Today is the birthday of electric guitar hero, James Marshall Hendrix. The "Purple Haze" creator would turn 70 years old if he were still alive today, and this fact is blowing our minds.
On the anniversary of his birth, Jimi Hendrix's hometown of Seattle is celebrating the legendary musician in an exhibit at EMP Museum titled, "Hear My Train A Comin': Hendrix Hits London." Devoted entirely to the guitarist's nine month stint in the UK capital, the collection of lyrics, instruments, photographs and fashion covers Hendrix's 1960s British debut. The period, packed with three unforgettable singles and a magnificently successful album, amounted to the perfect prelude to Hendrix's fiery performance at the '67 Monterey Pop Festival.
The exhibit is a wild survey of the psychedelic icon's trip across the pond and subsequent rise to international fame, featuring everything from his wide-brimmed purple-tinged hats to the remains of his battered guitars. Handwritten lyrics date back to the fall of 1966, when Hendrix first set his sights on London, and the shards of a hand-painted instrument harken back to end of his English tour, which precipitated the infamous June 1967 Saville Theater performance. Taken together, the artifacts are a material glimpse into an era of explosive fame for the Washington-born phenomenon.
Scroll through the slideshow below for a sneak peek at the exhibit, and let us know how you are celebrating Jimi Hendrix's birthday in the comments section.
