Experience Hendrix L.L.C., the company founded by the father of Jimi Hendrix, James ‘Al’ Hendrix, to preserve the legacy of Jimi, has won a court ruling to shut down companies trading on the Hendrix name without authorization.
Over decades the Hendrix name has been used for coffee, vodka and an array of other products without permission from the Hendrix family.
In a statement Experience Hendrix explains, “ In 2009, Experience Hendrix and its affiliate, Authentic Hendrix, filed suit In the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington to stop Andrew Pitsicalis from infringing upon Hendrix family trademarks and from engaging in deceptive trade practices. In May of this year, the Court entered the Amended Permanent Injunction, prohibiting Pitsicalis from using registered HENDRIX marks in the advertising and sale of merchandise and in any business or domain name”.
The company states than “in 1995, Al Hendrix specifically hand picked the team he wanted to manage the family company to promote and protect his son’s legacy. In recent years, EH has successfully fought against unauthorized Jimi Hendrix products such as vodka, coffee and other merchandise ventures. These actions are in keeping with Al Hendrix’s vision of his son’s legacy. This Permanent Injunction is yet another result of those continuing efforts. Ill-conceived schemes that infringe upon the trademarks established by ‘Al’ Hendrix and the family company will not be tolerated.
Today the company is run by Jimi’s sister Janie. “To say that we are elated by this decision would be an understatement,” commented Janie Hendrix. “This is an amazing victory. Each time we face a legal issue that challenges our ability to effectively represent and protect Jimi’s legacy, we put on our battle gear because we’re fighting for something larger than life. Jimi isn’t here, so we fight for him. The Permanent Injunction not only confirms our company’s rights but also serves notice to those who would disrespect the mission that my father undertook when he founded our company. Preserving our rights means keeping the heritage left by Jimi and his music so elevated as to remain out of the grasp of those who would attempt to misappropriate it. We have always strived to make sure that the music we release and products we authorize are of the highest quality. It’s a responsibility we take very seriously. This Injunction gives us more strength to ensure that the excellence of the artistry of Jimi Hendrix will not easily be watered down, misused, or desecrated. We wish we did not have to dedicate time and resources that could be better served honoring Jimi’s great legacy but protecting these rights is part of the responsibility tasked to us by Al Hendrix.”
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