Buddy Miles was 60 years old when, on February 26, 2008, he died from congestive heart failure. Miles was the great drummer behind Jimi Hendrix’sBand of Gypsys. Prior to that he spent his teens playing in such bands as the Ink Spots, the Delfonics and withWilson Pickett. In the mid-’80s, Miles was introduced to a whole new generation as the voice of The California Raisins in the popular ad campaign. It is his voice that was heard singing “I Heard It Through The Grapevine.” His drums could be heard throughout his career behind the likes of Carlos Santana, Cheech & Chong and even Phish. He also released several mind-blowing albums of his own throughout the years. Mitch Mitchell, drummer for Jimi Hendrix Experience was found dead in a hotel room on November 12, 2008.
Jimi Hendrix was unquestionably the greatest guitarist rock music has ever known. With one foot firmly planted in the blues and the other in jazz, Hendrix took the best of both, added some fire and created a guitar sound like had never been heard. It makes no sense to list those he’s directly influenced here, because it would likely lead to the end of the internet. Unless you count the broomstick Hendrix strummed on as a child, the first guitar he ever played was at the age of 15. He went on to teach himself how to play by watching others on TV or by listening to records. After a stint in the army, Hendrix began playing guitar professionally, mostly along the so-called chitlin’ circuit. In 1964, Hendrix was hired by Little Richard to record and play on the road in his band. Within a couple of years, he formed his own band, Jimmy James & the Blue Flames, with whom he began building a reputation around the southeast. That band included rhythm guitarist, Randy California who would later form the band Spirit. Hendrix soon formed the Jimi Hendrix Experience with Mitch Mitchell, Noel Redding, and Billy Cox. That group would record three of the most acclaimed albums in history, Are You Experienced?, Axis: Bold As Love, and Electric Ladyland. After disbanding the Experience, Hendrix formed Band of Gypsys with Cox and Buddy Miles. They recorded a popular live album of the same name, released just three months before Hendrix’s death which is still shrouded in mystery to this day. What is known is that Jimi Hendrix was just 27 years old when he died on September 18, 1970. The official cause of death was determined to be choking on his own vomit. The coroner found an excessive amount of wine and sleeping pills in his body. There are some who believed he committed suicide while others thought it to be an accidental overdose. And still others believe something more sinister had taken place.
themusicsover 
