Nov 13 2008
R.I.P. Jimi Hendrix Experience Drummer Mitch Mitchell
Drummer Mitch Mitchell, best known for his time in the Jimi Hendrix Experience, was found dead in his Portland, Oregon hotel room on Wednesday morning.
Aged 61, Mitchell apparently died of natural causes according to a deputy medical examiner.
Mitchell had recently completed the 2008 Experience Hendrix tour with a host of music superstars including Buddy Guy, Jonny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepard, and members of Aerosmith and Los Lobos. The tour finished in Portland and Mitchell was stopping over there for a few days before a planned return home to England.
Mitchell was the last surviving member of the original Jimi Hendrix Experience.
I remember watching the “Woodstock” movie on TV when I was a kid and being left with my mouth hanging open after the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s performance at the end of the film. All of the attention was always on Jimi, but without the solid playing of Mitchell and bassist Noel Redding the whole thing would have fallen apart. When Jimi wanted to jam and explore different territories Mitchell and Redding were able to stay right along with him.
Here’s a clip of Mitch Mitchell playing with the Jimi Hendrix Experience at Woodstock to remember him by:
To paraphrase Fight Club “On a long enough drum line, everyone’s life expectancy is zero.” Now with John Bonham and Keith Moon gone too (not to mention all those drummers from Spinal Tap) Bill Ward better watch out!