Jimi Hendrix’s remarkable legacy is forever colored by the tantalizing possibilities left unrealized when he passed on September 18th, 1970. Hendrix, the pioneering guitarist with unmatched creativity, left behind not only incredible music but also a treasure trove of “what-ifs.”
From possible cinematic ventures to unrealized collaborations, he had a vision beyond the electric guitar, one that Frank Zappa had even hoped would translate into orchestrated works. However, two particular supergroups Hendrix envisioned stand out as some of rock’s greatest missed opportunities.
Though The Jimi Hendrix Experience, featuring Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell, delivered an impressive range that often felt supergroup-worthy, Hendrix had his sights set on even more ambitious collaborations as his fame grew. One of his most thrilling plans involved teaming up with jazz innovator Miles Davis and, surprisingly, Paul McCartney. For Hendrix, Davis’s bold fusion of jazz and rock aligned perfectly with his own genre-crossing goals, and McCartney, a hero of his, brought a gift for orchestration Hendrix deeply admired.
In 1969, Hendrix took a bold step, reaching out to McCartney in a spontaneous way that was quintessentially Jimi.
He sent a telegram to The Beatles’ offices that read: “We are recording an LP together this weekend. How about coming in to play bass stop call Alan Douglas 212-5812212. Peace Jimi Hendrix Miles Davis Tony Williams.”
Yet fate intervened; McCartney was on vacation and may have never seen the message. Still, McCartney’s admiration for Hendrix’s genius suggests he might have jumped at the opportunity, given his well-known opinion of Hendrix as the greatest guitarist ever.
This wasn’t Hendrix’s only attempt at assembling a powerhouse lineup. Around the same time, he had been working with Arthur Lee, songwriter for the band Love, and was close to another possible supergroup. Love’s Johnny Echols recalled, “Jimi was an acquaintance of mine, but he was a friend of Arthur’s. After Love had gone their separate ways, Jimi and Arthur recorded together again.”
This recording session, at London’s Olympic Studios in March 1970, spurred talks of a new band, potentially including Traffic’s Steve Winwood on vocals and Buddy Miles on drums. Yet, before the vision could fully take shape, Hendrix’s passing dashed the project’s future.
For Hendrix’s fans, these stories of unfulfilled collaborations evoke both fascination and sadness. However, Hendrix’s intense musical style and undeniable presence may have needed space to shine fully, as Pete Townshend once reflected. “When you saw him in the live arena, he was like a shaman. It’s the only word I can use… Light seemed to come out of him. He would walk onstage and suddenly he would explode into light.”
Townshend added, “What Jimi was doing was sublime. It was an epiphany in the actual dictionary definition of the word. You felt pained because in his presence and in the presence of that music, you felt small. And you realized how far you had to go.”
Although Hendrix’s dreams for these supergroups went unfulfilled, his influence as a “light” of the rock world remains undeniable, casting a long shadow and ensuring his spirit lives on through his music.
