The Words and Music of Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix burst onto the American music scene at the Monterey Pop Festival in June 1967, captivating the audience with a performance of "Wild Thing." Both musically and literally incendiary, the song ended with Hendrix pouring lighter fluid over his guitar and setting it on fire.

Jimi Hendrix was a rock `n' roll guitar god and remains an important rock icon, still popular despite the four decades that have passed since his death in 1970. The Words and music of Jimi Hendrix uses Hendrix's music---including the posthumous album Valleys of Neptune, released on March 9, 2010---to shed light on the details of the singer/song-writer's all-too-brief life.

Organized chronologically, the book provides an in-depth look at Hendrix's life, carving autobiographical details from his lyrics. At the same time, it offers readers a better understanding of the superstar's music and the forces behind it. The book focuses on the three albums released during Hendrix's life, as well as the major posthumous works. Priority is also given to touring and to the influence of other guitarists.

David Moskowitz is associate professor of music at the University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD. He is the author of Greenwood's Caribbean Popular Music: An Encyclopedia of Reggae, Mento, Ska, Rock Steady, and Dancehall; Bob Marley; A Biography; and Praeger's The Words and Music of Bob Marley.