A new postage stamp honoring guitar icon Jimi Hendrix has been unveiled as part of the United States Postal Service’s US Music Icons series.
Created by artist Rudy Gutierrez, the stamp design resembles a vintage 45 rpm record sleeve, and references the butterflies from Hendrix’s hit song, “Little Wing.” In the colorful design, Hendrix himself is wearing one of his signature military jackets, and soulfully playing one of his guitars.
"The technical challenge was making art that will still read at stamp size, so it was a matter of not being overly complicated," says Gutierrez. "It was important to make the art accessible … and to be true to the incredible combination of rawness and virtuosity that was Jimi Hendrix."
"The honor of the stamp really comes from the lost art of letter-writing," says Hendrix's stepsister Janie, who runs Experience Hendrix, gatekeepers of the musician's legacy. "While Jimi was in the Army, he wrote these wonderful postcards and letters to my dad. There's something about handwriting a letter that gives a sense of intimacy."
The Jimi Hendrix Forever stamp will be officially released on Thursday at SXSW in Austin, Texas, followed by a free evening concert curated by MC5 guitarist Wayne Kramer; the event will feature Slash, Rusty Anderson (Paul McCartney), Dave & Phil Alvin, Robby Krieger (The Doors), and Perry & Etty Farrell.
The tribute will also feature Doug Pinnick (King's X), Mary Bridget Davies, and Jesse Malin; Los Lonely Boys and Vintage Trouble are the opening acts.
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