Famous works like “Purple Haze”, “Voodoo Child”, “All Along the Watchtower”, and his iconic take on theStar Spangled Banner(Live at Woodstock 1969) gave the inimitableJimi Hendrix (1942-1970)a space to redefine the entire essence of what we knew electric guitar to be.Hendrix’s musical storytelling became theatrical, even through his instrumentation alone. Those sametimeless rock classics, however,also yielded Hendrix a one-way ticket to the 27 Club.
The death of Hendrix still remainscontroversial and widely discussed through allegations of foul play, even by his own associates. This has left lingering questions as to why and how one of the most talented musicians of all time left us so soon. No report felt straightforward, and over the years,theories have pointed to negligence, murder, and even government involvement, making Hendrix’s final hours and untimely death one of rock’s most enduring mysteries.
How Did Jimi Hendrix Die?
He Was Found Unconscious In London
On Sept. 18, 1970, Hendrix wasfound unconscious at the Samarkand Hotel in London, where he had been staying with his girlfriend, Monika Dannemann. Paramedics responded to Dannemann, who called for medical assistance after discovering the guitarist unconscious late that morning, and transported Hendrix to St. Mary Abbot’s Hospital.
Dr. John Bannister pronounced the unresponsive Hendrix dead less than 90 minutes removed from that call, due to what official reports explained to be asphyxiation after choking on his own vomit. Hendrix, who first responders suggested had been deceased for several hours, was also described to be extremely intoxicated with barbiturates,as Dannemann later said he consumed at least nine of her prescribed sleeping tablets (Vesparax)— roughly 18 times the recommended dosage.
Why Jimi Hendrix’s Death Is So Infamous
Certain Details Simply Don’t Add Up
The coroner recorded Hendrix’s death as an open verdict, confirming genuine doubts, though without enough evidence to classify them otherwise through a specific classification. Often this decision is made in cases of suspected suicide where intent can’t be proven, while other times suspicions run much deeper than the surface. Inconsistencies in Dannemann’s story certainly didn’t help douse Hendrix conspiracy theories.
Inconsistencies in Dannemann’s story certainly didn’t help douse Hendrix conspiracy theories.
Conflicting statements about when she actually discovered Hendrix, what actions she took at the scene, and her descriptions of both the timeline and his state from the night before, among other disturbing contradictions, instead fueled speculation about her involvement. Many believe it could’ve been the fear that overcame Dannemann, a reflection of her own guilt and remorse, maybe even pressure from an outside source, butsomething about this hasn’t added up for nearly 55 years.
The Conspiracy Theories Behind Jimi Hendrix’s Death
There Are Still Plenty Circulating
Dannemann could’ve known more than she was willing to share, or simply didn’t respond with the timeliness needed to potentially save Hendrix’s life (while simultaneously panicking to cover up details). Given that she also died of her own questionable circumstances decades later, only more uncertainty has contributed to the tragedy.Medical negligence is another popular claim, as well as the 27 Club curse(joining a pattern of legendary musicians dying at that age). No theory has become more polarizing and persistent than the one surrounding music manager Michael Jeffery, though.
This conspiracy suggests that Jeffery orchestrated the murder because he was set to lose control of Hendrix’s career and financial assets, informed the day before that the unparalleled instrumentalist was supremely dissatisfied with his direction, suspecting Jeffery of embezzlement and set to hire new representation. Former roadie James “Tappy” Wrightclaims (viaNME) that Jeffery actually confessed to the murder in 1971 after plotting to benefit from a $2 million life insurance policy he had taken out on Hendrix as the sole beneficiary.
Allegedly, Jeffery said: “I had to do it. Hendrix was worth more to me dead than alive. That son of a b**** was trying to leave me. If I lost him, I’d lose everything.”
In one of the more strange details, Dr. Bannister stated thatHendrix was completely drenched in red wine— his hair, clothes, bed, etc. all covered in alcohol. The autopsy ultimately revealed a large amount of wine in Hendrix’s lungs and stomach, but very little was found in his bloodstream, leading theorists to question whether Hendrix was rendered unconscious with barbiturates and force-fed during a staged overdose.
Jeffery has even been accused of utilizing waterboarding techniques, where liquid is forced into the lungs to cause asphyxiation, in an organized military assassination. That thought ties into allegations thatthe manager still had connections to M16, the British intelligence service, as a former agentwith a ruthless reputation from his life prior to the entertainment business. It has also been considered that Jeffrey was just a pawn underneath a larger cause, used to extinguish the impact Hendrix was making as a massive counterculture icon.
Jeffery subsequently died in a mysterious plane crashin 1973, taking any definitive answers down in flames with him forever. Did this struggle for control really push a self-serving businessman to end it all? Was an intelligence agency behind a Hendrix murder-for-hire? Could Dannemann have helped those responsible to cover up her boyfriend’s death… or potentially been the culprit herself? What truly happened toJimi Hendrix, and why, will likely never be confirmed.
