Jimi Hendrix’s latest lick is on the back of a postage stamp. The Jimi Hendrix Commemorative Stamp goes on sale today in post offices across the U.S.
The stamp was unveiled today at SXSW in Austin at the Outdoor Stage in Buffer Park followed by a concert by guitar luminaries, Wayne Kramer, guitarist for MC5; Slash, former lead guitarist for Guns N’ Roses; Rusty Anderson, lead guitarist for Paul McCartney’s tours; and Perry Farrell, lead singer for Jane’s Addiction. Also, the concert featured Robby Krieger, guitarist for the Doors; Mary Bridget Davies, star of Broadway’s “A Night with Janis Joplin”; Jesse Malin, guitarist/musician; Dave and Phil Alvin, former guitarists for The Blasters; and Etty Farrell, wife of Perry Farrell and former star of E! reality series, “Married to Rock.”
“Combining influences from rock, modern jazz, soul and the blues with his own innovations, Jimi Hendrix helped found three new genres of music — heavy metal, jazz fusion and funk — and in doing so, left behind an indelible mark on pop music and popular culture generally,” said Joseph Corbett, chief financial officer and executive vice president, U.S. Postal Service.
“I’m especially pleased that we continue celebrating our Music Icons stamp series with the issuance of the Jimi Hendrix Forever Stamp,” Corbett said. Janie Hendrix, sister to the late Jimi Hendrix, joined Corbett to dedicate the stamp.
“I am deeply touched and so are other members of the Hendrix family by the issuance of this stamp, and I wish to thank the United States Postal Service for bestowing one of our nation’s highest honors on my brother Jimi,” said Janie Hendrix. “While my brother has been cited many times as being among the most influential musicians of all time, the recognition implicit in his being portrayed on a U.S. postage stamp ranks as an unparalleled honor.”
The stamp, designed by artist Rudy Gutierrez, was designed to resemble a vintage 45 rpm record sleeve and features a painting of Hendrix’s face surrounded by colorful swirls and small icons that reference song lyrics or aspects of Hendrix’s life. The various icons include flowers, a guitar, a mermaid and a butterfly. The stamp art shows Hendrix in performance, wearing one of his trademark vintage military jackets and playing one of his beloved white Fender Stratocaster guitars.
Read more at VVN Music
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