Book title: Jimi Hendrix: The Man, The Magic, The Truth
ISBN: 978-0-330-43353-2
Author: Sharon Lawrence
Publisher: Pan Books
Price: RM42.90
I will be dead in five years’ time, but while I am here, I will travel many highways and I will, of necessity, die at a time when my message of love, peace, and freedom can be shared with people all over the world.
– Jimi Hendrix
Those who have not heard of Jimi Hendrix … He was a rock legend and one of the greatest electric guitarists of all time.
However, he died at such a young age, only 27 years old, on September 18, 1970, from asphyxiation.
I’d heard several of Jimi’s hit songs, but I had no idea how he became the most influential musician.
So I’m glad I chose this biography book since I needed to learn more about this talented man who had left a legacy in the music industry.
As I turn to the back cover of the book, which contains a brief summary of the story, I notice that part of it states that the biography allows readers to see Jimi’s life through his own eyes as he described his harsh childhood, his early struggles to make it as a musician, and his joy at finding recognition first in Britain and then in America.
This made me wonder what a young Black man had to go through in his youth in order to find peace and healing via music.
Sharon Lawrence is the author of this biography of Jimi. She met Jimi as a music journalist in the 1960s and became a close and trusted friend to the musician.
Sharon conducted many interviews for the book, which is divided into 16 parts.
It details Jimi’s troubled upbringing, his enlistment in the army, his battles for happiness and recognition, as well as the tumultuous times of his musical career.
The book is written in chronological order, beginning with who Jimi’s parents were, followed by his childhood, musical career, and death. The story does not end there, but continues with the Hendrix family’s greed and legal struggles.
Sharon said that Jimi’s father, Al Hendrix, influenced him to become the man he was.
Jimi’s father had cautioned him to keep away from his mother, saying, “She’s a drunk, she’s no good.”
These words haunted little Jimi for the rest of his life, Sharon wrote.
Part of the book revealed Jimi’s affection for his mother and younger brother Leon. This book introduced me to Jimi’s shy, sweet, kind, and intelligent sides.
Jimi, according to Sharon, put all of his emotions into music. For him, music was able to calm him down in some way.
“Felt as if I was flying, soaring, I felt free, like I do most anything, I played for me,” said Jimi who described how he felt when playing music.
It also tells how Jimi came up with the idea to write songs and play the guitar left-handed.
Later in one of the chapters, it covers Jimi’s death and the aftermath of his death, with family members fighting over the late rockstar’s money.
Sharon recalled calling Jimi’s father to inform him of the truth of his son’s death.
There is a scene in which Jimi’s father asked Sharon, “Would you be knowing how much there is?”
It was heart-breaking to learn about this, as well as the fact that Jimi’s family was feuding over his money after his death.
I was saddened by the last few chapters of the book, and I believe Jimi deserved better in life.
Nonetheless, his legacy continues to carry on to this day.
I would say that this book is a good read from start to finish with the exception of the family disputes and the legal issues following Jimi’s death.
What I enjoy best about the book is that it includes images of his mother, Leon, bandmates, and stage performances in the middle section.
I would recommend this book to anyone who like biographies, music, or is a Jimi Hendrix fan.
I’d like to conclude my book review with a quote from Jimi: “Don’t look back. If you do, it will hold you back.”
