Jimi Hendrix’s rise to stardom be explored in new documentary

The rise of musician Jimi Hendrix is to be explored in a new feature-length documentary, the first to be authorised by his estate.

Directed by The Greatest Night In Pop filmmaker Bao Nguyen, Jimi will reflect back on the American guitarist’s time in London in the 1960s and how this marked a pivotal point in his career.

The documentary will dive into his story through new interviews, never-before-seen photos and restored archival footage, as well as featuring his classic tracks.

In the early stages of his career, the musician arrived in London in 1966 aged 23 and established himself with his virtuosic technique.

Within a year, Hendrix was catapulted back to the US for his breakout performance at the Monterey Pop Festival.

Hendrix, who died aged 27, is often regarded as one of the greatest guitarists in history.

The documentary is going to be co-produced by Hendrix’s sister Janie Hendrix, alongside Derik Murray and Dana O’Keefe for production companies Network Entertainment and Double Agent respectively.

Janie said: “Jimi’s time in London was some of the most pivotal in his life journey and his musical career.

“The social scene, night life that often bled into day, connections made, decisions on where he wanted to take his music and where he wanted his music to take him; all of that became something of a road-map for the course his life would take.

“Just as Bao Nguyen has achieved in his films highlighting the lives of other iconic figures who influenced pop culture, this presentation of Jimi’s London experience will be inspiring and informative – a story told the way it should be.”

Filmmaker Nguyen said it is a “profound honour and a unique responsibility” to take on this project.

“London has always been a city that inspires me. Having lived there, I felt a deep connection to its creative energy, much like Jimi did when his creativity reached extraordinary heights”, he added.

“I approach this project with deep respect for his legacy and the cultural significance he holds as an American original.”

The director said he hopes to capture the “vibrant atmosphere” of the 1960s music scene while looking at Hendrix’s rise to stardom, leading to his famous performance at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival.

“A triumphant homecoming where his incendiary performance didn’t just set his guitar alight – it ignited a cultural shift that changed the course of music history”, he added.

The most recent documentary by the Emmy-nominated Vietnamese-American filmmaker, titled The Greatest Night In Pop and produced with Lionel Richie, followed the making of the charity single We Are The World for African famine relief and the superstar artists that shaped the song into one of the fastest-selling of all time.