I would ask them to listen to the roots of traditional black music in Hendrix's music. Hendrix was certainly a practitioner of black music, as he traveled the chitlin circuit. Who says that the song Fire couldn't have been sung by Wilson Pickett? Listen to the intensity, passion, and creativity of Jimi's sound, which is rooted in the blues, R&B, jazz, and even country. Jimi's sounds are often imitated and rarely duplicated.

What separates Jimi from all the other electric guitar players?

Darryl: Jimi became something more than the sum of its parts. He became a symbol. He went against the grain. He waved his freak flag high. Just like that Funkadelic song: Who says a Rock Band can't play Funk Music? Jimi not only played rock, but he redefined it. John Mayer even said: Who I am as a guitarist is defined by my failure to become Jimi Hendrix. Jimi changed the rules back in 1966. Many great guitarists like Eric Clapton had to stop and reassess their approach to their instrument. Sure, there were detractors who said that Jimi's style was inefficient and lacked formal training. However, his restrung right-handed guitar playing style contributed to the unapproachable bends, tones, and notes that have yet to be replicated effectively. Once again, John Mayer said: Jimi Hendrix is one of those extraordinary hubs of music where everyone lands at some point (Hendrix International Airport). He is the common denominator of every style of popular music. That is why he is still talked about today, decades after his death. Jimi, unlike many artists of his time, was a true original.

What separates Jimi from all other African-American artists?

Darryl: Jimi took the entire R&B infrastructure and turned it on its ear. He did the same thing with the blues. One of the Aleem twins said that Jimi's music is nothing more than amplified blues. He took the music in his head and turned it into something altogether different. Jimi's first love was the blues. He listened to all the greats like: Booker T Jones, Robert Johnson, Lead Belly, Muddy Waters, Elmore James, and John Lee Hooker. Jimi tried to include at least one blues number in his albums and in his shows. Chas Chandler knew that Jimi played an authentic style of blues that nobody in England could duplicate. They were playing an Anglicized form of the blues. Jimi blew them all away with his traditional, as well as modern blues.

What was so unique about the way Jimi played the blues? And what are some of your favorite Jimi blues tracks?

Darryl: I really like Jimi's acoustic version of Hear My Train A Comin', and Voodoo Chile with Steve Winwood on the organ is complete madness. Hey Joe, was Jimi's own. Killing Floor at the Monterey Pop Festival just murdered the audience (complete with pink boa). I also like Born Under a Bad Sign.

Talk about Jimi's impact on Miles Davis, which ultimately impacted the entire world of jazz.

Darryl: Jimi's drummer choice really made his transition to jazz an easy one. Mitch Mitchell was one jazzy drummer, who was influenced by Elvin Jones and Max Roach. A lot of Jimi's guitar phrasings come from jazz. Miles Davis was really turned on by Machine Gun. Miles had seen the electric light! What it really came down to was dollars. After Jimi's death, Miles added heavy electric guitar into his repertoire with John McLaughlin and John Scofield. Jazz has always been about virtuosity and experimentation, which gave birth to the new genre, jazz fusion.

Talk about Jimi's influence on P-Funk, especially the Band of Gypsys.

Darryl: George Clinton had a guitar army, but the guy that really stood out for me was Eddie Hazel. Eddie's playing was about as close to Hendrix as you were going to get. Parliament was made up of many James Brown defectors, while Funkadelic was more rock oriented. Cosmic Slop, Maggot Brain, and Not Just Knee Deep show the influence of the Band of Gypsys, Sly and the Family Stone, and The Chambers Brothers. Bootsy's Rubber Band owes a serious debt to Hendrix, especially since Bootsy mimicked Jimi's voice on many an occasion. James Brown even did a Jimi imitation on Gonna Have a Funky Good Time. After Jimi died, the Afros got bigger, people started dressing and playing like him, and guitarists became more prominent. The Temptations' Psychedelic Shack and James Brown's Get Into It, Get Involved, featured guitar solos. James Brown even said that Jimi transformed into a Super Brother. The same people who complain about Jimi, get out on the dance floor with the Isley Brothers. Wah-wah anyone? Granted, Jimi wasn't playing dance music, but are those really Jimi's riffs on Who's that Lady? Jimi's Band of Gypsys was his greatest live album. All the material was new. Jimi had his hands on the entire production. Also, this was Jimi's first album to really play well in the hood!

Many books tried to paint a false picture of Jimi as an LSD drenched hippie or mystic man. As a person that met Jimi, what was he like to you?

Darryl: Many authors tried to ascribe their own values and fantasies to Hendrix, while cherry picking interviews and facts to fit their own thesis. Tappy Wright's book has been discredited. Monika Dannemann's book leaves more questions than answers. I am excited by your book Nobody Cages Me, because it takes a fresh look at Jimi. It's written from the perspective of someone who recently discovered Hendrix.

Tell us about your Hendrix experience.

