Free Spirit (Hermon Hitson song)

Last updated

"Free Spirit" is a 1966 song by blues session player Hermon Hitson (Philadelphia, 1943), which was mistakenly released as the title track of two albums of bootleg Jimi Hendrix recordings. [1] The title track of both Free Spirit bootleg albums, and other songs recorded in the same sessions, contained contributions by Lonnie Youngblood and Lee Moses, but no verified content by Hendrix himself. [2] A version of "House of the Rising Sun" is sometimes labelled as Hendrix, yet is Hermon Hitson.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

Jimi Hendrix American guitarist, singer and songwriter

James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter. His mainstream career lasted only four years, but he is widely regarded as one of the most influential guitarists in history and one of the most celebrated musicians of the 20th century. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame describes him as "the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music".

<i>Are You Experienced</i> 1967 album by The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Are You Experienced is the debut studio album by the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Released in 1967, the LP was an immediate critical and commercial success, and it is widely regarded as one of the greatest debuts in the history of rock music. The album features Jimi Hendrix's innovative approach to songwriting and electric guitar playing which soon established a new direction in psychedelic and hard rock music.

<i>Axis: Bold as Love</i> 1967 studio album by the Jimi Hendrix Experience

Axis: Bold as Love is the second studio album by the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Track Records first released it in the United Kingdom in December 1967, only seven months after the release of their highly successful debut, Are You Experienced. In the United States, Reprise Records delayed the release until the following month. The album reached the top ten in the album charts in both countries.

"Little Wing" is a song written by Jimi Hendrix and recorded by the Jimi Hendrix Experience in 1967. It is a slower tempo, rhythm and blues-inspired ballad featuring Hendrix's vocal and guitar with recording studio effects accompanied by bass, drums, and glockenspiel. Lyrically, it is one of several of his songs that reference an idealized feminine or guardian angel-like figure. At about two and a half minutes in length, it is one of his most concise and melodically-focused pieces.

Hey Joe Song written and composed by Billy Roberts

"Hey Joe" is an American song from the 1960s that has become a rock standard and has been performed in many musical styles by hundreds of different artists. The lyrics tell of a man who is on the run and planning to head to Mexico after shooting his unfaithful wife. In 1962, Billy Roberts registered "Hey Joe" for copyright in the United States.

"Red House" is a song written by Jimi Hendrix and one of the first songs recorded in 1966 by the Jimi Hendrix Experience. It has the musical form of a conventional twelve-bar blues and features Hendrix's guitar playing. He developed the song prior to forming the Experience and was inspired by earlier blues songs.

<i>Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues: Jimi Hendrix</i> 2003 compilation album by Jimi Hendrix

Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues: Jimi Hendrix is a ten track companion release to the critically acclaimed television documentary series Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues shown on PBS in September 2003.

"Stone Free" is a song written by Jimi Hendrix and the second song recorded by the Jimi Hendrix Experience. It has been described as a "counterculture anthem, with its lyrics praising the footloose and fancy-free life", which reflected Hendrix's restless lifestyle. Instrumentally, the song has a strong rhythmic drive provided by drummer Mitch Mitchell with harmonic support by bassist Noel Redding. "Stone Free" was issued on December 16, 1966, as the B-side of the Experience's first UK single "Hey Joe" and later included on the Smash Hits compilation album.

<i>Nine to the Universe</i> 1980 compilation album by Jimi Hendrix

Nine to the Universe is a posthumous compilation album by American guitarist Jimi Hendrix. It was released in March 1980 in the US and in June 1980 in the UK. It was the third album of Hendrix recordings to be produced by Alan Douglas.

Mercy, Mercy (Don Covay song) song performed by Don Covay

"Mercy, Mercy" is a soul song first recorded by American singer/songwriter Don Covay in 1964. It established Covay's recording career and influenced later vocal and guitar styles. The songwriting is usually credited to Covay and Ron Alonzo Miller, although other co-writers' names have also appeared on various releases.

Lonnie Thomas, known as Lonnie Youngblood, is an American saxophonist and bandleader best remembered for playing with Jimi Hendrix.

"Are You Experienced?" is the title song for the Jimi Hendrix Experience 1967 debut album. It has been described as one of Jimi Hendrix's most original compositions on the album by music writer and biographer Keith Shadwick. The song is largely based on one chord and has a drone-like quality reminiscent of Indian classical music. It features recorded guitar and drum parts that are played backwards and a repeating piano octave. Live recordings from 1968 are included on The Jimi Hendrix Concerts album and Winterland box set.

