Jimi Hendrix Couldn't Read Music

One of rock music's most fascinating paradoxes: Jimi Hendrix, widely regarded as the greatest electric guitarist who ever lived, never learned to read or write musical notation. Everything he created — from 'Purple Haze' to 'Little Wing' — came entirely from his ear and imagination.

Hendrix was largely self-taught, learning guitar by listening to records and playing along. He would communicate with bandmates verbally, often playing riffs to show them what he wanted. His innovative techniques — feedback, whammy bar manipulation, and playing guitar upside-down — revolutionized rock music between 1967 and his death in 1970 at age 27.