Darryl: I was in the (Greenwich) Village with an actor friend of mine named Leroy and some girls, when I saw someone standing in front of Electric Lady Studio. A female in my group ran across the street to give this strange guy a hug. I couldn't make out that this was Hendrix, because I was looking for the wild hair, but he had a well-trimmed Afro. He had this toothy grin and was very glad to see us. The people around him were not so glad to see a bunch of black kids surrounding Hendrix. At 6'1, I was taller than Hendrix, but his hair made up for it. When I met him, I said: Man, I got all of your records. He said: Oh yeah, then name them. So, I named them, and then he said: Well you don't have all of them yet, because I got something else coming out. Then he gave me that smile. A month later, he was dead. I think Jimi was shocked that there were black kids who thought the world of him. Jimi cared about race, because his dream was to play the Apollo as a star. Jimi wanted to matter to the black community. He did the Harlem Street Fair and played Randall's Island, which is a little park outside of the Bronx.

Let's talk about Jimi's influence on hip-hop.

Darryl: Doriella du Fontaine was not called rap, but rather it was called prison toasts. People would go around the room and make up rhymes. That was the birth of the The Last Poets (Although, James Brown claims that he invented rap.). Prince even used an uncredited sample from Little Miss Lover on his album Graffiti Bridge (So did many other rap groups like ATCQ). Even Digital Underground drew heavily from Hendrix. Black radio is in a state of suck! Terrestrial radio, as a whole, stinks, and is not getting any better. I have young seven and eight-year-old nieces and nephews from South Carolina that get into my car and play music with lyrics like: I want to hit it from the back. They know all the words. Terrestrial radio is so corporate, and nobody at these stations care about its impact. Songs like Fire and House Burning Down should be played on R&B radio. Especially House Burning Down, because it talks about the plight of the black community in the 60’s.

Gary Tyson

Gary Tyson frequently plays Jimi Hendrix on his Chicago radio show. His fascination with Hendrix goes back to seeing Jimi on the cover of the AYE album cover. Just like Darryl Dogan, Gary's interest was piqued, when he saw a black man on the cover with two white men. The visual of a black man headlining or fronting a band with two white men backing him up, was not only an uncommon site, but it may have broken some mental barriers for some people. (Gary is currently on WGFM radio where his show is called, 45’s, Albums, & CD’s.)

Gary: In Chicago, AM radio was very prominent. WVON was a big deal in the black community. They really didn't play any of Jimi's music until he had passed away. WLS and WCFL would only play Jimi's most popular hits. The Band of Gypsys was really the only vehicle where black people could connect the dots.

Does Jimi get his just due in the black community?

Gary: In this day and age, the kids are into what's happening now. (Rap and soul/R&B) I also put the blame on black radio. It used to be a time where you would hear a mixture of genres on black radio. You might hear some of the popular tunes of that time, like blues, pop, jazz, and even reggae. Today, it is much more formulaic. Old-school or hip-hop and that's about it. I also blame the Clear Channels of the world who play the divide and conquer game. If you can find a person of color who was into Hendrix, then that's great. It's up to those of us who know of Hendrix's greatness, to educate the rest. There is a small percentage of young cats who know of Jimi's greatness. Here's a prime example: I saw a young kid wearing a Jimi Hendrix shirt, and I complimented him on it. He started to complain: Why is everyone complimenting me on my shirt? I just brought it because it was cool. Who is Jimi Hendrix? I prompted him to do some research on the Internet about Jimi, so that he could appreciate his shirt more. The Internet can be a valuable tool for young kids to be inspired by the greats of the past like Jimi. When I was coming up, all we had was the library and encyclopedias. There is no excuse for kids not to know who Jimi Hendrix is. Everything about him is documented on the Internet.

What are your two favorite Hendrix songs?

Gary: Who Knows and Machine Gun from the Band of Gypsys are my favorites. With Who Knows, it doesn't get any funkier than that with Jimi. Here in Chicago, we have people that like to step (dance). With Who Knows, people will get out on the dance floor and step. It had such an earthy and funky groove that you could dance to. The call and response singing by Jimi and Buddy is straight from the African-American songbook. Machine Gun was such a heavy song. It was Jimi's most political song that he recorded. He didn't just speak to the Vietnam War, he also spoke to wars going on in various cities in the US. You can even translate that to what's going on in the black community. (Gang violence, drugs, unemployment, etc.) When you hear Jimi's solo, you can hear his emotions. It was such a mind-blowing piece. (similar to Maggot Brain) Jimi asked promoter Bill Graham about his experience on stage (Fillmore East), during his first set. Jimi, for his first set, consisted of him doing all his tricks. Bill Graham said, you did everything but play the guitar. So, Jimi went out on his second show and just stood there and played. That's how we got the great version of Machine Gun that we all know and love.

What do you think about Jimi and the blues?

Gary: I think of Red House, People's People's (C Sharp Blues) Hear My Train A' Comin' (both acoustic and electric). Even if you don't