Jimmy Norman American songwriter

Jimmy Norman was an American rhythm and blues and jazz musician and a songwriter. In his early career, Norman had a charting single of his own, "I Don't Love You No More ", as well as performing session work with Jimi Hendrix, but he is better known as a lyricist and songwriter. He wrote the expanded lyrics of the song "Time Is on My Side", which became a hit for The Rolling Stones,and later in 1985 re recorded and produced by Stephen Vanderbilt featuring "St. Tropez" as the A side of a 45 released on the album "Home" throughout Europe. Norman composed a number of songs performed by well-known musicians including Johnny Nash and Bob Marley. In 1969 he became involved with doo-wop band The Coasters, first as a producer and then as a touring member. He was also recording independently, releasing a solo album in 1998, the same year poor health forced him to retire from performance. Like many other musicians of his time, he was not financially prepared for retirement or heavy medical bills, and with few royalties for his writing soon found himself in economic crisis. With the assistance of charitable organization Jazz Foundation of America, Norman regained his feet and resumed performing, releasing his first wide distribution album in 2004, Little Pieces. He performed in the Manhattan area until shortly before his death.

Bleeding Heart (song) Song written by Elmore James

"Bleeding Heart" is a song written and recorded by American blues musician Elmore James in 1961. Considered "among the greatest of James' songs", "Bleeding Heart" was later popularized by Jimi Hendrix, who recorded several versions of the song.

Hear My Train A Comin Song written by Jimi Hendrix

"Hear My Train A Comin'" is a blues-based song written by Jimi Hendrix. Lyrically, it was inspired by earlier American spirituals and blues songs which use a train metaphor to represent salvation. Hendrix recorded the song in live, studio, and impromptu settings several times between 1967 and 1970, but never completed it to his satisfaction.

<i>People, Hell and Angels</i> 2013 compilation album by Jimi Hendrix

People, Hell and Angels is a posthumous compilation album by the American rock musician Jimi Hendrix. The fourth release under the Experience Hendrix deal with Legacy Recordings, it contains twelve previously unreleased recordings of tracks he was working on for the planned follow-up to Electric Ladyland. It was released on March 5, 2013.

Hermon Hitsona.k.a.Herman Hitson is an American guitarist from Atlanta, Georgia, United States. He has played with Garnet Mimms, Joe Tex, Bobby Womack, and Wilson Pickett. Hitson has also been at the center of the controversy over the disputed Hendrix "Free Spirit" track.

Curtis Knight and the Squires were a New York band that was fronted by singer and guitarist Curtis Knight in the mid-1960s. Both Jimi Hendrix and sax player Lonnie Youngblood were members for a while.

<i>Both Sides of the Sky</i> 2018 compilation album by Jimi Hendrix

Both Sides of the Sky is a compilation album by Jimi Hendrix, released by Legacy Recordings and Experience Hendrix on March 9, 2018. The album was the third release in a trilogy of posthumously released "archival recordings" compilation albums highlighted as intended for a follow-up to Electric Ladyland (1968), starting with Valleys of Neptune (2010), and preceded directly by People, Hell and Angels (2013).

References

  1. Gary Geldeart; Steve Rodham (2008). Jimi Hendrix - from the Benjamin Franklin Studios. p. 344. ISBN   9780952768654. Fakes ... These tracks are all Hermon Hitson recordings. According to Hitson himself they were recorded for an album that was to be called Free Spirit.
  2. Harry Shapiro (1995). Jimi Hendrix: Electric Gypsy. St Martin's Press. p.  567. ISBN   978-0312130626. HENDRIX AS GUEST AND/OR PRODUCER. Many of the very early releases listed may prove very hard to obtain, or have long ago been deleted. ... in 1966 in New York City (according to liner notes that is) with saxophonist Lonnie Youngblood and guitarist Herman Hitson. ... 12; Free Spirit; Gangster of Love; Good Times; Hendrix & Youngblood; Hendrix 66; In The Beginning; Jimi Hendrix; Jimi ... In an interview for CBS Television, Lonnie Youngblood had this to say about the material: 'You think you're buying Hendrix. You're not buying Hendrix, you're buying Lonnie Youngblood . . . even the voice, that's not Hendrix singing