Music legend Jimi Hendrix only lived for 27 years. The iconic American songwriter and singer is still regarded as one of the most influential electric guitarists in the history of popular music, though his mainstream career spanned only four years. He is recognized by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as “arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music.”
This explains his comment, as he reflected on his career: “I’ve been imitated so well, I’ve heard people copy my mistakes.”
Why was Jimi Hendrix so often imitated? For one reason. He was really good at what he did.
Sadly, addiction took him down. Hendrix saved just $400 from his one year of service in the Army. He blew the entire $400 on alcohol at a bar in Clarksville, Tennessee. His struggles with LSD became legendary. His personal biographer, Charles Cross, wrote, “Few stars were as closely associated with the drug culture as Jimi.”
Hendrix died with 18 times the normal dose of sleeping pills in his system.
Like Jimi Hendrix, we are all good at something. But it just takes one addiction to take it all away.
Recovery Step: Like Jimi Hendrix, and the rich young ruler, you may be tripped up by just one thing (Mark 10:21). If that one thing is addiction, get help. Today.
