When you saw this headline, you might have thought we would make an interesting revelation, but no. We will give one of the first answers that come to mind to the question of who is the greatest rock musician. Yes, you guessed it right, Jimi Hendrix. Neal Schon also thinks the same about the late guitarist, as he recently declared on Twitter to his followers.
This should come neither as a surprise nor an objectionable statement. We will prove it with just one scenario. Now imagine, the room was hushed as Jimi Hendrix stepped up to the microphone, his Fender Stratocaster slung over his shoulder. He adjusted the strap and took a deep breath, his fingers hovering over the strings. Suddenly, the room was filled with the sound of his soulful, psychedelic playing.
Every note was like a burst of color, painting a picture of raw emotion and musical genius. Hendrix’s fingers were like lightning, effortlessly gliding up and down the fretboard, creating a sonic landscape, unlike anything anyone had ever heard. Which of you doesn’t get goosebumps thinking about being a part of such a scene?
So, when it comes to discussing the greatest rock musicians of all time, the conversation inevitably often begins and ends with Hendrix. Whether you’re a die-hard Hendrix fan or simply appreciate his impact on the genre, there’s no denying his influence on the world of rock music. As Neal Schon wrote on his Twitter account, Jimi Hendrix remains one of the undisputed greatests of the rock scene.
When a user shared Hendrix’s photo and wrote:
“Jimi Hendrix had a short career but a large impact on rock, blues, and jazz.”
Schon’s reply was succinct, but we all know how much these two words say:
“The greatest.”
Indeed, Jimi Hendrix was a major influence on Neal Schon and Journey. In many interviews, Schon often credited Hendrix as one of his biggest inspirations and even said that he had been blown away by Hendrix’s innovative style and virtuoso playing when he first heard him.
Hendrix’s influence can be heard in Schon’s guitar work, especially in his use of feedback, distortion, and wah-wah pedals. Journey also took inspiration from Hendrix’s blues-rock fusion, incorporating it into their own style, especially in their early days on the music scene.
The greatest ♾️🎶
— NEAL SCHON MUSIC (@NealSchonMusic) February 4, 2023
