Jimi Hendrix Memorial

Above, Jimi Hendrix's grave-memorial. A statue is supposed to be mounted under the domed structure.

Jimi Hendrix Memorial

Photos by Armand Vaquer

A new book by former Jimi Hendrix roadie, James "Tappy" Wright, entitled Rock Roadie, is stirring up a new controversy. In the book, Wright claims Hendrix's manager, Michael Jeffrey, drunkenly confessed to killing Hendrix by stuffing pills into his mouth and washing them down with several bottles of red wine because he feared Hendrix intended to dump him for a new manager.

I have my doubts about this as it has been nearly 40 years since Hendrix's death and Wright never uttered a peep about this until now. Did Wright go to the authorities and report this "confession?"

However, as a Hendrix fan, I made a visit to Hendrix's grave-memorial at the Greenwood Memorial Park in Renton, Washington in February 2005.

At the time, it was written that a bronze statue was being made in Italy to be mounted on a pedestal in the memorial. To date, no such statue has been placed on the grave and it looks the same as it did on my visit except engravings of Hendrix's lyrics and pictures have been added to the three pillars and base walls. According to the official Jimi Hendrix Memorial website, the statue was in the process of being made as of 2003. There's been no updates since 2004.

Here's a couple of photos from my visit:

Above, Hendrix's memorial with the original grave's headstone mounted.

Above, the Jimi Hendrix grave-memorial.