Jimi hendrix biography pbs tv

Guitar god Jimi Hendrix got the PBS treatment last night in the American Masters broadcast of the two-hour documentary Jimi Hendrix– Hear My Train a Comin’. In other words: a thorough, serious-minded consideration of his career that soft-pedals some aspects of his personal life, such as his drug use.

While the high priests of Hendrixology will be familiar with most of it, the film has some previously unseen treasures, such as his performance at the 1968 Miami Pop Festival, and smart commentary from the likes of RollingStone‘s David Fricke.

Even viewers moderately familiar with Hendrix’s legend could enrich their understanding of his life. Five examples:

Where Does Jimi Hendrix Rank on Our 100 Greatest Guitarists List? 

Hendrix looked good in a uniform.
Although he later became famous for peacock fashion – hats with feathers, aquamarine chemises – Hendrix looked sharp in a unifo