Jimi Hendrix and Woodstock

Jimi Hendrix and Woodstock

The world of music would not be what it is today without Jimi Hendrix or without Woodstock of 1969. Jimi Hendrix has influenced many guitarists and performers. Who knows how successful Eddie Van Halen, Yngwie Malmsteen, and Stevie Ray Vaughan would be without grabbing some inspiration from Hendrix? As for Woodstock, it launched musical careers and exemplified the power of music. It brought people together with the love and appreciation for rock and roll.

It is an understatement to say that Jimi Hendrix was a musical genius. He would play every solo so blissfully that it seemed as easy as one-two-three. He played with ease and it is apparent in the video of his performance in Woodstock of 1969 that he belonged on that stage. He would shut out the world by closing his eyes and letting his fingers glide up and down his guitar's neck smoothly, even when the song was dissonant and rapid. Jimi Hendrix did have a knack for changing rhythms of his songs. One second can be soft and consonant with minimal notes being played, and the next second there could be rapid, high notes coming off his guitar. However, each of his songs were composed with a perfect balance of tension and release.

Personally, I find it amusing that Hendrix started to play the electric guitar during his teenage years. With his talent and ability, I assumed that he began to play at an earlier age. I also learned that there was more to him other than his music career. He was a paratrooper for the United States army. How cool is that? I definitely gained more respect for him beyond his guitar playing skills. Clearly Jimi Hendrix was a man who wanted to change the world in many different ways. He definitely changed the world of rock and roll with his talent and he tried to bring peace to the world through the help of the army.

Woodstock of 1969 is one of the moments that changed rock and roll forever. Over 400,000 people came together for three days to have a good time and truly appreciate music. Careers, like Carlos Santana's and Joe Cocker's, launched after the artist's Woodstock performance. Perhaps the most famous Woodstock performance was Jimi Hendrix's take on the Star Spangled Banner. What an incredible piece!

Woodstock alleviated the pain that many Americans were going through at the time because of the war. I cannot think of a better remedy for war than three days worth of quality music. I think that there should be a global Woodstock today to finally bring peace to all the nations. It also showed how powerful music can be. It brought people together, of different ages, race, and ethnicities who peacefully enjoyed the music. Musicians and bands performed simply for the love of performing because they did not receive profits, other than the love of their fans. That concert clearly shows the passion for rock and roll the fans and performers had. Rock and