By Dave Thompson. Woburn Abbey, in the English county of Bedfordshire, is one of the most beautiful buildings in Britain and was originally built as a Cistercian Abbey in the early 12th century. Through the early 19th century, well into the reign of Queen Victoria, Woburn Abbey was the epitome of aristocratic hospitality. But Oh! What a difference a century makes. The Woburn Music Festival, held over the weekend of July 6 and 7, 1968, would have been a regal occasion wherever it was set. Sponsored by the music weekly Melody Maker and booked by the John and Rik Gunnell promotion team, four separate sets of music were planned including a headlining appearance by The Jimi Hendrix Experience who were making their first UK concert appearance since December 1967. Here's the story of that fateful weekend appearance.

By Experience Hendrix. On Friday, June 10, 2022 Jimi Hendrix’s last official residence in the UK was formally commemorated with a prestigious Blue Plaque affixed on the side of the Hard Rock Hotel London, formally the Cumberland Hotel when Jimi resided there in 1970. Bestowed by the Nubian Jak Community Trust [NJCT] with support from Hard Rock Hotel London and Experience Hendrix, L.L.C. this special event featured a guest appearance by Jeff Beck, plus an exclusive roof top performance by Mississippi-based Blues sensation Christone “Kingfish” Ingram who helped to celebrate this historic unveiling.

By John McDermott and Steven C. Pesant. Now 55 years after Are You Experienced’s debut, the lasting significance and impact of its explosive psychedelic intricacies and raunchy ambitious fundamentals are still being explored and only now beginning to be understood. As the most influential and enduring musical debut ever released, Are You Experienced continues to excite and captivate those that experience its infectious grooves. As we mark the Emerald Anniversary of the debut release from The Jimi Hendrix Experience, we look back at how this ground-breaking album came together.

By John McDermott. First Rays Of The New Rising Sun marked the last graceful gesture by the innovative artist Jimi Hendrix, and the first album prepared under the watchful supervision of his family. It draws together 17 songs whose creation span from March 1968 to the last sessions at Electric Lady Studios in August 1970. As we mark the 25th Anniversary since the album’s April 1997 debut, we explore the album’s original concept and the music production which featured some of Hendrix’s most creative musical achievements, including “Night Bird Flying,” “Angel,” “Dolly Dagger,” “Hey Baby (New Rising Sun),” and “In From The Storm.”

By John McDermott. On this day which marks the 53rd Anniversary of The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s concert at the Oakland Coliseum—April 27, 1969—we’re exploring a piece of music history. Not only was this historic concert, a triumphant return for The Experience revisiting the Oakland Coliseum a mere 7 months since their last performance; but in how fate transpired to bring a previously unreleased concert recording to life as the debut release in the now long-running “bootleg” series by Dagger Records, a unique record label established by Experience Hendrix.

By Dave Thompson. In 1967, the BBC studio complexes in London played host to one of the greatest ensembles of rock 'n' roll talent ever assembled under their respective roofs: The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Procol Harum, Denny Laine, Pink Floyd, The Idle Rice, The Move, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Traffic, The Nice, Tomorrow, Tim Rose, The Bee Gees, and The Incredible String Band.

It was a roll call that read like the greatest festival ever, as though every underground happening that had stirred London's psychedelic imaginings that year was being recreated once again, but this wasn't a concert, and it wasn't a dream. It was simply the line-up for the first three installments of a new weekly BBC radio show, Top Gear, and a new era in the history of British broadcasting.

By Dave Thompson. Between February 13, 1967, and December 15 of that same year, The Jimi Hendrix Experience went into the studio to record sufficient material to stuff a double album to bursting point. Nearly thirty tracks were taped and completed, some reprising the band's own recent releases, others documenting moments that might never occur again, still others hammering back at songs that the group wasn't completely happy with. What is amazing about all this is that it took them less than a week of work to do it.

By Jon Price. It’s early Saturday evening on January 4, 1969. This is traditionally the time for variety programs on British television, time for family viewing 'round the idiot box and this week, for the nation's pleasure, The Jimi Hendrix Experience are to play a couple of numbers on a show called Happening For Lulu. The live appearance turned out to be The Experience’s last appearance on the BBC and has made for one of the most legendary moments in rock ‘n’ roll television history.

By Frank Moriarty Texas. Small word, big state. It’s certainly one of the most unique members of the United States of America, one that is proud of its heritage and traditional values but not afraid to call attention to itself. Just consider the state’s slogan: “Don’t Mess With Texas.” The amount of time that Jimi Hendrix spent in Texas may have been brief, but it’s clear that his influence on the Lone Star State shines on brightly even more than 50 years after that short tour of February 1968.