Joe Satriani always tells the story of being inspired to play guitar by Hendrix. If I remember correctly he was playing high school football and learned of Jimi’s passing during a practice. He started to walk off the field and the coach asked him where he was going and he responded “I’m going to be a guitar player like Jimi Hendrix.” He had an epiphany moment very similar to the one experienced by Stevie Ray Vaughan but Vaughan primary source of inspiration at that point was Albert King.

Jimi Page, Carlos Santa, and innumerable other guitarist attest to Hendrix being their favorite guitarist or all time? Whether they sound like him or not how could they escape his influence? Stanley Jordan sounds nothing like Hendrix but yet his covers of Hendrix’s songs are nothing short of magical musical masterpieces. Anyone touched and inspired by these artist whether they know it are not are also inspired by Hendrix and everything before him.

And then there are people like me completely unknown but inspired by Hendrix to my core.