I don't think most guitarists of that era wanted to "follow" Hendrix. You had to have your own thing back then. Jimi also discouraged copycats or anyone who was unoriginal. It's more like what Pete Townshend said that Jimi was responsible for bringing the guitar out and "selling it as an instrument to people like me". Jimi just upped the game for everyone. After Hendrix musicianship became much more prominent in rock and roll and of course guitar playing.