By Anthony Edwards, The Seattle Medium
“Purple Rain,” announcing the Washington Huskies’ entrance at Husky Stadium, “Fire,” ringing through T-Mobile Park after a Seattle Mariners’ victory. And “All Along The Watchtower,” as a game day tradition at Seattle Sounders games.
All of these songs are synonymous with Seattle sports, and they are all classics from Jimi Hendrix’s guitar. These stadium anthems are emblematic of ongoing homages and pride in the Seattle native who changed the world’s music scene forever with his progressive playing style and iconic performances, including Woodstock.
Hendrix would have turned 80 years old on Nov. 27, and both local and national events celebrated the Seattle rock star. Despite all the time that has passed, Hendrix remains at the top of Seattle’s deep musical history.
Ken Tomkins, who runs Seattle Records in the University District, says visitors to the store are quick to gravitate toward local artists and bands, such as Hendrix and Nirvana.
“Tourists too, they want some mention of Seattle,” said Tompkins. “It’s cool when somebody comes all the way from Spain. We always try to stock up well, and I like those bands, Hendrix and Nirvana. People when they go to a place they want some reminder of it, and it’s good music too.”
Tourists looking for a taste of Seattle music history frequently visit the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) at Seattle Center, which features an ongoing exhibit dedicated to Hendrix. For Hendrix’s 80th birthday MoPOP, the Northwest African American Museum (NAAM) and the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) hosted a weekend-long celebration to honor the Seattle guitar legend.
At MOHAI, some of Hendrix’s outfits were displayed, a screening of “Live in Maui,” a concert documentary, played, and Hendrix merchandise was for sale. A featured event was a question and answer with Hendrix’s stepsister, Janie, who is now president and CEO of Experience Hendrix, a limited liability corporation that represents Hendrix’s name, image and likeness.
“We loaned three outfits to MOHAI to display, and that exhibit will run until spring, so that will be nice,” said Janie Hendrix in an interview after the event. “If people missed the actual birthday celebration, they can still celebrate Jimi and see the outfits that he had worn. Especially the butterfly outfit which he did wear in Seattle at his last concert at Sick’s Stadium.”
Although Janie Hendrix was only nine years old when Jimi died, her work has helped keep her stepbrother’s spirit alive throughout the world.
Another event that Janie Hendrix helped organize is the Experience Hendrix Tour, a one-night celebration of Hendrix in Austin, Texas, at the Moody Theatre on Dec. 4. This year’s performance featured Billy Cox, Kenny Wayne, Chris Layton and many more famous rock ‘n’ roll artists.
Before the pandemic, Experience Hendrix Tour was a bit more active, including a 30-stop tour in 2019.
“The fans have missed the concert and they all have great stories, great energy and great vibes,” Janie Hendrix said. “They give it back to everyone.”
In the past 10 years, Janie Hendrix has undertaken many Seattle-based projects to keep her late stepbrother’s legacy at the forefront of Seattle history. One of her biggest endeavors is located at a 2.5-acre plot of land adjacent to NAAM, in the Central District.
She wanted Jimi to be remembered in the neighborhood where he lived and attended school, at Garfield High School, so she founded the Jimi Hendrix Park Foundation in 2009 and began working with Seattle Parks and Recreation.
The park opened in 2017 and was fully completed in 2019. Along walkways in the park is a timeline of Hendrix’s life, lyrics of “Little Wing,” and the “Shadow Wave Wall,” an art structure with Hendrix’s face and purple waves.
Seattle’s professional men’s soccer team, Seattle Sounders FC, wears a jersey with a similar wave pattern across the chest called “The Jimi Hendrix Kit.” The jersey also includes a few Hendrix lyrics and his signature.
Throughout their professional history, the Sounders have rotated through different jerseys every two years, and for the 2021 and 2022 seasons they used the Hendrix theme as their alternate jersey.
Janie Hendrix says it’s fun to see people in that jersey. “Wherever we go, it doesn’t even matter. In other states people are wearing them, in other countries people are wearing them, where soccer is bigger than life. People love them. My dad, when he was a kid, loved soccer, so I really wish he could’ve been alive to see this because I think this would bring him a lot of joy.”
Some of the proceeds from jersey sales also go to local nonprofit organizations, including NAAM and MoPOP.
Perhaps one of the biggest sporting connections to Hendrix is at the University of Washington, where “Purple Haze,” plays over the loudspeakers every time the Huskies take the field for a home football game.
“With a song entitled ‘Purple Haze,’ and an artist so indelibly etched in Seattle music history, it’s no wonder that the athletic department has used it during their in-game promotions over my 29 years as director,” said Husky Band director Brad McDavid.
McDavid’s bands have honored Hendrix in a number of ways over the years. For Hendrix’s 60th birthday celebration, the band arranged an entire halftime show of the rock guitarist’s music, and the performance was attended by much of his family.
“The Northwest always has had such a proud and rich rock ‘n’ roll history so we’ve been able to build several halftime shows over the years around that history without generally having to repeat any songs or artists,” McDavid said. “However, the one artist whose music I have always made sure is a part of each one of our ‘Seattle Rock’ halftime shows is, and always will be, Jimi Hendrix!”
