Dissect the brilliance of Jimi Hendrix's rhythm guitar playing

(Image credit: Jimi Hendrix Channel/YouTube)

When Jimi Hendrix first exploded onto the scene, much attention was riveted on his radical reinvention of guitar-soloing vocabulary, technique and sound, inspired by a now-familiar roster of great blues soloists. But Hendrix had another musical asset that set him apart from similarly influenced British blues-rock contemporaries: years of experience as a professional R&B rhythm guitarist. 

Ballads like Wind Cries Mary, Bold as Love and, most famously, Little Wing displayed Jimi’s mastery of contemporary soul rhythm guitar styles and particularly the influence of Curtis Mayfield and Steve Cropper.

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