The permanent marker will commemorate Jimi’s last London residence, known then as the Cumberland Hotel, before his untimely death in 1970.
As part of the festivities, there will be a screening of the documentary “Music, Money, Madness… Jimi Hendrix in Maui”, which received a Grammy nomination for Best Music Film last year; there will also be an exclusive Q&A with Jimi’s sister Janie Hendrix, his producer/engineer Eddie Kramer, and the film’s director John McDermott.
Festivities will be preceded on June 9 by a rooftop performance from Mississippi-based blues artist Christone “Kingfish” Ingram.
Beyond that performance, a special presentation of Linda McCartney's images of Jimi Hendrix has been added to the slate of June 10th events. Over the course of her career as a freelance photographer, (then) Linda Eastman photographed Hendrix on multiple occasions, with one of her images personally selected by the guitarist for the original artwork for his “Electric Ladyland” album, although it was replaced prior to release and didn’t official grace the cover until a reissue four years ago.
Hendrix has been greatly admired for his pioneering musical influence and this will the UK’s second plaque to honor him. The first blue plaque recognizing him was unveiled in 1997 at his 1968-69 Mayfair residence by English Heritage – the national plaque charity that since 1966 celebrates the links between notable figures of the past and building in which they lived and worked. There is also a Blue Plaque at that same address (25 Brook Street) commemorating the fact that German-born composer George Frideric Handel lived there from 1723 until his death in 1759.
With two Blue Plaques, Hendrix is in rarified company of the few who have their name grace multiple Blue Plaques; these notables include Mahatma Gandhi, Prime Ministers Lord Palmerston and William Gladstone, and author William Makepeace Thackeray.
This new honor is bestowed by the Nubian Jak Community Trust (NJCT). Founded in 2006, NJCT is the only commemorative plaque and sculpture scheme focused on memorializing the historic contributions of Black and minority people of various ethnic origins in Britain and beyond. The NJCT has since installed more than 71 commemorative blue and black plaques throughout the UK, including to an array of musicians from Samuel Coleridge Taylor to Bob Marley.
“I’m so proud of my brother Jimi and his being honored again in London,” says Janie Hendrix. “His mission was to spread love across the world through his music, and we continue to see that come to fruition all these years later. Eddie, John and I all look forward to interacting with people on June 10, whose lives were touched by Jimi in London – a city that was so important to him and his career.”
See also:
Jimi Hendrix estate streams 1968 Fort Worth concert
Jimi Hendrix estate streams 1968 Chicago concert
Jimi Hendrix estate streaming 1968 Dallas concert
Jimi Hendrix Maui documentary coming to theaters
Search Jimi Hendrix at hennemusic
